The Bullet Train

A terrific central concept: a bomb is planted on one of Japan's 200 mph Shinkansen expresses, primed to explode as soon as the train slows to a certain speed. Savour it, because it's virtually all there is; the clumsy plotting, low-octane direction and muffled performances certainly don't add up to much of a movie. All that's required from Ken Takakura (as the chief bomber) is his presence, which he delivers adequately. Maybe the original Japanese version (running at 155 minutes) made more of the political undercurrents, but all that's left here are glimmerings of suspense in the final half-hour.