After breathing new life into some of Japanese cinema’s most beloved monsters in Shin Godzilla and Shin Ultraman, animator-turned-director Shinji Higuchi now turns his attention to the classic 1970s disaster thriller The Bullet Train.

Part reboot, part sequel, Bullet Train Explosion revisits the nail-biting scenario of a high-speed train that will explode if its speed drops below 100 miles per hour (161km/h).

The 1975 film pitted superstars Ken Takakura and Sonny Chiba against one another in a breathless race against time that inspired the Keanu Reeves blockbuster Speed.

Combining state-of-the-art visual effects with unprecedented access to real Shinkansen trains and facilities from the East Japan Railway (JR East) Company, Higuchi delivers an epic action thrill-ride every bit as exhilarating as its predecessor.

Read my full South China Morning Post review here