THE POOP SCOOP: Blockbusters Edition

UPCOMING KIBBLES THAT MAKE US PURR!

The Surprise Horror Hit, OBSESSION, in Digital NOW and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD July 14 from Universal. After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price. The critically acclaimed breakout from Focus Features and rising horror auteur Curry Barker, is an unsettling, nightmare fueled psychological thriller unlike anything the genre has seen in years. With an A CinemaScore and Certified Fresh and Verified Hot Rotten Tomatoes scores anchored by standout performances, OBSESSION has become a cultural phenomenon and is the must-watch horror event of the year. Take the Obsession further with an exclusive look behind-the-scenes and discover why some obsessions are impossible to escape.

BARBARIAN Coming to 4K + Blu-ray August 11 from 20th Century Studios.  Traveling to Detroit for a job interview, a young woman books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the evening, but soon discovers that there's a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest. The film opened in first place at the domestic box office when it was released in September, 2022, shocking and captivating audiences with its bizarre twists, violence, carnage, and delightfully subversive sense of humor. "Barbarian," which stars Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long and is written and directed by Zach Cregger (Weapons). 

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 on Digital NOW from 20th Century Studios. Bring the runway to your living room with 20th Century Studios’ The Devil Wears Prada 2 on digital June 30, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Celebrate the box office smash, which took the worlds of fashion and media by storm when it opened in theaters this past May, on its way to grossing more than $677 million worldwide. The Devil Wears Prada franchise recently crossed the $1 billion mark. From Dior, Versace, Armani, Givenchy, and Cartier to Dolce, Tiffany, and Fendi, the film features avant-garde fashions and is packed with celebrity cameos and luminaries from the worlds of fashion and music.

FORBIDDEN PLANET Limited Edition on 4K September 28 from Arrow Video. For the very first time, Forbidden Planet is presented in its original Cinemascope aspect ratio of 2.55:1 with its theatrical "Perspecta" stereo soundtrack in an eye-popping brand new 4K restoration. 

PROJECT HAIL MARY on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD August 11 from Alliance Entertainment. Based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, screenwriter Drew Goddard adapted Project Hail Mary for the screen, and it was brought to life by directors Phil Lord & Christopher Miller. 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray releases of Project Hail Mary include out of this world bonus content.

THE COMPLETE KUBRICK Coming to 4K + Blu-ray October 20 from Criterion Collection. The Complete Kubrick brings together the entirety of a body of work that opened popular cinema up to new realms of moral profundity and metaphysical mystery. Collected here for the first time are Kubrick’s thirteen features and three shorts, all restored in 4K, over twenty-five hours of interviews, documentaries, and behind-the-scenes materials; and deluxe packaging.

MARS ATTACKS! on 4K August 11 from Warner Bros. The newly remastered film will also include new bonus content featuring the behind-the-scenes filmmakers reflecting on the making of Mars Attacks! 30 years later. 

SOYLENT GREEN, Proud Owner of the Second Greatest Plot Twist in Sci-fi History, Coming to 4K UHD and Blu-ray July 28 from Arrow Video.  The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available. 

Every angry man’s wet dream, FALLING DOWN, Coming to 4K UHD and Blu-ray 7/21 from Arrow Video. The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films approved by cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available. 

The International western classic, THE RED SUN, Coming to 4K UHD & Blu-ray July 14 from Arrow Video. The Limited Edition release features a brand new definitive 4K restoration, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available. The loaded cast includes Charles Bronson Alain Delon, Tishiro Mifune and Ursula Andress.

KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR 4K/Blu-ray Combo Pack Coming July 28 from Lionsgate. This release also comes with an assortment of physical extras, including posters, collectors cards and a 40 page booklet.

An Underseen Gem from the 70s, THE OUTFIT, on Blu-ray July 28 from Arrow Video. The Outfit is as tough, taut, and relentless as its protagonist. This release includes numerous new bonus features.

