Netflix has finally releasedBullet Train Explosion, and it is a much better sequel to Keanu Reeves’SpeedthanSpeed 2: Cruise Controlever was.Speedis not a critically acclaimed masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is a fun action movie with a goofy premise, something that has earned it enough fans to warranttalks of a thirdSpeedfilm. Unfortunately, the franchise ended on a sour note with the release ofSpeed 2: Cruise Control, and a movie likeBullet Train Explosionis a much better follow-up toSpeed.
Bullet Train Explosionis an all-new Netflix thrillerfrom Shinji Higuchi, the director ofShin Godzilla. The film takes place on a speeding bullet train, with the conductors discovering that a terrorist plot is underway. A bomb has been placed on the bullet train, with the terrorists explaining that it will explode if the train goes below 100 km/h. This forces all of Japan’s transportation organizations to work together in an attempt to rescue the hostages and stop the train before it explodes,with the vehicle being on course to hit Tokyo.
Fans ofSpeedreally need to check outBullet Train Explosion, as it acts as the perfect follow-up to the Keanu Reeves thriller.Speedtells the story of a bus in Los Angeles that will explode if it goes below 50 miles per hour, withKeanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, and the otherSpeedcast membershaving to work together to stop the bus. Although the speed floor is a bit lower,SpeedandBullet Train Explosionhave almost the exact same plots, withBullet Train Explosionacting as a spiritual successor toSpeedover 30 years later.
Bullet Train Explosionalso works as aSpeedfollow up due to its tone.Bullet Train Explosionis incredibly campy, and while the Netflix Original thriller is full of tense moments, it is a fun time throughout. This draws parallels toSpeed,which is also made too goofy to take seriously thanks to its premise. The filmmakers behind each movie know that viewers are just tuning in to have fun, which is whyBullet Train Explosionacts as a modernSpeedstory.
Speed May Have Been Influenced By The Original Bullet Train Movie
Although This Hasn’t Been Confirmed
Interestingly, the story thatBullet Train Explosionis telling may be older than the story from the originalSpeed. 2025’sBullet Train Explosionis actually a remake and a spiritual successor to the 1975 Japanese filmThe Bullet Train. The stories of both movies are nearly the same, with the 1975 original also following a bullet train that can’t go below a certain speed due to the threat of a bomb. Thus, this story is much older than the 1994 action movie, meaning thatSpeedwasn’t the first place that many moviegoers saw this plot.
Although it is impossible to say,it is very likely thatSpeedwas influenced byThe Bullet Train.The Bullet TrainandSpeedcame out closer to each other thanSpeeddid toBullet Train Explosion. Both movies have nearly identical plots, with them following terrorist plots involving bombs and vehicles that are forced to speed. Many people often citeThe Bullet Trainwhen discussingSpeed, with the two movies sharing a lot of DNA.
Rather Than The Awful Speed 2: Cruise Control
Bullet Train Explosionwas a ton of fun, with it making me wish thatSpeedhad gotten a proper sequel.Speed 2: Cruise Controlis often cited as one of the worst sequels of all time, with it being hated even by fans of the original film. A cruise ship was a weird choice for the sameSpeedstory, and its nonsensical story choices make the movie impossible to enjoy.
However,Speedcould have further pulled fromBullet Train Explosionand set its story on a train. Having Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock appear in aSpeedsequel set on a train would have been a lot of fun, with it being the logical way to raise the stakes of the original film. This would be a properSpeedsequel rather than whateverSpeed 2: Cruise Controlwas. While Reeves and Bullock aren’t inBullet Train Explosion, the Netflix film is still a much better continuation ofSpeedthan the film’s proper sequel.
