Shinkansen Review: A mostly funny but nasty action-comedy

Mainly because it’s a funny action flick bullet train Rely on Pitt’s megawatt charisma, and sometimes on its own.

Directed by David Leach, this action-comedy has a perfectly rambunctious tone, clever stunts and fight sequences, and a colorful, pizzazzy visual aesthetic that pops and much more.

But it’s also nasty, meandering from euphoric highs to sloppy lows, and its uneven pace is sometimes speeding up at the blistering pace of a Shinkansen, and the same as a sloth on land. Sometimes I feel like I’m moving as fast as I do.

Pitt stars as Ladybug, a relatively mild-mannered assassin who has just returned to the game. Bucket Armed with his hat, a charming smile, and an intense sense of skepticism, Ladybug boards a bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto on a mission.

His target is a briefcase containing a lot of money.

But nothing is easy in the gun for hire business. All the more so if you are convinced that ladybug is the unluckiest person on earth.

Ladybug isn’t the only assassin on the train, unfortunately, or by a large and overly complicated plot. Far from it. This particular train is the convergence point of multiple killers with equally adorable codenames.

A ruthless assassin prince (Joey King), who takes advantage of the appearance of a British schoolgirl in trouble, and two assassin brothers, Tangerine (Aaron Taylor Taylor), who wear matching checked coats. Johnson) and Lemmon (Brian Tyree Henry). Vengeful assassin Wolfe (Benito A. Martinez Ocasio) and poison expert Hornet (Zazie Beetz).

And they all want either a case or someone attached to it, which complicates Ladybug’s simple task considerably.

that is bullet trainThe main downfall of – how complicated the plot is. It struggles to devise all this complexity, including countless killers, hidden schemes, and boss-level targets (Michael Shannon), and struggles to keep the flow.

As much as you are drawn into the instinctive pleasure of stylish, high-octane action sequences, you are asked to follow an increasingly complex plot. Wait, what’s that guy’s beef with this guy?

There are some genuinely great “phwaor” moments. Such as scene-stealing, with legendary Japanese actor and martial artist Hiroyuki Sanada playing Eldar, another assassin.

Or a legitimately adorable, continuous reference thomas and friendsLemon is addicted and makes for a fun touch point in a variety of scenes.

And the battle sequences are creative, imaginative, and well directed. But that’s to be expected from Leach, who spent many years as a stunt double for Pitt before moving on to directing. John Wick, atomic blonde When deadpool 2.

Given the quality of Reach’s history, plus the exciting cast and raucous atmosphere, bullet train If it wasn’t bloodier, tighter, and brazen, it would have been a great movie.

it certainly isn’t John Wick take a train. If so, it wouldn’t have been such a shambolic experience.

evaluation: 3/5

Shinkansen is now in the movie theater

first published as Shinkansen Review: A mostly funny but nasty action-comedy