Page 32 - 366090 LP246227 Darlington Magazine 36pp A5 (September 2022)

Please mention Darlington Monthly when contacting advertisers
FILM REVIEW
Sponsored
CINEMA DARLINGTON
Going into this movie, I was expecting to have already seen all of the best bits in the trailer. I could not have been more wrong. The all-star cast of Bullet Train, which includes Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King and Sandra Bullock, provide two hours of non-stop laughs and action sequences that constantly has the audience asking themselves what comes next.
From the outset, this film is a laugh a minute, beginning with fantastic banter between Pitt's character, Ladybug, and his mentor Maria (voiced by Bullock), who remains unseen until the end of the journey, but regularly provides support to her charge.
Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry play siblings Tangerine and Lemon respectively. The easy banter between the two characters, despite Lemon’s eccentrici- ties, makes for a compelling watch for
the viewer, and I even found myself anticipating their next on screen interaction.
Joey King portrays The Prince, a young girl with a villainous streak, who acts as one of the main antagonists of the film. King truly excels in this role, adding a smarmy edge to this incredibly sadistic character. King certainly holds her own against some of the huge names in this film, and proves that her acting abilities extend beyond romcoms and supporting roles in other
feature length movies.
One of the highlights of
the movie for me was
Ladybug’s inner
monologue. It is
established very early
on that Ladybug is
seeing a therapist, to
attempt to work through
some of the trauma he has developed during his time working as an assassin. Throughout the movie, Ladybug can be seen attempting to justify his morally questionable actions, with quotes
Faye Rodgerson
Marketing Executive
his therapist has taught him, much to the chagrin (and amusement) of supervisor Maria.
Unfortunately, I do feel that a major plot point within the movie was overlooked, in favour of some of the comedy moments, and to give more screen time to some of the bigger names in the film. Throughout the movie, we are reminded that Yuichi Kimura (”The Father”) has boarded the train to avenge the attempt that was made on his son’s life. We find out very little to further this plot throughout the movie, and it simply serves as a device to further the journey of the other
characters featured in the film.
It must be noted however, that every named character who is introduced to the plot, furthers it
somehow. Every character is cleverly interlinked, and has come across another in some way,
shape or form in the past, before finally meeting face to face on the Bullet Train.
Discovering each character's connection to another was an aspect of the film that kept me on the edge of my seat, even if some of the links were
simply comedic in value.
Overall, Bullet Train is a lighthearted story that I
certainly recommend to anyone who isn’t
squeamish, and enjoys a good laugh. It’s
certainly one to take your
friends along to,
especially if you enjoy laugh out loud
moments, and analogies
of the human psyche using
Thomas the Tank Engine metaphors.
32 To Advertise Contact Darlington Monthly
Email: sales@darlingtonmonthly.co.uk
Tel: 01325 776225