Obviously, I haven’t read the source material for David Leitch’s Brad Pitt-starrer Bullet Train, but I have to admit that there’s a bit of trepidation because film adaptations often come up short.

And that is also why, to some degree, it’s a good thing because I enter the theater with not much expectations.

And then, boom!

In the same way bullet trains lurch forward from inertia to as fast as 320 kph, the star-studded movie begins almost melodramatically that it felt like a different movie: a touching hospital scene (that usually serves as a catalyst for bloodbath in action movies–or is that exclusive to our action films?) and then slowly crawled forward and then went batshit crazy right away.

And you know what? I loved it. And judging from the reactions of other viewers, they liked it too.

What’s not to like?

Bullet Train brings together a star-studded cast–Brad Pitt, Joey King, Logan Lerman, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A Martinez Ocasio–that managed to give justice to the colorful characters they portray.

When a movie has this much players, it can be a challenge to keep track of who’s who and still keep it interesting. Thanks to Zak Olkewicz, Leitch had a solid material to work with, and one that allowed each actor to fully explore their characters while telling the story–and making it look fun for us, audiences.

Oh, and there’s also Sandra Bullock.

In Bullet Train, Pitt plays Lady Bug, a down-on-his-luck assassin whose latest assignment gets him on a train with the six other characters. As they cruise along Tokyo, chaos ensues. With each stop the bullet train makes, the action and craziness intensifies. Things really do get crazy. So do the blood and gore.

For about two hours, you’ll get nothing but back-to-back action fused with a lot of attempts at comedy. Not everything lands each time, but it’s still funny for the most part. The banter between the characters are enjoyable. Some have more effective quips than others but, when taken as a whole, they work.

Leitch’s previous experience with action movies is evident in this movie. The stunts are well-choreographed and had the right mix of kick-punchline-shoot-punchline, and they’re laid out in a stylized way that matches the film’s awesome depiction of Tokyo.

There’s so much to unpack in this movie, but doing so might give away details that, I think, are best reserved for the actual experience.

Right now, all you need to know is there’s there are 16 coaches, at least one assassin, a huge mascot, a briefcase, a mob leader, an innocent-looking girl, and a poisonous snake. The movie’s plot will revolved around these elements that are, in some ways, interconnected to one another.

If you enjoyed rail-centered movies like The Commuter, Train to Busan, and Murder on the Orient Express or even the likes of Speed, you will definitely enjoy Bullet Train. It’s an entertaining joyride (okay, anxiety-inducing for some) because of its badass action and comedy.

Some may feel that it’s a train ride one can afford to miss, but if you’re all for having a good time, I don’t see why you would not want to hop on here.

Bullet Train arrives in Philippine cinemas on August 10, 2022.

Watch the trailer here:

^{Photos and video credit: Columbia Pictures}