The world is a better place every time a new train movie graces a multiplex for the first time. That’s a hill I’m comfortable dying on. And despite all efforts to undermine this by stunt person turned director David Leitch, this is still largely true for Bullet Train. 

Adapted from the Japanese novel Maria Beetle by Kōtarō Isaka, the Sony Pictures produced film—like most American adaptations of Japanese works—neglects Japanese talents in favor of white ones. The novel was entirely Japanese, and, other than a few side characters, most have been whitewashed. With the exception of the titular transportation infrastructure of the bullet train, there’s no reason the adaptation couldn’t have either cast Japanese actors or completely rid itself of the origin country by putting the train somewhere else entirely. Both options would have been better than what resulted.

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