Bullet Train

[upperdeck]

A take on a Japanese book from about 10 yrs ago.. It has taken some criticism for using some American actors in what was pretty much an all Japanese story.. I did see the author was just happy the book got made into a movie though..

In watching it i felt like it had the John Wick vibe and then saw later it was done by some of the same people.

Brad Pitt being Brad Pitt.. lots of witty banter. Actually a fairly complex story line once its all explained. Some interesting cameos.

Lots of action pieces for being set in a moving train.

Lots of ways to kill people explored. if you dont like blood scenes probably not your cup of tea.

Audience was really into it.

We found it entertaining, but its not winning an Oscar for sure.

Very good use of fruit metaphors .

 

[donniesyracuse]

A take on a Jap book from about 10 yrs ago.. It has taken some criticism for using some American actors in what was pretty much an all Jap story.

not the preferred nomenclature

 

[upperdeck]

not the preferred nomenclature

You are correct.. was trying to be brief and abbreviate Japanese and that didnt go so well. I have corrected my poor typing attempt..

it does make you think though.. you can call a British person a Brit but other cultures get you in trouble pretty fast.

 

[donniesyracuse]

it does make you think though.. you can call a British person a Brit but other cultures get you in trouble pretty fast.

I don't need to think very hard to recognize that one term was used in a derogatory way during and after World War II more than the other. We also detained one of those groups of people against their will.

 

[upperdeck]

I don't need to think very hard to recognize that one term was used in a derogatory way during and after World War II more than the other. We also detained one of those groups of people against their will.

and my roommate was Japanese in college and he always said we Japs did this we Japs do that.. Like Germans vs Huns I suppose.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

not the preferred nomenclature

Walter was P.C. on Asian Americans, but concerning Burkhalter at the league office ...

 

[donniesyracuse]

and my roommate was Japanese in college and he always said we Japs did this we Japs do that..

"...some of my best friends are ________________."

 

[Day2]

Anyway, it’s on Netflix and worth the watch. Surprisingly entertaining.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I was excited to watch it, and then… I guess I got a quarter through and gave up.

I‘m sure I’ll try again, but my initial impression was not good.

 

[upperdeck]

I was excited to watch it, and then… I guess I got a quarter through and gave up.

I‘m sure I’ll try again, but my initial impression was not good.

one of the top 10 movies of last year.. but you have to like that style, its not a thinking mans movie though there are some twists.. its over the top action .

 

[Zelda Zonk]

one of the top 10 movies of last year.. but you have to like that style, its not a thinking mans movie though there are some twists.. its over the top action .

Yeah, I tend to like that sort of thing. I like Pitt. I like banter. But something about this turned me off. I don’t remember what, though, so I’ll try again this week.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

one of the top 10 movies of last year.. but you have to like that style, its not a thinking mans movie though there are some twists.. its over the top action .

Finally went back to finish Bullet Train last night. It was okay—I guess I got past my first 25 minutes of annoyances. Some cute moments.

One thing bothers me, though:

Spoiler: Spoiler

I don’t quite get one bit. If the kid was pushed off a building so that one character could leverage him as sort of a hostage while vulnerable in the hospital… isn’t that kinda stupid? How do you push someone off a building with the intent to ‘almost’ kill him?

The rest of the film was much more clever than this, which is why this bit sticks out as especially dumb. But maybe I’m missing something. Either way, not such a major sticking point, just something that bothers me as someone who has written scripts. I would have a hard time letting myself let that go.

 

[upperdeck]

Finally went back to finish Bullet Train last night. It was okay—I guess I got past my first 25 minutes of annoyances. Some cute moments.

One thing bothers me, though:

Spoiler: Spoiler

I don’t quite get one bit. If the kid was pushed off a building so that one character could leverage him as sort of a hostage while vulnerable in the hospital… isn’t that kinda stupid? How do you push someone off a building with the intent to ‘almost’ kill him?

The rest of the film was much more clever than this, which is why this bit sticks out as especially dumb. But maybe I’m missing something. Either way, not such a major sticking point, just something that bothers me as someone who has written scripts. I would have a hard time letting myself let that go.

no idea.. was it in the book as well?

 

[Brooky03]

I have a routine for certain movies where I’ll take a few hits and down a few shots (at a bar walking distance to the theater) beforehand. Movies that I don’t anticipate will require much thought.

Bullet Train was one of those movies. The downside is I struggle to recall specific details of the movie, but I do know that I enjoyed it thoroughly.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I was underwhelmed, but entertained, in a John Wick, Kingsmen, kind of way. Not great plots, lots of silly, excessive, almost comedic, violence.

 

[upperdeck]

I was underwhelmed, but entertained, in a John Wick, Kingsmen, kind of way. Not great plots, lots of silly, excessive, almost comedic, violence.

yup. which i think is the aim of that movie. its not a plot driven movie though it did have some nice twists in the final 3rd.

its like do you watch a kung fu movie for the story or just for entertainment.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

no idea.. was it in the book as well?

No idea. I don’t read books anymore….

wiki says that it was done “for fun” in the book, not for the scheme in the film:

Bullet Train (novel) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org