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Bullet Train
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Pitt action thriller is a fun but exceedingly violent ride.

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Bullet Train
Community Reviews
Based on 27 parent reviews
Silly good fun! But the violence is a bit much...
What's the Story?
In BULLET TRAIN, a career criminal codenamed "Ladybug" (Brad Pitt) has spent some time working on self-reflection and trying to live a more peaceful existence. But now he's preparing for his latest job: snatching a briefcase from a bullet train that runs between Tokyo and Kyoto. Unfortunately, the gig isn't so simple. "Tangerine" (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and "Lemon" (Brian Tyree Henry) are supposed to deliver the case, along with a warlord's son (Logan Lerman), but they lose both. And "The Prince" (Joey King) is blackmailing a man (Andrew Koji) into helping assassinate the warlord, who's also known as The White Death. Meanwhile, someone is poisoning people with snake venom, and a killer is seeking revenge. Is all of it somehow connected? And can Ladybug get out of this mess alive?
Is It Any Good?
With gleefully excessive violence and little depth, this oversized action thriller executes its many moving parts with skill, but it's Pitt's dopey, languid performance that keeps the balance. Directed by David Leitch and based on a novel by Kotaro Isaka, Bullet Train is a little like a multiple-character heist movie such as Ocean's Eleven or Logan Lucky, except that the why and how is less important than the what, which in this case is the fight scenes. The movie delights in pitting its many trained fighters and killers against as many obstacles as possible. Suspense is generated when characters sometimes come back from certain defeat (such as one who's thrown off the train, jumps back onto its tail end, and then tries to work his way back inside) or when a previously planted item -- like a poisonous snake -- pops up again.
Thunderous, nonstop movies filled with constant fighting can get exhausting -- see Free Fire, for example -- but director Leitch, a former stunt performer and coordinator who turned to filmmaking with John Wick, has a good sense of rhythm. His stops and starts, flashbacks and reveals all effectively build a rhythm that flows and doesn't feel oppressive. But Pitt is the secret weapon. Ladybug can certainly fight, but the character is more of a talker than a fighter, and he's forever looking for ways to make things easier on himself. His laid-back quality adds a soft, sweet center to a hard, crunchy movie. (Henry's character's passion for Thomas the Tank Engine is also a nice, sweet touch.) All in all, Bullet Train may disappear into the horizon fairly soon after viewing, but it's a fun ride while it lasts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Bullet Train's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Ladybug is convinced that he has "biblically" bad luck, while The Prince is convinced that she has equally good luck. Is good or bad luck real, or does one's fortune have more to do with outlook and attitude?
Ladybug talks a great deal about finding opportunities for peace within violence. Is he ever able to do that? If so, how?
What is the nature of revenge? What is, or isn't, achieved by an act of revenge?
Lemon talks about how everyone is a character from Thomas the Tank Engine. Do you agree with this view? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 5, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: December 3, 2022
- Cast: Brad Pitt , Sandra Bullock , Zazie Beetz
- Director: David Leitch
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studios: Columbia Pictures , Sony Pictures Entertainment
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Book Characters , Trains
- Run time: 152 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong and bloody violence, pervasive language, and brief sexuality
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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