MORTAL COMBAT II on Digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K and DVD July 28 from Warner Bros. From New Line Cinema, the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory. 

MICHAEL on digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K and DVD July 17 from Lionsgate. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music.  

Lee Cronin’s THE MUMMY on Digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K and DVD July 14 from Warner Bros. The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.

DEEP WATER Coming to Blu-ray July 14 from Magenta Light Studios. Of course you’re ready for another shark movie directed by Renny Harlin (Deep Blue Sea). Well, so are we.

STRANGE JOURNEY Indeed

STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR (Blu-ray)

2025 / 89 min

Magenta Light Studios

Review by Princess Pepper😺

The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been playing every weekend in my hometown of Portland for nearly 50 years. Back when the film was just beginning to become a cult phenomenon, I had the opportunity to catch one of those legendary midnight shows, a “virgin” among a sea of dedicated fans. Most of them were costumed and supplied for the occasion, including the friend who insisted I accompanied her in order to experience it myself.

And what an experience it was. Though I felt out of place, I never felt uncomfortable or unwelcome. To be perfectly frank (no pun intended), I didn’t think the movie itself was particularly great, but sitting among hundreds of people verbally and physically participating turned the whole thing into an enjoyable event. If you’ve ever attended one of these shows, you’re already aware of this. 

And even if you haven’t, the history of Rocky Horror’s worldwide cult fandom has been well documented in the media over the years. Maybe that’s why I felt revisiting the film’s cult history were the least interesting aspects of Strange Journey, a new documentary by Lucas O’Brien, the son of Rocky Horror creator, Richard O’Brien.

Richard reveals the size of the trout he caught.

However, I’m a sucker for documentaries about the making of specific films, and Rocky Horror has a fascinating history, from its origins as a London stage musical through the initial release of the movie in 1975 (when it flopped). Much of this is fondly recalled by Richard O’Brien, along with collaborators that include director Jim Sharman and composer Richard Hartley. Most of the cast members from both the play and film are also featured in revealing interviews. Everyone's recollections and anecdotes, accompanied by clips and behind-the-scenes footage, are also wonderfully entertaining.

But Strange Journey is just-as-much the story of O’Brien himself, who started off as a struggling London actor with a family to support. In addition to creating the musical that would ultimately become his legacy, O’Brien candidly discusses struggles with his own sexuality before finally embracing who he really is. Among this film’s many charming moments is his emotional reaction to hearing how important Rocky Horror has been to fans who’ve endured similar struggles in their own lives. 

The rest of Strange Journey covers more familiar ground, which is entertaining but features little that longtime fans don’t already know or feel. Still, this film makes an excellent companion piece for those same fans, and worth checking out for anyone curious about how a humble little stage musical became the longest running film in history.

THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO: When War Was Swell

THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO (Blu-ray)

1944 / 138 min

Warner Archive Collection

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws

It goes without saying that American war pictures were once a lot different. They were generally optimistic, bursting with patriotism and unblemished by anything resembling the cynicism or introspection that would soon creep its way into the genre. To coin a cliche, they don’t make them like they used to. But when it comes to war movies, they really can’t make them like they used to.

I state the obvious more as a reminder to myself than anything else. Revisiting a World War II epic from the ‘40s with any sense of revisionism is to do that film a great disservice, especially if it’s a good one. At the time Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo was released, Americans were still reeling from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and hadn’t yet ended the argument with a couple of nukes. Viewed in that context, the film is not-only an exciting, heroic depiction of the air attack on Japanese cities, it even manages to be somewhat cathartic.

Based on the book by Captain Ted Lawson (a pilot who took part in the Doolittle Raid), the film works best when focusing on the particulars of the mission…planning, preparation, the attack itself and the aftermath. These sequences look, sound and feel authentic, boosted by excellent aerial photography and special effects (both of which won Oscars that year). Even today, those aspects of the film hold up quite well. In fact, some scenes would be repurposed for Midway, 22 years later).

