Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

The Bullet Train Blu-ray Movie Review

Bullet Train is an action-adventure thriller with a pulse for thrills. From the story by Sunao Sakagami, Bullet Train features plenty of excitement for action fans. Produced by Kanji Amao (Eleven Samurai, Shogun's Joy of Torture) and Sunao Sakagami (Golgo 13, The Executioner), Bullet Train features an impressive cast including performances by stars Ken Takakura as Tetsuo Okita, Sonny Chiba as Aoki, and Kei Yamamoto as Masaru Koga.

It should be an ordinary day for the passengers of Hikari 109. Nothing should be out of the ordinary and the events should be as mundane as any other day. Yet the passengers find they are in for more than anyone bargained for along their trip from Tokyo to Hakata. The entire train of passengers awaits revelations of what is to come – the train is revealed as being rigged to explode if it slows down. Traveling with speed is the only option to survive.

Extraordinary circumstances cause chaos on the train as the train can’t go slower than 80 kilometers an hour – or the explosion awaits the entire train and everyone on it at the end. The criminal behind the charade has a plan – convince the police and investigators that he will disarm the bomb if he is awarded with a nice sum of five million dollars. Can the police solve the puzzle and stop the bomb from exploding before everyone on board dies or will the cold-criminal walk away with five-million in coin before the train burns?

The cast do a great job with the film. The actors certainly do well within their respective roles in the thriller. There is a sense of intrigue and high-stakes drama played out by the cast of actors. These performers have fun with their respective parts and with bringing the thriller element to life.

The production design by Shûichirô Nakamura (Sister Street Fighter, Falling Out) is a standout part of the production. The filmmaking handles the train location elements well and the effects work well with the designs. The end result is a thriller that looks its part and impresses from a design standpoint. The art direction by Tadayuki Kuwana (Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs, Graveyard of Honor) is a highlight as well – providing the film with a more engaging aesthetic. Bullet Train also features set decoration by Kazuhiro Yonezawa (Graveyard of Honor, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41).

The striking cinematography by Masahiko Iimura (A Haunted Turkish Bathhouse, The Ballad of the Sea of Genkai), Masao Shimizu (Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable), and Yoshikazu Yamazawa (Violent Streets, The Executioner) gives the film a darker and sometimes brooding atmosphere. The visuals are a big part of the film and why it works as an adventurous thrill-ride.

The score composed by Hachirô Aoyama (Shinano River, Visitor After Dark) is one of the most engaging and absorbing parts of the film. The score by Aoyama is fun and adds a sense of suspense to the film. Impressive and essential to the journey of the film.

Edited by Osamu Tanaka (Graveyard of Honor, A Haunted Turkish Bathhouse), Bullet Train is well-done in the theatrical version – despite what the original North America release editors (for international distribution) felt. The original cut is presented on the release alongside a truncated version and it is clear the original version did not need to be tampered with. The pace is sometimes slow but it often has the energy of a dark thriller and it works well.

Written by Jun'ya Satô (Lost in the Wilderness, Theater of Life) and co-screenwriter Ryûnosuke Ono (Crying Freeman, Captain Future), Bullet Train is a great concept for a feature-film. It should come as no surprise that Bullet Train was a source of inspiration for Speed. Speed is one of the all-time great action films and the obvious parallels between the two films are unmistakable.

Even despite the similarities between the two films – Speed and Bullet Train – there are quite a few differences, too. The characters and type of storytelling utilized is far different, despite plot similarities. Satô provides the film with a procedural quality as the team works to solve their dilemma and it’s quite interesting how it plays out.

Directed by Jun'ya Satô (Golgo 13, Sakurada Gate Incident), Bullet Train is a compelling and dark thriller with some fun spectacle as well. The film is a bit slow paced at times but it seems appropriate for the genre and the type of energy created by the filmmaker. Bullet Train is a good showcase for Satô. An impressive and dark thrill ride.

The Bullet Train Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek Media, Bullet Train is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The Blu-ray release features a native high-definition 2K presentation. The release provides a decent high- definition presentation, providing viewers with a solid scan of the feature-film with plenty of detail.

The cinematography certainly impresses here. Even so, the transfer is a bit soft in parts and could look a bit more robust, causing the transfer to be a little bit underwhelming at times. I had a somewhat more favorable impression of the transfer compared to Blu-ray.com colleague Dr. Svet Atanasov when he covered the Region B release (reviewed here). There are clearly some similarities between these presentations even if not identical.

In comparing the screenshots, I do see these similar qualities. Certainly, the presentation is not that lackluster in my view, but it also could have been a little bit better overall. Though the scan is generally free from print damage, wear, and tear – there are also some sporadic instances of dirt or thin scratches – fleetingly so but still noteworthy.

The Bullet Train Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). The audio sounds impressive on the release. Dialogue is well reproduced. The audio soundstage is impressive. Despite only a 2.0 soundstage, the audio sound dynamic and engaging. The subtitles were also noteworthy and well done. The subtitles were free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

The Bullet Train Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

English International Version (HD, 1:55:14) is provided as an alternate cut of the feature-film and is presented with an English uncompressed PCM 2.0 audio presentation. This English language version is a different cut from the main original Japanese language version. The presentation is modified from the original theatrical version. The cut of the film is significantly shortened. Over 35 minutes was cut from the English language international release version.

Viewers have the option of viewing the shortened English language version of Bullet Train. The source material for this edition was not in as good condition as the original theatrical presentation. Some of these sequences aren't even available in high-definition based on the master used for the encode – therefore, some footage is sourced from standard-definition material.

 The English titles had been provided over previously "clean" footage and this material was not possible for Discotek to locate. The re-created titles were designed to reflect the original release of the English international version and do not reflect the intent of the Japanese language original theatrical release version. This extra cut can be considered a bonus for completists and for fans curious about the editorial changes made when the release was first distributed in North America.

Original Theatrical Trailer (HD, 3:04)

Original Teaser Trailer (HD, 1:29)

Big Movie, Big Panic: Junya Sato on The Bullet Train (HD, 24:41)

The Bullet Train Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bullet Train is an entertaining thriller and it certainly has an edge-of-your-seat concept. Bullet Train is a rewarding film with good performances by the cast including Ken Takakura, Sonny Chiba, and Kei Yamamoto. The production values are impressive and there were a lot of noteworthy qualities throughout the feature.

The Blu-ray release sports a mostly solid high-definition presentation, outstanding lossless audio, and some extras – including Big Movie, Big Panic: Junya Sato on The Bullet Train and an alternate cut of the film (shortened by over 35 minutes for the original North America release). The Eureka Entertainment Region B release includes a more extensive extras package, including some nice sounding features that are unfortunately missing from the Discotek edition. If you are Region B equipped and want to see these bonus features, it might be worth considering an import of the Region B edition. If you are not Region B equipped and wish to see the film in North America, the Discotek edition offers viewers a worthwhile (if somewhat flawed) presentation. The release also includes a nice o-card slipcover. Recommended.