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The Bullet Train
新幹線大爆破
1975 152 min Japan 16+
★6.9
Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: Jun'ya Satô
Trailers
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Description
A Japanese bullet train is threatened with a bomb that will explode automatically if the train slows below 80 km/h, unless a ransom is paid. Police race to find the bombers so the train crew can learn how to defuse the bomb.
Starring
Ken Takakura
Actor
Shin'ichi Chiba
Actor
Kei Yamamoto
Actor
Awards
1 win & 1 nomination total
Key opinion
This 1975 disaster thriller is recognized as a pioneering entry in Japanese cinema that successfully navigates the tropes of its era. While its narrative structure leans heavily on international disaster movie clichés, the film remains a compelling, rhythmically driven experience that serves as an authentic time capsule of early 1970s Japan.
| Acting | Ken Takakura anchors the production with a quintessential 'tough guy' performance that mirrors classic Hollywood archetypes. | |
| Culture | The film serves as a high-quality historical snapshot of economic and social anxieties during the late 60s and early 70s in Japan. | |
| Direction | Director Junya Satō effectively prioritizes tactile, rhythm-driven sequences over sophisticated strategic plotting. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay utilizes a conventional structure heavily inspired by contemporary Western disaster films like 'Airport' and 'The Taking of Pelham One Two Three', drawing both praise for its rhythmic harmony and criticism for its reliance on established tropes. |