Bullet Train Footage Reaction: We Saw The Bloody, Banter-Filled First Reel Of The Brad Pitt Action Flick [CinemaCon 2022]

It is exceedingly tough to make a hit movie these days if you're not connected to a gigantic, recognizable franchise. So, what does one do when looking to make an action/comedy in the hopes that it can draw a crowd? In the case of Sony Pictures and "Bullet Train," they have absolutely stacked the deck with an A-list cast led by Brad Pitt in the hopes that a big list of big names, coupled with an intriguing premise, can do the trick. And we just got a look at some brand new footage at CinemaCon.

We are on the ground at this year's CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where every major Hollywood studio is lining up to show off their goods. Sony decided it was a good opportunity to showcase a little bit of what they have up their sleeve with this one, which comes from director David Leitch, the director of "Deadpool 2" and "Hobbs & Shaw." Not to mention the co-director of the first "John Wick."

Starring alongside Pitt: Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, and Benito A Martínez Ocasio. Sandra Bullock shows up, too. So, what did we learn about this ensemble action flick about a bunch of assassins stuck on a train with one another who are all after the same thing? Let's dive in.

Leitch took the stage to introduce preview footage for the film, calling it an "action thriller with a comedic edge" and promising "Brad Pitt like you've never seen him before." He encouraged fans to make sure to check out the film in theaters because that's where he feels it's meant to be seen: on the big screen, with popcorn and surround sound. He introduced the footage by explaining a bit more about the driving force of the film:

"[The characters] all have conflicting and connected objectives, but they're ultimately going to find out that fate is something you can't control."

That lack of control over fate becomes apparent pretty quickly in the footage, which shows Pitt's character wearing a bucket hat and hanging out in Tokyo to the version of "Stayin' Alive" that we heard in the trailer last month. He's operating under the name Ladybug and laments that he has "Biblical" bad luck, because on the way to his latest job a stranger bumps into him and causes him to drop the key to a storage locker containing everything he needs. He eventually picks the lock and gets the details and equipment for the job, including sleeping powder and a gun, because a man needs his tools.

He barely makes it onto the train, talking the entire time with his handler, who sounds an awful lot like Sandra Bullock, on a cellphone. Once on the train we start meeting some of the other characters that are going to make this the ride from hell, including Aaron Taylor Johnson and Bryan Tyree Henry as British bodyguards named Lemon and Tangerine, respectively. They're guarding Logan Lerman's character, who dressed up against type with long hair, face tattoos. Lemon and Tangerine are not too pleased about the nicknames, but Mr. Pink from "Reservoir Dogs" didn't like his either, and it turned out better for him than any of the other guys.

It turns out that the guy who bumped into Ladybug is played by Andrew Koji, and he's also on the train. Joey King is also there, and she tases Ladybug, for some reason. We get a flashback to Lemon and Tangerine on a killing spree in order to establish just how bloodthirsty they are. Engelbert Humperdink plays in the background while they stack up the bodies in a violent and manic sequence that breaks the fourth wall a few times before there's a wild car stunt where a motorcycle flips over a car and explodes.

We go back to Ladybug, who's uneasy about the fact that he's able to accomplish this job so easily, given his "Biblical bad luck." He's supposed to steal a briefcase and manages to do so pretty quickly, though we learn that Lemon and Tangerine are supposed to have the briefcase for a ransom situation and they don't seem like two guys anyone would want to cross. Ladybug goes to get off the train at the next stop but a man in a white suit (played by Bad Bunny) tries to stab him, as we've seen in the trailer. See? Things were going too well for ole Ladybug. It turns out that he apparently killed Mr. White Suit's wife, and he's here for revenge.

That's the end of the preview, but it definitely sets up the action-packed, blood-soaked world these characters live in and gives everyone an idea of what's to come: lots more violence.

"Bullet Train" is set to hit theaters on July 29, 2022.

An original movie event, Bullet Train is a fun, delirious action-thriller from the director of Deadpool 2, David Leitch. Brad Pitt headlines an ensemble cast of eclectic, diverse assassins – all with connected yet conflicting objectives – set against the backdrop of a non-stop ride through modern-day Japan.