The story, however – which screenwriter Zak Olkewicz adapted from the Japanese novel – doesn’t have enough fuel to consistently maintain that tone. Even extended flashbacks to pull the narrative out of its confined space can’t add enough intrigue to the machinations of these strangers on a train.
Joining the ongoing story, Pitt’s hapless hitman (codename Ladybug) boards a bullet train in Japan, with orders to acquire a briefcase full of cash. Alas, he’s not the only skilled assassin on board, with each pursuing different marching orders, confusion over who’s pulling the strings, and plenty of misunderstandings along the way.
It barely scratches the surface of the cast, including cameos clearly meant to offer small rewards to the audience. The trade-off, however, is that some more recognizable faces appear so briefly that they barely register.
The claustrophobic setting actually works to the advantage of staging the fight sequences, which are brutal, gory, and often played for laughs. Indeed, more than one mimics the interrupted confrontation in “Kill Bill,” including the fun dilemma of how to try and kill someone without breaking the train’s “silent car” rules.
For the most part, though, “Bullet Train” underscores the challenges of trying to infuse this kind of film with the qualities of a live-action cartoon, even if the goal is two hours of unpretentious escapism.
It’s not another sequel, which in this genre seems almost in itself cause for celebration; again, and the movie doesn’t look remotely original. Perhaps that’s why, while the resulting ride isn’t without its thrills, in terms of punching a theater ticket, it’s hard to recommend taking this “train.”
“Bullet Train” will be released on August 5 in US theaters. It is rated R.