'Bullet Train' moves plenty fast, but it's a thrill ride you can afford to miss

"Bullet Train" certainly moves at an appropriately brisk pace, with Brad Pitt heading a sprawling cast. But the breakneck action is offset by a smart-alecky tone that proves both uneven and occasionally too cute for its own good, along with a mashup of styles -- from the music to the visuals -- that comes across like a Quentin Tarantino wannabe, with a dash of "Deadpool" for good measure.

That latter influence shouldn't be surprising, since director David Leitch oversaw the "Deadpool" sequel, in addition to toiling in the "John Wick" and "Fast & Furious" franchises. The Tarantino echoes are also heightened by Pitt's presence, having shown off his playfully macho side in that director's films, most recently winning an Oscar for "Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood."

The story, however -- which screenwriter Zak Olkewicz adapted from Japanese novel -- doesn't possess enough fuel to consistently sustain that tone. Even extensive flashbacks to get the narrative out of its confined space can't add enough intrigue to the machinations of these strangers on a train.