OVERLAY REPORT

In the 2022 film *Bullet Train*, the main character is an experienced but disillusioned assassin codenamed **Ladybug** (played by Brad Pitt). His journey is defined by a simple professional objective that is complicated by personal philosophy and a series of increasingly lethal interruptions. ### **The Main Character’s Goals** Ladybug has two primary goals, one professional and one personal: 1. **The Physical Goal:** His handler, Maria Beetle, assigns him what should be a "snatch and grab" job: board a high-speed bullet train traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto, **retrieve a silver briefcase**, and get off at the next stop. 2. **The Personal/Internal Goal:** After a string of jobs plagued by "bad luck" and accidental deaths, Ladybug has recently undergone therapy and adopted a philosophy of mindfulness and non-violence. His goal is to **complete the mission peacefully** without using a firearm or killing anyone, as he seeks to break his cycle of negativity. --- ### **Specific Obstacles** Ladybug’s simple mission becomes a nightmare due to several layers of obstacles: #### **1. Conflicting Missions (The Other Assassins)** Ladybug is not the only killer on the train. He faces several antagonists who all want the briefcase or have a vendetta: * **Lemon and Tangerine:** These British "twins" are tasked with protecting the briefcase and the son of a powerful Yakuza boss (The White Death). They are Ladybug's primary physical obstacle for most of the film as they fight to reclaim the case. * **The Wolf:** A Mexican assassin who boards the train specifically to kill Ladybug. He mistakenly believes Ladybug was responsible for the mass poisoning at his wedding. His sudden attack prevents Ladybug from exiting at the first stop, trapping him on the train. * **The Hornet:** An expert in poisons who attempts to kill Ladybug with the venom of a Boomslang snake. * **The Prince:** A manipulative young woman who has rigged the briefcase with explosives and is using another passenger (Kimura) to bait a trap for the White Death. #### **2. The Environment and "Bad Luck"** * **The Train Itself:** Because it is a high-speed bullet train with very few stops and a strict schedule, Ladybug is physically trapped in a "locked-room" scenario. Every time he attempts to exit, he is either physically pulled back by an attacker or the doors close before he can escape. * **Persistent "Bad Luck":** True to his codename, Ladybug is plagued by small, coincidental misfortunes that escalate the danger—such as a misplaced ticket, a malfunctioning door, or the accidental death of a target that draws more heat toward him. #### **3. The Mastermind's Trap** The ultimate obstacle is revealed to be **The White Death**, the head of the world's largest crime syndicate. Ladybug discovers that his presence on the train was not a random assignment but part of a calculated revenge plot. The White Death orchestrated the entire trip to bring together everyone he held responsible for the death of his wife, intending for them all to kill each other. Ladybug is an "accidental" obstacle here because he is filling in for another assassin (**Carver**), meaning he is facing a trap meant for someone else. #### **4. Internal Conflict** Ladybug’s own refusal to carry a gun or use lethal force initially serves as an obstacle. He often spends crucial moments trying to "talk through" conflicts or use household objects (like a water bottle or a laptop) to defend himself, which complicates his ability to quickly neutralize threats and escape.