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==Plot==
==Plot==
<!-- [[WP:FILMPLOT]] 400-700 words. -->
{{Long plot|date=November 2022}}
In [[Tokyo]], Yuichi Kimura seeks revenge after his son Wataru is pushed off a rooftop, boarding a [[Shinkansen|bullet train]] in search of the attacker. Guided by his handler Maria Beetle, operative "Ladybug" is assigned to retrieve a briefcase from the same train after the previous contract, Carver, calls in sick. Ladybug is reluctant, as his recent string of bad luck during his jobs resulted in accidental deaths. Also on the train is a young woman disguised as a [[Student|schoolgirl]], codenamed "The Prince", and two English assassin brothers codenamed "Lemon" and "Tangerine", who are assigned to escort both the briefcase and "The Son", the son of Russian-born ''[[Yakuza]]'' boss "The White Death".
In [[Tokyo]], Yuichi Kimura seeks revenge after his son Wataru is pushed off a rooftop, boarding a [[Shinkansen|bullet train]] in search of the attacker. Guided by his handler Maria Beetle, operative "Ladybug" is assigned to retrieve a briefcase from the same train after the previous contract, Carver, calls in sick. Ladybug is reluctant, as his recent string of bad luck during his jobs resulted in accidental deaths. Also on the train is a young woman disguised as a [[Student|schoolgirl]], codenamed "The Prince", and two English assassin brothers codenamed "Lemon" and "Tangerine", who are assigned to escort both the briefcase and "The Son", the son of Russian-born ''[[Yakuza]]'' boss "The White Death".



Revision as of 15:32, 10 November 2022

Bullet Train
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDavid Leitch
Screenplay byZak Olkewicz
Based onMaria Beetle (Bullet Train)
by Kōtarō Isaka and Sam Malissa (English translation)
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJonathan Sela
Edited byElísabet Ronaldsdóttir
Music byDominic Lewis
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • July 18, 2022 (2022-07-18) (Grand Rex)
  • August 5, 2022 (2022-08-05) (United States)
Running time
126 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$85.9–90 million[2][3]
Box office$239.3 million[4][2]

Bullet Train is a 2022 American action comedy film directed by David Leitch from a screenplay by Zak Olkewicz, and produced by Antoine Fuqua, who initially conceived the film. It is based on the 2010 novel Maria Beetle (titled Bullet Train in its UK and US edition), written by Kōtarō Isaka and translated by Sam Malissa, the second novel in Isaka's Hitman trilogy, of which the first novel was previously adapted as the 2015 Japanese film Grasshopper. The film stars Brad Pitt as a begrudging assassin who must battle fellow killers while riding a fictionalized version of the bullet train Tokaido Shinkansen. In addition to Pitt, the film stars an ensemble cast which also includes Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, and Sandra Bullock.

Principal photography began in Los Angeles in November 2020 and wrapped in March 2021. Bullet Train premiered in Paris on July 18, 2022 and was theatrically released in the United States on August 5, 2022, by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film was a box office success grossing $239.3 million worldwide on a production budget of around $90 million. The film received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

In Tokyo, Yuichi Kimura seeks revenge after his son Wataru is pushed off a rooftop, boarding a bullet train in search of the attacker. Guided by his handler Maria Beetle, operative "Ladybug" is assigned to retrieve a briefcase from the same train after the previous contract, Carver, calls in sick. Ladybug is reluctant, as his recent string of bad luck during his jobs resulted in accidental deaths. Also on the train is a young woman disguised as a schoolgirl, codenamed "The Prince", and two English assassin brothers codenamed "Lemon" and "Tangerine", who are assigned to escort both the briefcase and "The Son", the son of Russian-born Yakuza boss "The White Death".

