Bullet Train Explosion: Hidden Sequel to 1975 Thriller Revealed!

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Making a swift debut as Netflix’s top-viewed films in its initial week, the movie titled “Bullet Train Explosion” is an unexpected sequel to a film that many fans might not even be aware of. It seamlessly blends elements of “Speed” and “Runaway Train,” with the plot revolving around a super-fast Japanese train, where a bomb has been clandestinely placed somewhere within its structure. The criminals behind this demand a staggering ransom of 100 billion yen to disarm it. If their demands are not met, the train will detonate once its speed drops below 100 km/h.

Contrary to what might seem obvious, Bullet Train Explosion isn’t a sequel to the 2022 Brad Pitt action thriller Bullet Train. Instead, it shares a closer connection with the less-known 1975 Sonny Chiba film, The Bullet Train. Both movies offer an exhilarating experience thanks to their innovative concepts, rapid pace, intense action, high tension, and complex conflicts among the train’s passengers and staff during a thrilling and unpredictable journey.

What Is ‘Bullet Train’ Explosion About?

50 years following “The Bullet Train,” director Shinji Higuchi replicates the same speed and vigor in “Bullet Train Explosion.” This Netflix action blockbuster centers around the Hayabusa 60 (H-5060B), a high-speed train traveling east towards Hachinohe Station. A number of passengers are aboard, with the East Japan Railway Company receiving a threat from terrorists who assert they’ve planted a bomb somewhere on the train. The terrorists demand a ransom of 100 billion yen to disarm the bomb. If the speed of the train drops below 100 km/h, the bomb will explode, resulting in the deaths of all passengers on board.

Instead of demanding that JR East pays the ransom, the terrorists instruct Japanese citizens to contribute 1,000 yen each. When the passengers learn about a bomb on board and must pay to disarm it, internal conflicts among them make the situation more complex and delay any potential response. At the same time, a young train conductor named Non (played by Chika Matsumoto) pledges to maintain the speed of the train above 100 km/h no matter what, facing challenges such as bird strikes and other trains sharing the same track.

In a thrilling rhythm, the movie swiftly moves between individuals aboard the Hayabusa 60, strategists at JR East headquarters in Tokyo, and ground crew members tirelessly attempting to uncouple train cars and guide the train onto vacant tracks to avoid catastrophic crashes. As passengers debate how to split the ransom money and explore different bomb defusal methods, it’s eventually uncovered that the bomber is among them, and their deadly intentions are disclosed.

How ‘Bullet Train Explosion’ Connects to ‘The Bullet Train’

In a different take, Junya Satō was the director of The Bullet Train, a fast-moving action thriller similar in pace, but with a slightly altered plot. Instead of the Hayabusa railway line, the narrative centers around the Hikari 109 high-speed bullet train traveling from Hakata to Tokyo, carrying approximately 1,500 passengers. As soon as the train sets off, the security chief receives a call from Okita (Ken Takakura), a troubled businessman who warns of a bomb on board the Hikari 109. Okita threatens that the train will detonate if it drops below 80 km/h and insists on receiving $5 million to disarm it.

Instead of revealing the villain midway like in “Bullet Train Explosion,” “The Bullet Train” introduces Okita as the bomber right from the start, making him harder to locate since he’s not among the passengers. Unlike the original where Japanese citizens were the ones held ransom, “The Bullet Train” changes it so that Okita demands payment from the Japanese government, adding more mystery and personal stakes to the story, pushing the drama to even greater, more harrowing heights than its predecessor.

In contrast to The Bullet Train, The original movie presents a more nuanced good-versus-evil dynamic, as the railway itself is depicted as being complicit with the bombers and extortionists. This adds complexity to the main characters, with Sonny Chiba’s performance standing out significantly over Chika Matsumoto’s in the key conductor role. Furthermore, The original movie avoids using fake-looking CGI and instead relies on practical effects, enhancing the realism of the experience. Additionally, while JR East cooperated with the production of Bullet Train Explosion, The Bullet Train lacked the support of the Japanese National Railway (JNR).

Regardless of who’s accountable and how they are uncovered in each movie, both provide explosive suspense and high-octane action. While Aoki takes on the role of a lone hero in the original, in the sequel, the passengers and HQ staff must collaborate to stop the train from detonating.

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The Bullet Train’s International Legacy, Explained

Viewers casually browsing Netflix might mistakenly link the movie titled “Bullet Train Explosion” with the 2022 Brad Pitt film, “Bullet Train“. While they share a name and are both available on Netflix, they have no connection. It’s worth noting that “Bullet Train Explosion” actually follows in the footsteps of similar high-octane stories, as demonstrated by the 1994 blockbuster “Speed“. Interestingly, this film was inspired by the 1975 “Bullet Train“, as revealed by screenwriter Graham Yost. Unlike “Bullet Train” which is set on a fast-moving train, “Speed” revolves around a bus in Los Angeles that’s rigged with explosives. The bomber (Dennis Hopper) demands the bus maintains a speed of at least 50 MPH to prevent detonation.

Although Indian films like “The Burning Train” (1980) and “Tezz” (2012) share similarities with the concept of “Bullet Train,” it’s important to bring up “Unstoppable,” the often underestimated collaboration between Tony Scott and Denzel Washington, released in 2010. Unlike its counterparts, this film doesn’t rely on a bomb for dramatic tension. Instead, it tells a true story about an unmanned freight train that inadvertently detaches, gathering an alarming speed as it barrels towards a heavily populated city in Pennsylvania.

It seems like we’ve taken a slight detour, but the essence is that the 1975 film “Bullet Train” deserves credit for launching a plotline that still provides audiences with heart-pounding excitement. If it hadn’t been for this pioneering work, we might not have movies like “Runaway Train,” “Speed,” “Unstoppable,” or even the “Bullet Train Explosion.

Bullet Train Explosion is available to stream on Netflix

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2025-04-28 03:08