Bullet Train Explosion

Story: For the conductor Takaichi (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) it is a completely normal day. In the morning, the high-speed train Hayabusa 60 leaves the platform. On board there are some students, the politician Kagami (Machiko Ono), who was involved in a small scandal, and the self-made millionaire Todoroki (Jun Kaname). However, the control center suddenly receives a call. Someone has hidden a bomb on the train that will go off as soon as the train goes any slower than 100 km/h. To prove that he is not bluffing, the caller put another bomb on a freight train, which then explodes. The blackmailer demands 100 billion yen. The train skips the next stop, and the passengers have no idea how much danger they are in. Eventually, the police take over the case and the Prime Minister's advisor arrives at the control center to look for ways to save the passengers, as negotiating with the terrorist is out of the question. Now it is Takaichi's job to inform everyone on the train about the situation and avoid a panic. This doesn't turn out to be that easy. In the meantime, Todoroki has taken matters into his own hands and starts streaming from the train. He has launched a campaign to raise the 100 billion yen. While people are panicking more and more, the control center is looking for ways to save the passengers. One idea is to relocate people to another train, but at over 100 km/h this will prove to be quite an undertaking ...

Review: If the plot of "Bullet Train Explosion" reminds you of the well-known action flick "Speed" with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, it's because that one was based on the 1985 movie "Runaway Train", which in turn is based on the Japanese movie "The Bullet Train" with Sonny Chiba from 1975. And it is precisely the latter that this movie picks up on, as the events of that flick are shown in flashbacks, and the terrorist also copies what happened back then. It is particularly striking that this remake or rather sequel actually feels like a movie from the 90s/2000s, but without the typical numerous stupid decisions (even though there are still a few incomprehensible ones which are later cleared up though). At the same time, however, you get a realistic view of how a crisis like this would be dealt with on a political or administrative level. The scenes in the control center can therefore be at least partly as exciting as the developments on the train itself, where more and more panic starts to spread over time. And a hero who is always level-headed and concerned about correctness is also quite unusual for a supposed action flick.

"Bullet Train Explosion" is undoubtedly an action thriller, so there are in fact some explosions and a lot of thrills. Unfortunately, though, with its 134 minutes the movie is also too long, and the director focuses on scenes in which there isn't much happening for far too long. With this generous running time, you also have to wonder why the characters weren't fleshed out any better. There is the politician Kagami, played by Machiko Ono ("Museum"), who was involved in a small scandal but wants to work her way back up politically and sees this crisis as a chance. Since the streamer/millionaire Todoroki is also on the train with her, we get to see some friction between them, but that's about it. Clearly, more would have been possible here. The panic that breaks out on the train also has to be described as rather shallow. There are only a few small scenes in which the mood really seems to take a turn for the worse. Being stuck in a tight space like a train, while a bomb could go off at any time, should have created more tension among the characters. Maybe the "main share of the blame" for this falls on the hero.

The protagonist is always so composed that it can almost become irritating. Nothing fazes him and the only thing we really learn about him as a person is his unwavering dedication to the job. It's almost like molding performance of duty into a hero and not adding any other traits. The fact that Takaichi didn't even get a backstory makes it quite difficult to warm up to him. And sadly, there aren't any other individuals to root for either. So, it's up to the story to keep you interested. Several attempts are made to rescue the train's passengers, and no details are spared here. To be honest, it is quite refreshing to see the accuracy with which, for example, a coupling attempt is being carried out and which tools are used. The surprising level of detail shows how important a high standard of realism was to the director. Sometimes, however, it's a bit too much of a good thing, because that's why some scenes unnecessarily drag on quite a bit. But there are also other moments in which it is precisely because of this that you notice how a little more attention to detail for the rest of the movie would have been nice too.

An example of an opportunity not being used profitably is one of the train passengers who killed several children in an accident. While Todoroki collects money online as the government doesn't want to buy them out from the blackmailer, they suddenly hardly make any progress anymore because during the stream someone recognized the person who caused the accident and word got around like wildfire. In order to make people start donating again, the question arises whether one person should be sacrificed to save everyone else on the train. This is fascinating, especially since the person who caused the accident still suffers from the trauma himself. This moral dilemma gets checked off far too quickly, though. Maybe this subplot would have worked better if we had known more about the man. But as is the case with all the other characters too, this one also lacks some rough edges. Moreover, there are some inexplicable decisions made which apparently only serve to move the plot forward - why, for example, does a schoolgirl suddenly disappear - but as mentioned before, much of it gets resolved later on.

In general, "Bullet Train Explosion" offers enough exciting moments and action to keep you interested. And the special effects are well done too. It's just that I was expecting more from director Shinji Higuchi, who already made a name for himself with "Shin Godzilla" and "Shin Ultraman". No doubt, he knows how to make disaster movies, and his style makes you feel like you've been transported back to the 2000s, but just as it was the case with his other movies, the sometimes rather dry scenes during the discussions and especially the barely fleshed out characters are shortcomings that simply spoil the fun. Also, many viewers will certainly just shake their heads in disbelief when the identity of the blackmailer is revealed. Furthermore, the opening credits are rather annoying as they are a collage of scenes from the movie. Not only is that a major spoiler risk, but the whole thing also creates some kind of TV movie atmosphere. In addition, "Bullet Train Explosion" is simply too long and too predictable. It may be enough for some neat evening entertainment, but you shouldn't expect more, otherwise you will end up disappointed.

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