Ladybug discreetly steals the briefcase, but is attacked by another assassin, "The Wolf", who mistakenly blames Ladybug for fatally poisoning his entire wedding party. After a brief fight with a confused Ladybug, the Wolf accidentally kills himself. Ladybug arranges the Wolf's corpse to look like a sleeping passenger. Meanwhile, the Prince reveals to Yuichi that she pushed Wataru off the roof to lure him to the bullet train as part of a plan to have him kill the White Death, and that she has a henchman holding Wataru hostage in the hospital to ensure that Yuichi follows her orders. Meanwhile, the Son is poisoned and dies in the same manner as the Wolf's wedding party.

Ladybug offers the briefcase to Lemon in return for getting off the bullet train. Lemon suspects that Ladybug killed the Son, leading to a fight in which Lemon is knocked unconscious after realising Ladybug was innocent. The Prince and Yuichi find the briefcase and booby-trap it with explosives, and rigs his gun to explode if fired. Ladybug encounters Tangerine and kicks him off the bullet train after another scuffle, but he jumps and climbs back aboard from outside. A suspicious Lemon shoots Yuichi, but collapses after drinking from a water bottle Ladybug had previously spiked. The Prince shoots Lemon and conceals him and Yuichi in a bathroom. Ladybug encounters yet another assassin, "The Hornet", who poisoned the Son and the Wolf's wedding party with boomslang venom. After a struggle, both are exposed to the venom, and Ladybug steals her antivenom to save himself.

Tangerine runs into the Prince, realizing that she shot Lemon, only to be interrupted by Ladybug and shot before he can shoot her. At the next stop, Yuichi's father, "The Elder", boards the bullet train. He recognizes the Prince, and informs her that Wataru is safe. After she flees, the Elder tells Ladybug he will remain to face the White Death, who killed his wife while taking over the Yakuza. Finding an injured Yuichi and Lemon still alive, the four work together to face the White Death. At Kyoto, Ladybug gives the White Death the briefcase. The Prince, revealed to be the White Death's daughter, tries to goad him into shooting her with the rigged gun, but fails.

The White Death explains that everyone on the bullet train was linked to death of his wife, and that he hired them hoping they would kill each other. Only Ladybug was filling in for Carver. The White Death's henchmen open the briefcase, which explodes, knocking Ladybug and the White Death back onto the bullet train. The White Death's remaining henchmen board and battle the assassins, while the Elder duels the White Death, causing the bullet train to crash into downtown Kyoto. Emerging from the wreck, impaled with the Elder's katana, the White Death tries to kill Ladybug, but the rigged gun explodes in his face. The Prince threatens Ladybug, Yuichi, and the Elder with a machine gun, but is struck and killed by a passing fruit truck—driven by Lemon. Maria arrives to retrieve Ladybug, while Japanese authorities begin to clean up the damage caused by the bullet train crash.

Cast

  • Brad Pitt as Ladybug, an American operative who is suffering from anxiety and who considers himself unlucky.
  • Joey King as The Prince, a young woman disguised as a schoolgirl who is manipulating the assassins.
  • Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Tangerine, a British assassin, Lemon's twin brother.
    • Miles Marz as young Tangerine
  • Brian Tyree Henry as Lemon, a British assassin, Tangerine's twin brother with an obsession for Thomas the Tank Engine.
    • Joshua Johnson-Payne as young Lemon
  • Andrew Koji as Yuichi Kimura / The Father, a Japanese assassin and the son of The Elder.
    • Parker Lin as young Yuichi
  • Hiroyuki Sanada as The Elder, a Japanese Yakuza member and Minegishi's former advisor.
  • Michael Shannon as The White Death, the Russian boss who overtook a Yakuza group.
  • Benito A. Martínez Ocasio as The Wolf, a Mexican assassin and former kingpin of a drug cartel.
    • Ian Martinez as a young Wolf
  • Sandra Bullock as Maria Beetle, Ladybug's contact and handler.
  • Zazie Beetz as The Hornet, an assassin who specializes in poisons.
  • Logan Lerman as The Son, the White Death's son.
  • Masi Oka as the train conductor
  • Karen Fukuhara as Kayda Izumi, the train concession girl.