"And here, gentlemen, is my ex-wife's house. Bomb that first."

Less interesting are the characters themselves, all of whom are depicted as stoic, fearless and salivating over the chance to stick it to the “Japs” (their words, not mine). Elsewhere, frequent scenes of Lawson (Van Johnson) and bubbly wife Ellen (Phyllis Thaxter) chirping sweet nothings tend to drag things down, and it doesn’t help that neither actor has ever been particularly dynamic. But worst of all is John R. Reilly as brash yokel “Shorty,” whose performance is obnoxious and cringeworthy. I’m kinda surprised nobody behind the camera suggested 86ing all of his scenes.

On the other hand, you’ve got Robert Mitchum in an early role, and though he doesn’t have a ton of screen time, anyone could see he was destined to be a star (one of the greatest of the era, in my opinion). Then there’s the great Spencer Tracy as Lt. Colonel Doolittle himself, the mission’s mastermind. His role largely consists of motivating the troops, but he does it with such earnestness that I felt compelled to bomb Tokyo, too.

Emblematic of Hollywood war movies of the era, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is arguably one of the better ones, especially its technical aspects. Sure, it’s thematically archaic - as it should be - but I doubt anyone today watches these things expecting enlightenment on the human condition. As a gung-ho retelling of a historic military mission, made while World War II was still raging, it’s the movie we needed at the time. 

With Warner Archive recently getting into the 4K business, I would’ve thought a 4K UHD release of this one would’ve been a no-brainer, especially since it’s still held in pretty high regard by classic war movie fans. That being said, this Blu-ray disc features a solid video transfer and comes with a handful of bonus features from the era (though nothing but the trailer is actually related to the film itself).

EXTRA KIBBLES

MGM SHORTS - Ode to Victory and A Lady Fights Back.

TOM AND JERRY CARTOON - Mouse Trouble

TRAILER

DESTINATION MOON with a Side of MARS

DESTINATION MOON and FLIGHT TO MARS

1950-1951 / 163 min (2 movies)

Film Masters

Review by Mr. Paws😽

Film Masters serves up another double feature of nicely restored ancient artifacts, this time pairing two sci-fi films from the early 1950s. One might be of considerable historical interest, while the other is simply frivolous fun.

1950’s Destination Moon is the first sci-fi film from legendary producer George Pal, best known for such classics as War of the Worlds, When Worlds Collide and The Time Machine (kind of making him the George Lucas of his day). It’s also one of the earliest attempts to take the concept of space travel seriously by speculating the first lunar mission.

The film was somewhat groundbreaking for its time, and if one keeps in-mind the era in which this was made, there’s a lot to appreciate here…the efforts to offer plausible science, impressive production design, its depiction of the voyage itself and the lunar surface (the latter realized through wonderful matte paintings). Even legendary sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein had a hand in the screenplay. Considering the budget (which wasn't much), it’s a great looking piece of speculative sci-fi.

However, appreciating a film, no matter how influential, isn’t always the same as actually enjoying it. Setting aside the aesthetics and believable science (again, for the time), Destination Moon is dramatically slight, even kinda dull at times. There’s little in the way of conflict or engaging characters, most of whom exist to provide urgent exposition (except for some obnoxious comic relief courtesy of Dick Wesson). 

Spaceballs: The Prequel.

1951’s Flight to Mars has a budget so low that Cameron Mitchell earns top billing. But even though this ain’t exactly a George Pal production and its depiction of what awaits us on the angry red planet was probably chuckleworthy even in the ‘50s, it’s an entertaining little film…if sometimes at its own expense. 

On the first mission to Mars, a five person crew - including intrepid wise-cracking reporter Steve Abbott (Mitchell) - crash lands. They meet its leaders, who are outwardly congenial and offer to help with repairs. But in reality, their society is dying and they plan on using the ship to create their own fleet and conquer Earth. A gratuitous romantic subplot is also introduced, mostly an excuse to exploit Marguerite Chapman’s considerable visual assets.

