Bullet Train

An over the top action romp, Bullet Train is an ensemble cast of well known actors all performing in this high octane film. Brad Pitt leads as a hitman wanting to retire getting caught up in the hijinks going on in a bullet train traveling through Japan. Alongside him are Joey King as a manipulative Russian assassin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Bryan Tyree Henry as twin assassins who argue constantly over Thomas the Tank Engine, and Hiroyuki Sanada a mysterious old man with connections to the Yakuza. Adapted from a Japanese novel, so while certain characters' races are changed, it at least makes up for it by having a very diverse cast. The writing from Zac Olkewics is fun even if it doesn't offer that much new and is very similar to many other action movies, but between the well written characters and David Leitch's direction you don't really notice and just enjoy having a good time with his mix of Tarantino and Ritchie. You'd think with such a confined space most of the time in the train that the action would be stale, but between the production design, Jonathan Sela's cinematography, and the editing from Elisabet Ronaldsdottir it manages to be energetic, inventive, and exiting. Bullet Train is one of those movies that prove that even if you've already seen something like it before, it doesn't mean that there isn't a way to enjoy it. Over all: 88%

2022 top list so far:

1. Top Gun: Maverick

2. The Black Phone

3. Nope

4. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

5. The Northman

6. The Batman

7. Lightyear

8. Dog

9. Everything Everywhere All at Once

10. X 2022

11. Scream 2022

12. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

13. Bullet Train

14. Thor: Love and Thunder

15. Jurassic World: Dominion

16. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

17. Uncharted