Additionally, Pasha D. Lychnikoff portrays Alexei Ilyin, a subordinate of The White Death and the handler of Lemon and Tangerine, while director David Leitch makes a cameo appearance as Jeff Zufelt, the 17th person killed earlier by Lemon and Tangerine. Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds also appear in uncredited cameo roles, respectively as a train passenger, and Carver, an assassin who called in sick and was replaced by Ladybug.[6]

Production

Bullet Train had been initially developed by Antoine Fuqua—who co-produced the film—through his Fuqua Films banner.[7] It was originally intended to be a serious action thriller in the vein of Die Hard (1988), but the project turned into a light-hearted action comedy during the development process.[8][9]

It was announced in June 2020 that Sony Pictures had hired David Leitch to direct the adaptation of the Kōtarō Isaka sequel novel from a screenplay by Zak Olkewicz,[7] with Brad Pitt being cast in the film the following month.[10] Variety reported that Pitt was paid $20 million.[11] Joey King subsequently entered negotiations for a supporting role,[12] while in September, Andrew Koji was added,[13] with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry joining in October.[14][15] In November 2020, Zazie Beetz,[16] Masi Oka,[17] Michael Shannon,[18] Logan Lerman,[19] and Hiroyuki Sanada joined the cast,[20] with Leitch revealing in December that Karen Fukuhara had also joined, and that Jonathan Sela would serve as cinematographer.[21] That same month, singer Bad Bunny (credited as his real name, Benito A Martínez Ocasio) was also added to the cast,[22] and Sandra Bullock joined the following year in February to replace Lady Gaga, who had dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with House of Gucci (2021).[23][24]

Production for Bullet Train began in October 2020 in Los Angeles, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] The production budget was reportedly $85.9 to 90 million.[2][3] Filming started on November 16, 2020,[26] and wrapped in March 2021.[27] The producers constructed three full train cars, and LED screens with video footage of the Japanese countryside were hung outside the windows of the train set to help immerse the actors.[28] Stunt coordinator Greg Rementer said Pitt performed 95 percent of his own stunts in the film.[29]

Music

The film features a number of original tracks. Most notably, the film contains Japanese-language covers of "Stayin' Alive" by Bee Gees and "Holding out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler. Composer Dominic Lewis noted that the film's soundtrack represent "all vibe and no technique".[30]

Factual inaccuracy

Many of the deaths portrayed in the film are the result of the ingestion or injection of boomslang venom, which is represented as a fast-acting toxin that causes violent and bloody effects within 30 seconds of introduction into the bloodstream. In reality, the venom of the boomslang is known for its unusually slow action, and symptoms may not manifest for many hours following a bite. A famous case of boomslang envenomation involved herpetologist Karl Patterson Schmidt, who was accidentally bitten by a boomslang at his lab in 1957. Schmidt did not experience serious symptoms until the following day, when he collapsed and died at his home.[31][32]

Release

Bullet Train was originally set to be released on April 8, 2022, before being delayed to July 15, 2022,[33] again to July 29,[34] and then to August 5.[35] Its world premiere occurred at the Grand Rex in Paris, France on July 18, 2022.[36]

The film was released on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 18, 2022, with the digital version released on September 27, 2022.[37][2]

Reception

Box office

As of November 3, 2022, Bullet Train has grossed $103.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $135.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $239.3 million.[2][4]

In the United States and Canada, Bullet Train was released alongside Easter Sunday, and was projected to gross $26–30 million from 4,357 theaters in its opening weekend.[3][38] The film made $12.6 million on its first day, including $4.6 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $30 million, topping the box office.[39] The film made $13.4 million in its sophomore weekend, remaining in first.[40] The film made $8 million in its third weekend, falling to third.[41]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, 53% of 324 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Bullet Train's colorful cast and high-speed action are almost enough to keep things going after the story runs out of track."[42] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 49 out of 100, based on 61 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[43] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak gave the film an 82% overall positive score, with 63% saying they would definitely recommend it.[39]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times rated the film three and a half out of four stars, calling it "wildly entertaining" and praised the performances, "the creative and blood-spattered action sequences" and most of all the writing.[44] Peter Debruge of Variety wrote, "Bullet Train feels like it comes from the same brain as Snatch, wearing its pop style on its sleeve – a Kill Bill-like mix of martial arts, manga and gabby hitman movie influences, minus the vision or wit that implies."[45]

