Summary
A tense, high-speed remake with a conscience, this update swaps ’70s-style bombast for Shinji Higuchi’s grounded, detail-driven approach—delivering thrills with a side of sharp social commentary.
If the premise of BULLET TRAIN EXPLOSION (新幹線大爆破) sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been down this track before. The concept of a vehicle set to explode if it drops below a certain speed was the basis for Japan’s The Bullet Train (1975) and later Runaway Train (1980), both of which helped inspire the Hollywood blockbuster Speed (1994).
But from the moment Shinji Higuchi gets his hands on the material—a filmmaker already known for grounding high-concept premises in real-world detail through Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman—there’s a marked stylistic shift from the funky thrills of its 1970s namesake. Opening with a high-energy montage that plays like a trailer for itself, screenwriters Kazuhiro Nakagawa and Norichika Ōba set us on a familiar route before sharply switching tracks.
You know the setup: the Hayabusa 60 Shinkansen is en route to Tokyo when a bomber calls in, threatening that unless they’re paid ¥100 billion, the train will explode if it drops below 100 km/h. On board, dedicated conductor Kazuya Takaichi (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) must work with HQ, the media and a train full of passengers to find a solution and avert disaster.
Half a century on from the original, BULLET TRAIN EXPLOSION arrives in a vastly changed world. The trains, the technology—even the pace of cinematic storytelling—have evolved. Yet if you know Higuchi’s work, you’ll know his focus is on people. Unlike the groovy original, equal parts cop show and disaster flick, this version is keenly attuned to the complexities of modern life. In sleek, high-tech offices, bureaucrats bark tough decisions; passengers are perpetually online; influencers try to wield their platforms for visibility.
Higuchi naturally leans into the media and political angles, but never at the expense of the high-octane sequences. The scenarios may be familiar from earlier versions of the story, yet you may still find yourself white-knuckled as equipment is transferred between parallel trains moving at speed.
There’s a certain cynicism to the mob mentality on display in the film’s first half, but Higuchi saves his sharpest turns for later. The final act shifts subtly into a morality play—one that doesn’t feed on chaos, but instead seeks to restore a little faith in human decency in the face of catastrophe. In 2025, that feels quietly revolutionary.
2025 | Japan | DIRECTOR: Shinji Higuchi | WRITERS: Kazuhiro Nakagawa and Norichika Ōba | CAST: Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Kanata Hosoda, Non, Takumi Saitoh, Machiko Ono, Jun Kaname, Hana Toyoshima | DISTRIBUTOR: Netflix | RUNNING TIME: 134 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 23 April 2025