Speaking of visuals...despite the obvious tiny budget, the film features some interesting special effects. The scenes of the rocket in-flight are goofy as hell, but the underground Martian city - a combination of forced perspective, matte paintings and colorful set design - is pretty impressive, drawing obvious inspiration from the 1939 British classic, Things to Come.

Both films boast good restorations, with vivid overall picture quality and serviceable audio tracks. Additionally, each disc comes with entertaining and informative bonus material. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

DESTINATION MOON

FEATURETTE - Man’s Greatest Adventure: Making Destination Moon is an entertaining new 23 minute documentary, featuring Justin Humphreys.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By historian Justin Humphreys.

TRAILER

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Features an essay, One Small Step/One Giant Leap, by Sloan De Forest.

FLIGHT TO MARS

FEATURETTES - Interstellar Travelogues: Extended Edition; Walter Mirish: From Bomba to Body Snatchers.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By historian Justin Humphreys.

TRAILER

THE POOP SCOOP: Space Odysseys Edition

UPCOMING KIBBLES THAT MAKE US PURR!

FORBIDDEN PLANET Limited Edition on 4K September 28 from Arrow Video. One of the all-time greats of science-fiction cinema, Forbidden Planet elevated the genre to a whole new level, transposing Shakespeare's The Tempest into deepest space and breaking new ground with its iconic designs, elaborate sets, and pioneering electronic score. For the very first time, Forbidden Planet is presented in its original Cinemascope aspect ratio of 2.55:1 with its theatrical "Perspecta" stereo soundtrack in an eye-popping brand new 4K restoration that is out of this world! 

PROJECT HAIL MARY on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD August 11 from Alliance Entertainment. Amazon MGM Studios and Alliance Home Entertainment announce the home video release of the heart-warming space odyssey, Project Hail Mary. Based on Andy Weir’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, screenwriter Drew Goddard adapted Project Hail Mary for the screen, and it was brought to life by directors Phil Lord & Christopher Miller. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray releases of Project Hail Mary include out of this world bonus content including 5 Deleted Scenes, Commentary by Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and “Earth’s Favorite Eridian” featurette. Following the August 11th release will be an Amazon exclusive 3-disc SteelBook giftset with additional features including new bonus content, a collectible booklet and more!  The giftset will be released on October 13th.

THE COMPLETE KUBRICK Coming to 4K + Blu-ray October 20 from Criterion Collection. Tracing Stanley Kubrick’s evolution from independent maverick to Hollywood rebel to visionary transnational auteur whose every film from the mid-1960s on became a manifesto of a radically new sensibility, The Complete Kubrick brings together the entirety of a body of work that opened popular cinema up to new realms of moral profundity and metaphysical mystery. Collected here for the first time are Kubrick’s thirteen features and three shorts, all restored in 4K, with their original soundtracks alongside the 5.1 mixes, restored and remastered; over twenty-five hours of interviews, documentaries, and behind-the-scenes materials; and deluxe packaging illustrated with rare photographs, artwork, and documents annotated by Kubrick himself, all housed in a singular box inspired by the director’s legendary archive.

MARS ATTACKS! on 4K August 11 from Warner Bros. Superstar Jack Nicholson as the President of the United States greeting invaders from outer space? Anything can and does happen when the twisted mind of director Tim Burton plunges planet Earth into complete pandemonium in this all-star sci-fi spoof. To celebrate the film’s upcoming 30th anniversary Mars Attacks!, directed by visionary Tim Burton, will be available for purchase Digitally in 4K Ultra HD and on 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc. Additionally, the newly remastered film will also include new bonus content featuring the behind-the-scenes filmmakers reflecting on the making of Mars Attacks! 30 years later. 

SOYLENT GREEN, Proud Owner of the Second Greatest Plot Twist in Sci-fi History, Coming to 4K UHD and Blu-ray July 28 from Arrow Video.  The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available. 

