The 1975 action thriller The Bullet Train, following a terrorist plot to blow up the bullet train Hikari 109 if it goes under 80 km/h unless a ransom is paid, has had a strong, lingering legacy in the United States. Profitable in its day, the film was an inspiration for Jan de Bont’s Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock-starrer Speed, a wildly lauded action thriller (set on a bus because the American public transit system isn’t good enough for bullet trains) that won two Oscars at the 67th Academy Awards. The original’s legacy is returning to Japan thanks to Bullet Train Explosion, directed by Shin Ultraman director, Shinji Higuchi. It’s a solid action-thriller with strong set-pieces, though it doesn’t modernize the genre with the same freshness as Higuchi’s brilliant Shin Universe action spectacles.
What is ‘Bullet Train Explosion’?

Image via Netflix

A short time after the Hayabusa 60 bullet train takes off, someone calls in a dangerous bomb threat: if the train slows below 100 km/h, the bomb will explode to kill everyone on board, along with whatever other devastation the crashing train wreaks in Japan. The ransom? ¥100 billion, a massive sum that the government may not be able to raise in time. Train conductor Kazuya Takaichi (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) leads the efforts to keep the passengers calm while trying to assist outside authorities with solving the crisis, including finding out if there were any collaborators on board. The train’s passengers include Jun Kaname as charismatic YouTube celebrity Hana Toyoshima, Machiko Ono as government representative Kagami, and Hana Toyoshima as a high school student, Yuzuki.
‘Bullet Train Explosion’ Thrills But Doesn’t Exactly Surprise

Image via Netflix

Bullet Train Explosion is instantly set apart by the choice to use real bullet trains and facilities in the film, adding an element of realism and authenticity that elevates the film’s stakes. As a whole, there are ample escalations of tension as authorities attempt to clear the tracks, solve the crisis, find who is responsible and why, and get the passengers off the potentially doomed speeding vehicle. The reveal of the forces behind the attack provides a welcome, at times chilling, revelation. It works, and the antagonists’ motives are more interesting than they could be (and that’s great), though there’s a sneaking feeling that they could be better developed.
The film is somewhat of an ensemble piece, and the performances by and large excel in their respective roles. Tsuyoshi Kusanagi gives a complex performance as the besieged train conductor, serious and dedicated but warm and charming. It’s a solid outing. Machiko Ono has a strong air of authority as Kagami, and she and other members of the cast have revealing and pleasant scenes that flesh out their characters. Hana Toyoshima, in particular, turns out to be far more complex than audiences might think as the narrative rolls along. There are layers behind the film’s surface-level events that aren’t necessarily earth-shattering but which should provide happy surprises for fans of the original while also working well for new audiences.

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There is relevant tension and some gripping shots of the trains, though there could be a little more care to avoid repetitive-looking interiors in the ample moments we spend on the train itself. This view of Japan doesn’t sport the innate vistas of Shin Godzilla or Shin Ultraman, so a little more variability would do wonders. Additionally, the antagonist’s motivation, while intriguing and surprising, could feel a little more intuitive and grounded relative to the crisis in question. Without spoiling, why does this reason fuel the antagonist so strongly that they undertake this action? Overall, it’s a strong and realistic thriller with some excellent surprises in store and action set-ups that heighten the sense of threat, for a solid action-thriller outing.
‘Bullet Train Explosion’ Is A Solid But Not Entirely Innovative Thriller

Netflix

As a whole, Bullet Train Explosion is a solid action thriller, but it isn’t done any favors by its connection to some all-time classics. It certainly modernizes the classic 1975 film in interesting ways, but though it’s notably different from Speed, that film’s a revolutionary action masterpiece. Similarly, coming from one of the directors of Shin Godzilla, which brought terror back into the Godzilla franchise, is a tough act to follow, no matter how many years have passed. Even still, on its own, Bullet Train Explosion is an engaging action thriller with a high set of stakes, amplified by the filmmakers’ commitment to realism. It could innovate more thoroughly and ground its antagonistic plot with stronger internal logic, but it’s a solid action outing that’s well worth any audience’s time.

Bullet Train Explosion

A solid reimagining of a 1975 classic that could afford to innovate more, but whose commitment to a realistic depiction of a crisis lands the film where it counts.

Release Date

April 23, 2025

Runtime

134 Minutes

Director

Shinji Higuchi

Writers

Kazuhiro Nakagawa, Norichika Oba

Tsuyoshi Kusanagi

Takaichi

Pros & Cons

The use of real trains and locations adds a subtle depth and gravitas to the film’s dangers that heightens tension in excellent ways.
The ensemble cast give strong performances for this subgenre of film, and there’s a chilling element to the film’s villainous forces that land.
The plotting involves great devices to continue amplifying tension and finding new ways to challenge the protagonists.

The cinematography at times could be more innovative, particularly in and around the scenes set within the train (which are ample).
More could be done to set the film apart from similar films of yore, to allow it to stand out and surprise further.