“I’m not even trying to kill people and someone dies.”

Surveying films that are shamelessly indebted to the artful grindhouse of Quentin Tarantino is not a futile pursuit, but an unworthy one—the fact is that most of them just aren’t that good. Bullet Train, the latest from former stunt coordinator David Leitch (Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2), is a laudable attempt, but it still isn’t sniffing the rarified air of early Tarantino, or even the similar work from Guy Ritchie. Offering a cross-culture mashup that throws gabby hitmen up against sword-wielding assassins (all of whom are introduced via stylized neon text and flashbacks) and culminating in a bloody showdown with a ruthless Russian crime lord, it takes itself just seriously enough for the choreographed fisticuffs and hints of drama to carry some weight, but never seriously enough to lose sight of its primary aim of delivering a delirious action romp.

Unfortunately, as our gaggle of eccentric professional criminals (Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Benito A. Martínez Ocasio, Zazie Beetz) tangle aboard a high-speed train in Japan, the painfully self-aware film is unable to maintain a consistent tone. There are elements of black comedy, earnest pulp, anime stylizations, ironic social commentary, goofball dialogue, superlative action and phoned-in green screen action. Most of these ingredients are serviceable-to-great—I particularly enjoyed the “twins” played by Taylor-Johnson and Henry, and a hilarious cameo by Channing Tatum is worth mentioning as well. For my sensibilities, however, it never coalesces into anything beyond its superficial thrills, which do not integrate well with its sincere attempt to make a statement on fate and karma and whatever else Pitt humorously prattles on about while dodging potentially lethal attacks. Thankfully, the cast is stellar and absolutely sells the absurd material, ensuring a decent evening of low-brow action comedy entertainment without all the baggage of modern superhero films.