Bullet Points: Death Train

It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year for action fanatics, because it is Die Hard Season!

In this installment of Bullet Points, I am going to review another “Die Hard Clone from the Nu Image library, 2003’s Death Train…

• Train Wreck: Ryan (Bryan Genesse, Project Shadowchaser II) and his private security team have been hired to escort $9 million dollars worth of diamonds being transported by train. Things are going smoothly, with Ryan’s team even enjoying a friendly game of poker to help pass the time. Then Weaver (Bentley Mitchum, Shark Attack) shows up, posing as a railroad worker and all hell breaks loose. Weaver and his crew, kill Ryan’s team, blow up the safe on board the train, steal the diamonds, leave Ryan for dead on the runaway train and jump off the train with their ill gotten gains. “
• Sole Survivor: A worse for wear Ryan is able to stumble away from the train wreck before it explodes in spectacular fashion. Once he is back on his feet, Ryan makes it his top priority to track down Weaver and his gang and take them down. Ryan’s quest for justice takes him to Mexico City, where he meets up with his old buddy Salazar (Michael Anthony Rosas) with the Mexican Federal Police. Salazar tells Ryan where he believes Weaver and his crew are and it isn’t long before Ryan is tagging along as Salazar and the Federales crash Weaver’s attempt to fence the diamonds he stole. Weaver’s face when he sees Ryan is priceless. Arrests are made and now all that is left is for Weaver and his crew to be extradited to the United States where they will stand trial in San Diego.

• Here We Go Again: Ryan convinces Salazar to allow him to “unofficially” accompany Weaver back to the United States. Ryan has a slight moment of regret when he finds out that the prisoners will be transported by train. Weaver and company are put behind bars in their own train car, while Ryan is out with the civilians in the passenger cars. Everything is going as planned, until dirty cop Lopez (Bashar Rahal, Target of Opportunity), slips Weaver a key for his shackles and it isn’t long before Weaver and his team violently take control of the train… however at this point they are unaware there will be a fly in their ointment.
• Die Hard on a Train: Ol’ Dirty Lopez really wanted to earn his cut, because he didn’t just help Weaver to take control of the train, he also arranged their escape plan via helicopter. However when the train makes the stop to meet the helicopter, the Federales are waiting! Weaver and his crew are forced to jump back on the train and that’s when they realize that someone on that train tipped off the authorities. That someone is of course Ryan, who has two objectives now, stop the bad guys and rescue the remaining hostages.

Death Train was another entertaining entry in the action filmography of Bryan Genesse, who really may be one of the more unsung action heroes of all-time. I have yet to see a bad action movie with Genesse as the star. I loved Genesse’s almost Matrix like look in the movie as he thwarted the bad guys one by one. I also need to acknowledge the effort that Bentley Mitchum put into the Weaver character. Weaver never came across as a real physical threat to Ryan, but he made up for it with his unhinged personality.

Before this train comes to a complete stop, here are some Bonus Bullet Points…

• The Name Game: Not to be confused with 2005’s Death Train starring Arnold Vosloo or 1993’s Death Train (aka Detonator) starring Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Stewart.
• Disturbing Quote: “Buried. Like I buried my tongue in your mom’s shit-caked ass last night” – Weaver
• Finishing Move: Bryan Genesse delivers one helluva backbreaker.