Bullet Train
Cast: Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, Zazie Beetz, Bad Bunny, Andrew Koji, Michael Shannon, Sandra Bullock, Masi Oka, Hiroyuki Sanada, Logan Lerman, Karen Fukuhara, Miraj Grbic, Bad Bunny, Pasha D. Lychnikoff
Director: David Leitch
Rating: 2.5/5

Director David Leitch’s cinema adaptation of Author Kōtarō Isaka’s ‘MariaBeetle,’ a 2010 Japanese dark comedic thriller novel which was translated into English by Sam Malissa as Bullet Train, gives an impression of a fast-paced slick actioner but that’s what it’s not. Far too many slow-mo sequences and several digressions into vacuous dialogue (that’s meant to be humorous) puncturing the stunt-action, depresses the overall enjoyment.

Ladybug (Brad Pitt), a has-been assassin who had to deal with anger issues, is called back into the fray by his handler. He is intent on putting the lessons of peace he has learnt in the interim, to test, but Fate has other plans, as his latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe. Everyone’s after a briefcase which contains the ransom paid for a kidnapping …but it’s not for us to reason why. We’re just meant to sit back and enjoy. That’s if you can keep your brain out of it!