Every angry man’s wet dream, FALLING DOWN, Coming to 4K UHD and Blu-ray 7/21 from Arrow Video. The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration by Arrow Films approved by cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available. 

The International western classic, THE RED SUN, Coming to 4K UHD & Blu-ray July 14 from Arrow Video. The Limited Edition release features a brand new definitive 4K restoration, hours of special features and newly commissioned extras. A Blu-ray edition will also be available. The loaded cast includes Charles Bronson Alain Delon, Tishiro Mifune and Ursula Andress.

KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR 4K/Blu-ray Combo Pack Coming July 28 from Lionsgate. This release also comes with an assortment of physical extras, including posters, collectors cards and a 40 page booklet.

An Underseen Gem from the 70s, THE OUTFIT, on Blu-ray July 28 from Arrow Video. The Outfit is as tough, taut, and relentless as its protagonist. This release includes numerous new bonus features.

MORTAL COMBAT II on Digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K and DVD July 28 from Warner Bros. From New Line Cinema, the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory. 

MICHAEL on digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K and DVD July 17 from Lionsgate. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life beyond the music.  

Lee Cronin’s THE MUMMY on Digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K and DVD July 4 from Warner Bros. The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.

THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD on 4K + Blu-ray July 7 from Sony. This release also includes a large selection of bonus material.

A MAN CALLED ROCCA on Blu-ray July 14 from Kino Lorber. We here at Free Kittens have just recently discovered the wonderful world of French thrillers, so when another great comes along on Blu-ray, we gotta meow it out loud! This is a noir gem riding the crest of the radical French New Wave.

DEEP WATER Coming to Blu-ray July 14 from Magenta Light Studios. Of course you’re ready for another shark movie directed by Renny Harlin (Deep Blue Sea). Well, so are we.

BENEATH THE 12 MILE REEF: Robert Wagner as The Joker

BENEATH THE 12 MILE REEF (Blu-ray)

1953 / 127 min

Leomark Studios

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😼

For those of you who’ve never heard of this movie and tend to judge books by their covers, rest assured there is nothing in Beneath the 12 Mile Reef as cool as that Blu-ray artwork. Sure, a ticked-off octopus eventually shows up, but this ol’ relic is largely a sudsy romantic adventure film about two competing families of sponge divers.

It’s the Greeks vs. the Conches in a fight for sponge supremacy off the coast of Florida, with a very young Robert Wagner (looking about as Greek as a salad) playing Tony, who falls in love with his rival’s daughter, Gwyneth (Terry Moore) along the way. He also has to contend with Gwyneth’s jealous boyfriend, Arnold (Peter Graves, in a somewhat rare villainous role). 

"I just wanna watch the world burn, Dad."

Beneath the 12 Mile Reef is a silly film with goofy dialogue and mostly bland performances. In his first starring role, Wagner is the exception. Instead, he’s guilty of overemoting in every scene that doesn’t require a diving helmet. Whenever he smiles, like when he’s ogling Gwyneth, I’m reminded of The Joker (or maybe the face on that truck in Maximum Overdrive). But let’s not judge Wagner too harshly, because he eventually did get better.

Conversely, the underwater sequences are beautifully shot and the film is genuinely engaging - even suspenseful - during those sequences. If nothing else, it makes excellent use of CinemaScope, which was new at the time. It looks equally vibrant and colorful on Blu-ray (though the sound quality sucks), so even if there are no toothy beasts or scantily clad swimmers, Beneath the 12 Mile Reef is still lovely to look at. But like other public domain titles Leomark Studios has acquired and released on Blu-ray, this disc has no bonus features, chapters, subtitle/language options or a main menu.

THE BULLET TRAIN and the Origins of Speed

THE BULLET TRAIN (1975)

Starring Ken Takakura, Shinichi (Sonny) Chiba, Ken Utsui, Fumio Watanabe, Kei Yamamoto. Directed by Junya Sato. (152 min).

