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On April 23, 2025, Netflix premiered Bullet Train Explosion, a Japanese action thriller directed by Shinji Higuchi. This film is a modern reimagining of the 1975 classic The Bullet Train, which inspired Hollywood's Speed. Higuchi, known for Shin Godzilla, shifts the focus from the antagonist to the train crew, emphasizing their dedication and resilience.
Set aboard the Tohoku Shinkansen Hayabusa No. 5060B. A complex narrative begins with 5060's journey to Tokyo when authorities receive a terrifying threat that a bomb will explode if the train's speed falls below 100 km/h.
The bomber's demand for a 100 billion yen ransom puts every passenger's life in jeopardy. A convoluted narrative in Bullet Train Explosion tracks both train personnel and state agents in their frantic efforts to avert an impending catastrophe.
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After the control center successfully rescues 339 passengers and crew members to another bullet train, No. 9012, nine people get stuck in the Shinkansen Hayabusa No. 5060 B. One of them is a high school student named Yuzuki Onodera, who reveals that she is the bomber as she simultaneously kills her father in another bomb blast via her phone; he was at his home.
Bullet Train Explosion: A high-speed thriller that blends cliffhanging moments with human drama
As the train hurtles at high speed toward Tokyo in Bullet Train Explosion, efforts are being made to evacuate passengers and find the bomb. The authorities had detached two rear cars with one of the bombs, and even though those cars had been evacuated, they suspected there were more explosives.
Among the chaos, there were nine people on the train, including a train crew, a politician, a YouTuber, and a runaway naive student named Yuzuki Onodera.
In a shocking turn of events, the perpetrator of the bombings is Yuzuki Onodera, an unsuspecting student on a school field trip. After she reaches out to her father, Tsutomu, and reveals her identity and role in the bombing, Yuzuki activates another bomb and subsequently kills her father.
Yuzuki tells JR East that the bombs are attached to her heartbeat through a monitor in her body, and the only way to defuse the bombs is for her to take her own life.
Yuzuki's actions are rooted in a desire to expose the truth about her father's past. The public hailed Tsutomu Onodera as a heroic figure who purportedly thwarted a 1975 terrorist plot, yet Onodera's investigation reveals his fabricated narrative, which wrongfully casts Masaru Koga as the villain.
Onodera partners with Koga's son Masatoshi to execute the bombing as a means to deconstruct her father's fabricated hero narrative while questioning the exalted Shinkansen legacy.
Following Yuzuki's confession, the remaining passengers face a harrowing moral dilemma: kill Yuzuki to stop the bombs or risk their lives by letting her live. Train steward Kazuya Takaichi chooses the path of compassion, refusing to harm Yuzuki despite the danger. His decision reflects the film's exploration of ethical complexities and the value of human life.
The train crew formulates a strategy to detach the rear cars at Washinomiya Station, which is 50 km away from Tokyo, carrying the bombs as the situation worsens. The team managed to detach the train cars successfully amidst numerous challenges like a stalled train ahead and internal conflicts, resulting in explosions that left the remaining passengers unharmed.
Authorities capture Onodera while revelations about her father's history emerge, causing the nation to confront its historical narratives and the true cost of heroism.
Departing from the original film's focus on the bomber, Higuchi centers the narrative on the train crew's heroism. He explores themes of duty, sacrifice, and the moral complexities of judgment. Higuchi draws parallels between the crew's dedication and the traditional samurai spirit, emphasizing the cultural significance of the Shinkansen as a symbol of Japan's postwar modernization and efficiency.
Higuchi's commitment to authenticity is evident in the Bullet Train Explosion's production. With special cooperation from the East Japan Railway Company, the team utilized real bullet trains and railway facilities, enhancing the film's realism.
The production of Bullet Train Explosion combined practical effects, including one-sixth scale miniature models, with cutting-edge CGI and LED backgrounds to depict the high-speed journey and explosive sequences.
The film features a diverse ensemble cast:
- Tsuyoshi Kusanagi as Kazuya Takaichi, a dedicated Shinkansen employee.
- Kanata Hosoda as Keiji Fujii, the train conductor.
- Non as Chika Matsumoto, the train driver.
- Machiko Ono as Yuko Kagami, a member of the House of Representatives.
- Jun Kaname as Mitsuru Todoroki, an entrepreneurial YouTuber.
- Hana Toyoshima as Yuzuki Onodera, a student on a school excursion.
- Takumi Saitoh as Yuichi Kasagi, the general commanding officer of the Shinkansen General Operation Control Center.
The ensemble in Bullet Train Explosion brings depth to the narrative, portraying individuals from various walks of life united by a common crisis.
Bullet Train Explosion is streaming on Netflix worldwide.
