Get On to BUS 657 For Real Action, Hollywood Style!

KOLKATA: The action thriller seems to be the hot favourite among Hollywood film makers right now. Action denotes the spirit of adventure translated to action and thriller has elements of nail-biting suspense that escalates with every action and adventure to take the audience to a whirlwind climax. In 2015, Hollywood has unleashed a chain of thrilling action splashed on the large screen with Dolby and Surround sound and the works with films such as Mad Max: Fury Road, San Andreas, Spectre, Sicario and In the Heart of the Sea. You can add another film to this list – Bus 657 that is scheduled for release across India on March 18 2016 . Bus 657 is not just an action thriller. It is a super-hero flick that seems to be the current flavour in Hollywood.

There is a great fan base for the action thriller genre in India. Films like the Fast and Furious and The Expendables franchise have been hugely successful. “The “The Indian audience is a big fan of Hollywood action thriller films and has given Bollywood films excellent takings at the box office. Bus 657 is a great entertainer and I am sure that people will love it. With acting legends like Robert De Niro and real life action stars like Dave Bautista and Gina Carano, there is something for everyone in this film.” says Murlidhar Tilwani, Director, Impossible films Pvt. Ltd. that is responsible for the distribution of the film in Indian theatres.

Bus 657 stars some of the top notch actors from Hollywood and also some real life sports achievers known for their excellence in their chosen line of action. Among them one is WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) superstar Dave Bautista and the other is Gina Carano who is a champion in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). One of the biggest attractions of the film is Robert de Niro who retains his exuberant sex appeal and staying power with his marvellous performances in film after film. Others in the acting cast are Jeffrey Dean Morgan who has made a mark in films such as Superman Vs Batman. Dawn of Justice and Watchman, Kate Bosworth who became famous with her performance in Superman Returns and Morris Chestnut of Kick Ass 2.

Bus 657 has a thrilling story where the action never stops the it is the action from which the story emerges. When their attempt to rob a casino owned by the feared gangster Pope (Robert De Niro) goes awry, resulting in a shoot-out, Vaughn (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Cox (Dave Bautista), two of the robbers flee on foot. They hijack a city bus with the number and take the passengers hostage. In a high speed chase, Vaughn is placed in the do-or-die dilemma where he would at the same time, have to outwit the police led by Officer Bajos (Gina Carano) who are in hot pursuit, and contend with Pope’s maniacal right hand man, Dog (Morris Chestnut), to make it through the day alive. We quickly learn that things are not what they seem, and Vaughn has more than one card up his sleeve.

Mark Paul Gosselaar who plays Detective Marconi, says, “I have a very dicey role. When I enter the scenario, it is basically to save Officer Krisj Bajos from being fired from the force. This seems like a noble act because the hijackers have demanded Kris and he is determined to save her. But once she is saved, he changes colour dramatically and becomes an integral part of the twists and the turns in the drama.”

Gina Carona who is an established star with MMA, has made herself a name in Hollywood via her significant portrayal of Angel Dust in Deadpool recently plays a rookie cop who is the first one on the scene when reports of a bus hijack come through. One of the hijackers in question is Jason Cox (Dave Bautista) along with Vaughn (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). It is rumored that the two athletes will have an action sequence between them. Says Carona, “Dave Bautista is just this big teddy bear of a man. You can’t necessarily tell from looking at him because he’s so big and tough looking, but he’s very sweet and has got one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen in a man.” Other than Ronda Rousey, she is the only other female MMA star that has made a formidable space for herself in Hollywood.

Bus 657 is the story of casino heist gone wrong by an ailing daughter's father, who has to pay for her treatment. It therefore, has a humane angle ensured to tug at the hearts of the audience though there is enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Most of the star cast has been part of some superhero film or the other which creates space for the audience to fantasize about.. All the leading actors other than Robert De Niro has been part of some super hero flick or another. Who knows? Bus 657 might open a whole new way of presenting, portraying and perceiving the genre of superhero films because this film does not have one, but several super heroes including a shero.