Pound299731's review about Bullet Train(2022)

Pound299731

Rating 7

14:45 20 April, 2024

What should have been a darkly humorous thrill ride fails to find its niche, awkwardly stitching together various styles without mastering any. The film fumbles with its suspense, revealing some twists too early and others too late, with certain symbols and character deaths lacking clarity and comedic impact. While there are elements of R-rated humor, they're too sparse to be satisfying. Despite some bright spots, the film fails to play to its strengths. A regrettable outcome indeed.

From an entertainment perspective, it's exciting enough. However, the narrative has jarring issues, especially as an adaptation of Kotaro Isaka's novel, which is originally rich with interconnected storylines. The film feels like a haphazard mix of different plotlines, leaving one to wonder if those unfamiliar with the book can follow the plot given the superficial treatment of many details. The action scenes aren't all that great either, diminishing the film's potential.