Ohio film critic Jonathan Current rated the film 4 stars out of 5. Saying the film was "absolutely enthralling, and a film that will age even better with time." He also has it currently ranked #2 on his best films of the year list.

Representation of race in casting

The casting of several non-Asian actors, including Brad Pitt and Joey King, prompted accusations of whitewashing as their characters were Japanese in Kōtarō Isaka's novel. David Inoue, Executive Director of the Japanese American Citizens League, criticized the casting, explaining that while American actors would have been appropriate if the setting was changed to the United States, the filmmakers used the novel's Japanese setting while keeping Japanese characters in the film's background, strengthening charges of whitewashing. Inoue also questioned the actors' allyship to the Asian community for knowingly accepting whitewashed roles, and further criticized the film for pushing the "belief that Asian actors in the leading roles cannot carry a blockbuster", despite the recent successes of Asian-led films such as Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).

King appeared in the film despite having previously said "I do not believe a white woman should play a character of color. Not me or any other white woman for that matter."[46] Eric Francisco of Inverse wrote, "Unless you saw the individual character posters, you'd be unlikely to think Bullet Train actually stars any Asian talent. Hollywood supposedly doesn't cast Asian leads because they aren't stars, but the truth is, they aren't stars because Hollywood won't cast Asian leads. How can audiences get excited about buying tickets to see Asian actors when their existence in a movie is barely acknowledged?"[47]

When asked about the casting, Isaka defended the film and described his characters as "ethnically malleable", maintaining that his original Japanese setting and context were irrelevant as they were "not real people, maybe they're not even Japanese."[48] Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group president Sanford Panitch highlighted Isaka's views to defend the casting, reassuring that the film would honor the novel's "Japanese soul" while giving the opportunity to cast big name stars and adapt it on a "global scale". Bullet Train screenwriter Zak Olkewicz argued that the decision to cast beyond Japanese or Asian actors proved “the strength of [Isaka]'s work" as it was a story that could "transcend race". Director David Leitch noted that discussions had taken place during pre-production to change the film's setting, but it was ultimately decided to keep Isaka's original location Tokyo due to its international appeal.[49] Jana Monji of AsAm News highlighted the underrepresentation and misrepresentation of Asians in the film and responded to Olkewicz's comment, "That sounds like White privilege providing an excuse for exclusion."[50]

Francisco mentioned that the Japanese author and most audiences in Asia "enjoy their own domestic film industry and go to Hollywood for the spectacle of foreigners", noting the differences between Asians in Asia and Asian American issues.[51] Guy Aoki, founding president of Media Action Network for Asian Americans, criticized Isaka's statement, "Aren't ALL characters in a fictitious novel 'not real people'?...What an embarrassing sellout. Guess he's more interested in counting the money he's getting for selling his work (and soul) to Hollywood and hoping for sequels." He also thought Leitch's comment was an excuse for the "tired Hollywood practice of exploiting Asian source material, leaving out most of the Asians in it, and calling the casting of white, black and Latino actors a triumph for diversity". He continued, "Unfortunately, people in Asian countries are used to seeing movies with all-Asian casts, so when Asian-sourced properties get turned into big-budget motion pictures, they find it refreshing to see white, black and Latino stars in them, not caring that the Asian content or culture of the original has been all but abandoned. By contrast, Asian Americans, who are still hungry to be seen, heard and understood in their own country, perceive it as more whitewashing."[52]

References

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