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Bullet Train Explosion

Play trailer 1:44 Poster for Bullet Train Explosion 2025 2h 14m Action Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
This film is a reboot of the original movie The Bullet Train, from 50 years ago which inspired the Hollywood blockbuster Speed. Director Shinji Higuchi, known for merging spectacular visuals with human drama in works like Shin Godzilla, creates another panic-suspense thriller, depicting the intense struggles of those racing to save lives under extreme conditions. This film stars Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, reuniting with director Higuchi after Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan. With special cooperation from the East Japan Railway Company, the production used real bullet trains and railway facilities to craft extremely realistic visuals, which were seamlessly enhanced with cutting-edge visual effects. Packed with non-stop suspense, this high-stakes thriller will keep audiences breathless from start to finish.
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Bullet Train Explosion

Critics Reviews

View All (30) Critics Reviews
Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News Just buckle up to enjoy director Shinj Higuchi’s (“Shin Godzilla”) empty-headed thrill ride that’s edited so fast you won’t notice, mostly, the bumps along the way. Rated: 2.5/4 May 2, 2025 Full Review Simon Abrams RogerEbert.com What makes “Bullet Train Explosion” so charming is that its creators don’t try to reinvent their chosen genre with this oversized, defiantly corny throwback. Rated: 3/4 Apr 25, 2025 Full Review Todd Gilchrist Variety “Bullet Train Explosion” feels like a blockbuster made for adults, where the priority is throwing challenges and complications at smart characters instead of sparking conflict with cheap narrative shortcuts and bad, even dumb choices. Apr 23, 2025 Full Review Daniel Gorman In Review Online The film is a paean to sturdy, reliable professionalism in the face of unbearable stress, but it never manages to build up a real head of steam. May 3, 2025 Full Review Russ Simmons KKFI-FM (Kansas City) “Bullet Train Explosion” is overlong and often silly but is well produced and lives up to its foreboding title. Rated: 3/5 May 2, 2025 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Takes too long to reach its destination. Rated: C+ May 1, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Truly astonishing, couldn't have asked for a better movie. It's super exciting and one that you'll not wanna miss. The storyline is beautiful and outstanding fantastic. Everything about this film deserves a five star and more!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/15/25 Full Review Madam D Could have been a much better film if it had been shorter & more realistic. The CEO asking each passenger if a plan is ok is an example of the plot being downright silly at times. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/06/25 Full Review Ralph R Bullet Train Explosion (2025) is an interesting ride that tries to bring back the disaster-thriller vibe but falls a little short on the human side of things. The directing by Shinji Higuchi feels like it cares more about showing the technical process of running a train than about telling a story through its characters. You can tell a lot of work went into the production itself, especially with the practical effects, model sets, and tight editing that really keep the tension high. The problem is, while everything looks good and feels intense, the characters end up feeling like background noise rather than the heart of the movie. It feels more like you are watching a really well-made simulation than being pulled into a story. The acting is decent, especially from Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, who manages to bring some presence even without a lot of material to work with. The script, though, feels a bit thin, like it was written just enough to move from one tense scene to another without really digging into who these people are. The cinematography is clean and sharp, with some really impressive shots during the action sequences, and the sound design does a solid job of keeping you in that high-stakes atmosphere. The score is there but not very memorable, mostly serving the moment without standing out. Overall, it is a movie you can enjoy for the tension and visuals, but if you are hoping to get attached to the characters or dive deep into the story, it might leave you wanting more. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/05/25 Full Review Samrat M Let's begin right off with comparisons to Keane Reeves' film 'Speed': Speed was essentially an action film which has remained a favourite for many over decades but this film is a lot more than just an action film because it delivers a message of hope unlike the slightly cheesy ending of Speed. Both films should be seen on the big screen but the expectations should be slightly different: while Speed was essentially entertainment with a cat and mouse approach to catching Dennis Hopper's character, this film has an unlikely protagonist whose purpose is to prove humanity is lost to greed, lies and 'fake' normality. The Japanese can really make amazing thoughtful action films from time to time and this one should do well in theatres and age well with time! Try and watch it on the biggest projector screen you can afford with the strongest sound system and the film will floor you with its quality! Recommended viewing. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/04/25 Full Review Igor S Solid thriller all around. The CGI and practical effects were also really well done. The motives of the bomber are a little poorly written, unbelievable, but it didn't ruin the movie for me. It was still alot of fun. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Alejandro E The producers deserve congratulations for bringing a breath of originality to something that in the hands of Gerald Butler or Jason Statham would have been just another run-of-the-mill action thriller. The plot keeps the viewer glued to the seat and chomping at the bit until the very last minute. Arigato! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/03/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis This film is a reboot of the original movie The Bullet Train, from 50 years ago which inspired the Hollywood blockbuster Speed. Director Shinji Higuchi, known for merging spectacular visuals with human drama in works like Shin Godzilla, creates another panic-suspense thriller, depicting the intense struggles of those racing to save lives under extreme conditions. This film stars Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, reuniting with director Higuchi after Doomsday: The Sinking of Japan. With special cooperation from the East Japan Railway Company, the production used real bullet trains and railway facilities to craft extremely realistic visuals, which were seamlessly enhanced with cutting-edge visual effects. Packed with non-stop suspense, this high-stakes thriller will keep audiences breathless from start to finish.
Director
Shinji Higuchi
Producer
Kota Ishizuka
Screenwriter
Kazuhiro Nakagawa, Norichika Oba
Distributor
Netflix
Production Co
Netflix, Episcope, Inc.
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 23, 2025
Runtime
2h 14m
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