Netflix’s New High-Speed Action Thriller Is Blowing Up Streaming Charts Worldwide

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Netflix has a knack for launching international films, and audiences especially love their thrillers and action movies. That’s certainly true with director Hung Tzu-hsuan’s new film, 96 Minutes. Despite the title, it’s actually nearly two hours long and packed with intense, gripping suspense.

The film 96 Minutes premiered in Taiwan on September 5, 2025, and was later added to Netflix. It quickly gained popularity, reaching the #4 spot worldwide among non-English films between January 26th and February 1st, 2026. Starring Austin Lin, Vivian Sung, Wang Po-chieh, Lee Lee-zen, and Eleven Yao, the movie centers around a dangerous bomb threat on two trains.

96 Minutes Is Blowing Up Worldwide on Netflix

Netflix’s new film, 96 Minutes, is gaining international attention after racking up 3.1 million views and 6.1 million hours of watch time in its first week in the top 10. The movie follows Song Kang Ren, a bomb disposal expert played by Lin, who is struggling with the moral implications of his job when he’s faced with an incredibly dangerous situation.

Okay, so picture this: I’m on a train with my fiancé, Huang Xin, and some family – my captain, Li Jie, and even my mom! Things quickly go south when our train, and another one running alongside us, get taken hostage. The bomber isn’t just some random criminal either; he’s connected to my past, which means I’m suddenly facing a really tough decision with incredibly high stakes.

With just 96 minutes until it’s too late, he needs to team up with Captain Li, Xin, and the other passengers to foil the bomber’s plan and, if possible, save everyone on board. But the bomber is intentionally creating a terrible situation, forcing A-Ren to make impossible choices about who will survive.

Netflix’s New Action Thriller Deals with the Fallout of the Trolley Problem

Much of the suspense in 96 Minutes revolves around a difficult choice similar to the classic “Trolley Problem.” The protagonist, A-Ren, like his predecessor Captain Li, faces the impossible task of stopping one bomb on a packed train, knowing that doing so will trigger another.

This scenario is different from the typical Trolley Problem. Instead of abstract numbers, each train carries innocent people who are terrified. The bomber intentionally creates this situation, forcing passengers to compete with each other. This highlights the difficult choices faced by people like A-Ren, who feel obligated to save the most lives, even if it means sacrificing others.

This movie is a fast-paced, exciting thriller that runs about two hours, and you’ll want to follow the plot closely. While other train thrillers, like the South Korean films Snowpiercer and Train to Busan, might be more original, this Taiwanese film feels more realistic and down-to-earth, avoiding the typical post-apocalyptic or zombie scenarios.

Despite its flaws, 96 Minutes delivers a good mix of action and suspense, landing it somewhere between similar thrillers like The Taking of Pelham 123 and Unstoppable. Interestingly, Pelham 123 was even remade during Denzel Washington’s period of starring in train-based action movies. As the story races toward its conclusion, 96 Minutes remains consistently engaging from beginning to end.

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2026-02-06 06:58