Bullet Train (2022)
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A group of assassins on a high-speed Japanese train find themselves in a deadly conflict as they pursue different objectives.
The story
On a high-speed train traveling through Japan, several assassins find themselves on the same train, each with their own conflicting missions. Among them is a 'bad luck' operative known as Ladybug, who is trying to retrieve a briefcase, and a man named Yuichi who is searching for the person responsible for his son's condition. As the train moves toward its destination, the various parties begin to collide, leading to a series of violent encounters and misunderstandings as they navigate the tension of their overlapping goals and the high-stakes environment of the moving train.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Yuichi Kimura (the Father) seeks the person who harmed his son, while Ladybug, a 'bad luck' operative, is tasked with retrieving a briefcase. They are joined by the assassin brothers Lemon and Tangerine, who are escorting 'the Son' to the yakuza boss known as the White Death. Conflict erupts quickly: the Son is poisoned, and Ladybug is confronted by 'the Wolf,' who dies in a fight. Yuichi discovers the 'Prince,' a girl who manipulated him into a trap. Meanwhile, Lemon and Tangerine engage in their own battles with Ladybug and the Prince. The plot thickens as 'the Elder' boards the train to confront the White Death. Upon reaching Kyoto, the truth is revealed: the White Death orchestrated the situation so his enemies would eliminate each other. A massive brawl ensues as the train crashes into a neighborhood. In the aftermath, the White Death is killed by an explosion, the Prince is run over by a truck, and Ladybug is collected by his handler.
- First release year
- 2022
- Runtime (minutes)
- 126
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Leitch
- Writers
- Zak Olkewicz · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Brad Pitt · Ladybug; Joey King · the Prince; Aaron Taylor-Johnson · the Elder; Brian Tyree Henry · the Hornet; Andrew Koji · the Son; Hiroyuki Sanada · the White Death; Michael Shannon · the Wolf; Benito A. Martínez Ocasio · Tangerine; Sandra Bullock · the Father
- Genres
- action comedy; crime thriller
- Themes
- fate; consequence
- Tone and mood
- action; comedy
- Premise and plot tags
- assassins; high-speed train; yakuza
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2010 Japanese novel by Kōtarō Isaka
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was widely praised by audiences. It also sparked a controversy regarding the casting of non-Japanese actors in a Japanese-set story.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 49 · scale: 100 · review count: 61; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 82% · scale: percent · review count: 63% saying they would definitely recommend it
- Production trivia
- The film was originally intended to be a serious action thriller before becoming a light-hearted action comedy.; Brad Pitt performed 95% of his own stunts.; The film features Japanese-language covers of 'Stayin' Alive' and 'Holding Out for a Hero'.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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