Essay by D.M. ANDERSON💀

1994’s Speed was a great movie. Back then, I was kinda digging the plethora of action movies that followed in the wake of Die Hard because they were sort-of like repackaged disaster movies, which has been my favorite genre since I first beheld the pyromaniacal wonder of The Towering Inferno in the fifth grade.

Speed and its ilk have always drawn comparisons to Die Hard, since plotwise, they shared most of the same DNA…an urgent hostage situation, a tough, dedicated protagonist, an arrogant villain and a shitload of fiery, kinetic ka-BOOM. While Speed is arguably the best of them, to call it “Die Hard on a bus” isn’t entirely accurate. Its inspiration goes back further than that.

There’s a largely forgotten made-for-TV movie from 1966 called The Doomsday Flight, which was written by none other than Rod Serling and features a plot about a bomb on-board a commercial airliner, which will explode if the plane tries to descend. Starring Hawaii 5-0’s Jack Lord and film noir legend Edmond O’Brien as the disgruntled bomber, it’s a tidy little thriller, but not particularly action driven and shares little in common with Speed aside from the basic concept. 

1975’s The Bullet Train is another matter. It’s a Japanese film that was produced to capitalize on the success of American disaster movies at the time, along with the prerequisite handful of melodramatic subplots. The primary story, however, predates Speed by two decades. I don’t know if the makers of Speed consciously or unconsciously borrowed the same premise for their film, but the similarities are pretty obvious.

In this one, a crew led by a desperate out-of-work tech expert plant a bomb on a Tokyo bullet train bound for Hakata, ten hours away. They inform railway security that the bomb will explode if the train slows down to 80 kph, demanding a $5,000,000 ransom in exchange for instructions on how to deactivate it. The government, police and railway execs have ten hours to either pay up or find those responsible. Along the way, the train faces dangerous obstacles, such as other nearby trains and increasingly panicking passengers.

The biggest difference between this one and Speed is it dedicates just as much screen time to the antagonists as it does the protagonists. In fact, the former are the most well rounded characters. And despite being willing to kill 1500 people if their demands aren’t met, they aren’t entirely unsympathetic, especially the leader, Tetsuo Okita (Ken Takakura), whose quiet desperation in light of all he’s previously lost is kind of affecting. 

"The $5 million is for my cat. She's a diva."

Conversely, the team of talking heads trying to stop him largely exist to provide urgent exposition, though renowned martial artist Sonny Chiba is engaging as the bullet train’s panicky engineer. Considering he’s mostly known for his action flicks, it’s an unusual performance and he plays his entire role sitting down. Then there are the passengers themselves…a big batch of cartoonishly conceived characters that are so collectively selfish, irritating, unlikable, histrionic and loud (screaming all their dialogue) that a small part of us might find ourselves wishing Okita would blow up the train just to put them out of our misery. Or at the very least, maybe Chiba could’ve burst from the cab and delivered a few roundhouse kicks to some of ‘em. A missed opportunity, if you ask me.

The film serves up some good action sequences, both on and off the train. The hunt for the hijackers is genuinely gripping, as is watching Okita’s elaborate plan to collect the ransom without being caught. And again, because Okita is such a well-realized character, we’re kinda rooting for him. Concurrently, efforts to locate the bomb generate tension, as do sequences where the train is in danger of crashing. 

The Bullet Train is a long, exhausting movie, epic in length and stuffed with more secondary characters than the narrative needs (such as all those asshole passengers). Still, it’s a fun ride that seems mostly plausible, and comes to a satisfying conclusion. Fairly obscure on this side of the pond, the film is certainly a product of its time, but worth seeking out for fans of ‘70s-era disaster, crime thrillers and anyone curious about the origins of Speed.

There’s also a remake/sequel on Netflix called The Bullet Train Explosion, which is okay, though kind of superfluous.