Hello and welcome to another weekend of the Banana Meter! For those not aware of how this works, let me explain it to you. First, our critics check out a film. Then, they rate it on our scale of 0-100%, we gather the percentage from all of your critics and that’s how we get our rating on the Banana Meter.
What is the Banana Meter scale, you ask?
When a film hits above 85% or higher from our critics, it means it hit Bonafide Bananas status.
When a film hits between 55-84% or higher from our critics, it means it hit Ripe status.
When the film hits under 55%, it means it hit Sour Status.
Our next film to hit the Banana Meter is Bullet Train
Here is what our Ripe Banana Critics are saying about the film:
Larry Chillson Jr.
Banana Meter Rating: 65%
David Leitch delivers another summer blockbuster that blends brutal, bloody action with over-the-top comedy and it yields mixed results. While the screenplay is clunky and the VFX are ROUGH, ultimately there is enough fun to be had on this ride in large part due to the stellar cast who nail the material.
Latoya Austin
Banana Meter Rating: 65%
Bullet Train is pure escapism and good, fun popcorn fare at its base. It struggles with tone and pacing plus stereotypical tropes but has a fantastic comedic duo in Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry
Matt Taylor
Banana Meter Rating: 45%
It took me a while to get into BULLET TRAIN with its many seemingly disconnected characters & over the top style & tone. A frenetic barrage of silly jokes & bloody action led by Brad Pitt’s goofy reformed assassin who just wants to get off the ride. Enjoyed it mostly for the cast and non-stop action but that’s all.
Manuel São Bento
Banana Meter Rating: 70%
Bullet Train employs David Leitch’s maximalist style in a purposefully silly narrative driven by frenetic action and distinct humor. The exceptional cast is worth the ticket, and every second with Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry is genuinely hilarious. Brad Pitt shines as well. Despite visual effects, script, and character development all traveling in economy class, it would be a “crime” not to recommend this trip.
Jonathan Widdup
Banana Meter Rating: 78%
Bullet Train was a nice pallet cleanser of a film for me to turn my brain off and just have fun with the great action and over-the-top and colorful cinematography. The cast is very likable. But, the movie runs about half an hour too long. The story has way too much going on at times
Jon Pascuzzi
Banana Meter Rating: 60%
Ultimately, it’s a wild, chaotic ride from start to finish. Disjointed with a messy first half, David Leitch course corrects in the second half with a part homage to Japanese cinema and part Guy Ritchie Snatch era filmmaking. Style over substance with outstanding performances from the ensemble cast. Its a fun time at the movies
Matthieu Côté
Banana Meter Rating: 75%
Bullet Train is derivative but I thought it was a highly stylized & entertaining gun-blazing thrill ride that packs a lot of laughs and solid action choreography. It doesn’t reach its full potential, but I loved the killer soundtrack and Brat Pitt’s electrifying role, it’s bloody good fun.
Nick Lapolla
Banana Meter Rating: 75%
Bullet train has a nonsensical plot and is way too long, but the action and sense of style are on point and Aaron Taylor Johnson and Brian Tyree-Henry are the highlights.
Alex Madden
Banana Meter Rating: 70%
Bullet Train is wild, witty, funny, stylized, and over the top. Most importantly, it reminds me of the mid to late 2000s action movies I really like.
Ashley Saunders
Banana Meter Rating: 95%
A bloody, twisted, wild ride from start to finish, Bullet Train absolutely never gets boring.
Brian Taylor
Banana Meter Rating: 50%
I liked Bullet Train enough despite its problems ( Too Long, messy Plot) but both Pitt and Tyree Henry are so damn entertaining and charming that they keep the movie chugging along
Brett Murphy
Banana Meter Rating: 80%
There is truly never a dull moment in this slick, stylish, charming and satisfyingly violent action flick. The cast are all fantastic, their chemistry is excellent. The fights are well shot and incredibly entertaining. The only gripes I have are it’s slightly too long runtime, needlessly convoluted plot and final act that gets to be a bit too much. Easily one of the most purely fun and unique action movies I have seen in a while!
Gary Cruise
Banana Meter Rating: 25%
Bullet Train is this year’s Free Guy, a basic, eye roll worthy and unfunny action flick that completely wastes its potential by providing uninteresting characters, repetitive jokes and awful CGI.
Edward Douglas
Banana Meter Rating: 70%
Sometimes, it works quite well and sometimes it strays off that path, but ultimately, it offers a satisfying last act that makes all the earlier problems pay off big-time.
Saxon Whitehead
Banana Meter Rating: 70%
Bullet Train is a perfect example of a film that I just can’t be mad at. It’s not the smartest or the most original film ever made, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a fun time watching it. It’s a fun, highly entertaining action movie, and even if it is a tad derivative, it is still better than a lot of other blockbusters from the past few years.
Manning Franks
Banana Meter Rating: 40%
Director David Leitch certainly knows how to make his films visually compelling and there is some fun to be had with that, but Bullet Train fails to even make its paper-thin characters and overtly bloated plot ring with any sense of emotion outside of a couple giggles.
What is Bullet Train Banana Meter Rating?
Ripe Banana 