RATING: B

Level 33 Entertainment presents a Hillin Entertainment production in association with Benetone Films, Everbright Pictures, and Red Phoenix Productions. Directed by Ryan Francis. Produced by Daemon Hillin and Ryan Francis. Written by Ryan Francis and Judah Rey; story by James Cullen Bressack and Robert Thompson. Cinematography by Niccolo de la Fere. Edited by Austin Nordell.

Stars Nicky Whelan, Scout Taylor-Compton, Oliver Masucci, Liana Ramirez, Jade Patteri, Devanny Pinn, Karmel Bortoleti, Mike Manning, Kristos Andrews, Eoin O’Brian, Bear Williams, Ron Smoorenburg, and Louis Mandylor. 

It’s a race for time and survival in this sci-fi action film from former child actor turned director Ryan Francis. 

In the future, a new AI technology has been all the rage in the United States. The NexusTrain, controlled by the new tech, is the fastest new train in the country. In addition, a new chip called the BioOp Chip has been created as an implant to make people’s lives more comfortable. However, the Lumenerex Company, the corporation behind the technology, has made a small mistake. They have patented the tech and ditched the creator of the tech, Lachlan St. Quill, and he wants his baby back.

With the next NexusTrain set to go to the nation’s capital, in one tube are a band of captured prisoners. In some of the others are members of a cheerleading team on their way to a competition; an Interpol agent on his way home to his daughter; a young British man bringing his late brother’s ashes home, and others. The prisoners are implanted with the BioOp Chip and Lachlan has managed to hack into the system mainframe, causing the prisoners to escape and wreak havoc all while managing the train to go above 700 miles an hour. Can the passengers be able to stop Lachlan and the prisoners before it’s too late?

You may know Ryan Francis who played a young Peter Pan in 1991’s Hook and since then, he’s been working behind the cameras as a director. His latest film is quite an action-packed ride that can be described as a meshing of Con Air and Bullet Train, and a dash ofand Expect No Mercy and the Hong Kong film Gen-Y Cops in terms of the main villain. The creator of a new AI tech gets stiffed by his former employers so he goes out of his way to hack into the mainframe and unleashes his rage by hacking the chipped implants of some deadly prisoners onboard the train. Who better to play the role than the awesome Louis Mandylor, who has proven time and time again why his acting range is amazing. 

There are multiple protagonists that help elevate the film and there are interesting backstories with some of them that prove vital to the film. Scout Taylor-Compton’s Tessa is a cheer coach who has a military background. Oliver Masucci’s Gray is an Interpol agent who is more married to his job than his actual marriage and hopes to make amends. Kristos Andrews’ Brad is bringing his brother’s ashes home while cheer captain Heather, played by Jade Patteri, may come from a meager background but is quite a tech genius herself. 

The action is quite fun in the film as we get to see some pretty nifty kickboxing-style choreography. Scout Taylor-Compton gets in on the action even throwing down with Who Am I? superkicker Ron Smoorenburg while Masucci and Andrews also get to throw down against some of the prisoners. Devanny Pinn, who plays crew member Marie, helps one of the passengers, Mike Manning’s Nick, against some of the prisoners as well. There is a bit of a twist with the prisoners in question as Lachlan spices it up when it’s revealed that his hacking is part of a scheme involving a dark web fight ring involving people who pay to control the prisoners via virtual reality. 

Speed Train has a lot going on for it and while in the long run, could do without one small element, it doesn’t take away the fact that it this is a fun action-packed ride full of fights, technology, and a great villain role for Louis Mandylor.