Explosão no trem-bala

An affectionate and well-realised update of Junya Sato's The Bullet Train, Bullet Train Explosion's devotion to delivering relentless edge-of-your-seat thrills ensures it's a blast from the moment it leaves the station. After his masterful reworking of Ultraman 3 years ago, I've been patiently waiting for Shinji Higuchi's next film. While the visual effects, direction, cinematography and camerawork are all top-notch, the carnage feels relatively restrained compared to Higuchi's prior work. However, even then, the film's greatest strength lies in its construction of tension and its commitment to showing how people respond to chaos. Some rise while others fall. Even with Higuchi as the film's conductor, this is still very much a one-track film, where Sato's original cross-cuts the action on board its Shinkansen with Ken Takakura's criminal antics, and here we are solely dedicated to the action on board. Despite its familiarity, there's also a fair dose of originality, although the late-game villain reveal had me howling with unintentional laughter. It's a long journey, full of near misses and assorted beats of suspense; although it abandons the complicating human factors that gave the original its soul, the film works very effectively as both a remake and a legacy sequel alike, even if the first half is far stronger than its latter half. Backed by strong performances and a rousing score by Taisei Iwasaki, Bullet Train Explosion is an effectively solid action disaster throwback, full of collectivism and collaboration.

I just finished watching Netflix's new "Bullet Train Explosion" (2025) and couldn't help but notice all the comments claiming it's "just a Speed ripoff." Oh, sweet summer children of cinema...

For those whose film history knowledge apparently begins with Keanu Reeves, allow me to enlighten you: "Shinkansen Daibakuha" isn't copying Speed (1994). It's a REBOOT of the ORIGINAL "Shinkansen Daibakuha" from 1975 - a Japanese disaster thriller released NINETEEN YEARS BEFORE "Speed" even existed.

That's right. The "can't slow down or it explodes" concept that everyone associates with "Speed" was actually pioneered by this Japanese film starring Ken Takakura, Sonny Chiba, and other legendary Japanese actors nearly two decades earlier. The original featured Japan's bullet train that would explode if it dropped below 80km/h, with criminals demanding ransom money.

So who copied whom? If anything, "Speed" borrowed from Japan, not the other way around. Shinji Higuchi's new Netflix adaptation is simply bringing a Japanese classic back to life for a new generation.

The irony of Western viewers accusing a Japanese reboot of copying an American film that may have been "inspired" by the original Japanese concept is absolutely delicious. It's the perfect embodiment of that meme where someone makes a joke, someone else says it louder, and gets all the credit.

But this is really good! I like the 3D-effects regarding to the bullet train and I green screen effects where they made it exceptionally clear. In perspective this not really realistic as it is in Japan, 'cause it's too much of actions. But in general I liked the actor's character more their personalities that fits into the movie. I was surprised about the character's performance regarding to bomber that planted the bomb on the train. That felt so good with the twist in the good way. However that is, I'm not gonna spoil it. So watch the movie and enjoy actions felt with sweat and tears. You'll not regret it!

Japanese is still Japanese. Even though they have great material, the results made me frustrated. First I saw the trailer, it seemed like the movie from 90s - Speed, Keanu Reeve and Sandra Bullock - a Japanese version. I had high expectation due to the explosion was about their high speed technology train like Shinkansen bullet train that serves many people daily. During the line, I was getting upset by boring dialog, drama-with-no-reason made me sick, and overall was pretty disappointed. The signature of Japanese movie is about their spirit, responsibility, patriotism etc. But those built overall movie worsen.

The villain supposed to hit my nerve and made me stunned, but no. There was not solid and believable; or AKA enough to convince; the motive of making the train exploded.

If you're looking a lazy afternoon-watch this weekend that doesn't want you to think too much, this Japanese-version of 'Speed' but on a Bullet Train might be worth considering.

The film was fairly decent until the major reveal that was not really convincing at all, but if you forceful yourself to apply the logic you often see in the news about 'bad actors', you could maaaaybe see why/how it all makes sense.

But like I said, if you don't want to think too much, or at all, this might be one of the decent films for this weekend, or even for passive viewing as you do the dishes or fold your clothes away. Could have been so much better but I didn't care that it was not that and it doesn't feel like a let down.