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Bullet Train (2022)
Unlucky assassin Ladybug is determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug's latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world's fastest train.
3.5 / 5
INCLUVIE SCORE
3.8 / 5
MOVIE SCORE
Representation
Incluvie Movie Reviews
Daleyna
August 8, 2022
3.5 / 5
INCLUVIE SCORE
3.5 / 5
MOVIE SCORE
'Bullet Train' Review: Stereotypes Galore!
Aboard a bullet train in Japan, a group of assassins from all over the globe converge as they realize their missions have something in common. These characters are quirky, deadly, and diverse. Yet, they all seem to be some type of caricature, which is a symptom of the movie’s overall shallowness. While Bullet Train is fun and action-packed, it’s also packed with stereotypes that don’t make for the best representation.
Bullet Train is actually adapted from the original Japanese novel entitled Maria Beetle by Kōtarō Isaka. In the book, all of the characters are presumably Japanese (there are only a few non-Japanese names, but they are code names such as Maria and Lemon). However, only one of the main assassins is Japanese in the movie, and he's more of a supporting character. Brad Pitt stars as the main assassin, Ladybug. It’s not a good sign to center a white man instead of a Japanese one when the entire movie takes place in Japan. The setting doesn’t feel like it truly takes place in Japan, but rather a fantastical Japan-esque world cultivated in the mind of a white Westerner.
As such, exoticization and fetishization of Japanese culture abound in dialogue, character types, and more. For example, Ladybug makes several comments about wishing to visit a temple or garden where he can relax, indicating that he sees Japan as more of an exotic escape than anything else. What the movie does depict about bullet trains and Japan contains many
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Movie Information
Unlucky assassin Ladybug is determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug's latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world's fastest train.
Rating:R
Genre:Action, Comedy, Thriller
Directed By:David Leitch
Written By:Zak Olkewicz
In Theaters:8/5/2022
Box Office:$239,300,000
Runtime:126 minutes
Studio:87North Productions, Columbia Pictures
Cast
David Leitch
Director
David Leitch
Director
Brad Pitt
Ladybug
Joey King
Prince
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Tangerine
Brian Tyree Henry
Lemon
Andrew Koji
Kimura
Hiroyuki Sanada
The Elder
Michael Shannon
White Death
Bad Bunny
Wolf
Sandra Bullock
Maria
Zazie Beetz
The Hornet
Logan Lerman
The Son
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In addition to the cast being delightfully diverse this time around, the film was just loosely-plotted and action-packed enough to keep a casual fan like myself entertained. While I do agree that the writing of Cole left much to be desired for an original character thrust into a preconceived universe, none of the characters seemed particularly fleshed out in terms of personality; however, I think that's to be expected when you're watching a film literally inspired by a video game.