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Returner (2002)
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Reviews Counted: 31
Fresh: 11
Rotten:20
Average Rating: 4.3/10
Theatrical Release:Oct 17, 2003 Limited
Synopsis: The "Returner," Miyamoto, acting on tip-offs from his clients, infiltrates deep into the recesses of the black market, steals big scores of nontraceable cash, then as quickly as he gets in, hands... The "Returner," Miyamoto, acting on tip-offs from his clients, infiltrates deep into the recesses of the black market, steals big scores of nontraceable cash, then as quickly as he gets in, hands the money on to his clients. He is unbeatable in combat but his past harbors a darkness; as a young orphan, his bosom buddy was murdered by persons unknown. While working as the "Returner" his heart is sworn to revenge and the quest for the murderers of his friend is never far from his mind. Yokohama, Bayside. On one of his trips to the underworld, he comes across a man who controls the entire black market. This is Mizoguchi, (Goro Kishitani), unforgettable to Miyamoto, as the man who killed his best friend. Boiling with fury, he lets loose his anger and takes on Mizoguchi. In the furious combat that follows, Mizoguchi manages to give Miyamoto the slip. As the smoke clears, it is apparent that Miyamoto has mistakenly shot an innocent young girl, mixed up in the crossfire. Fortunately, her life is not in danger and "Milly" as she is know, turns out to be a potential client looking to engage Miyamoto for a very special job indeed. "We've only got two days left. Something is going to happen to ruin the world as we know it. I've got to stop it. That's why I've journeyed here from the distant future." Surprised by her sudden outburst, Miyamoto doesn't know what to make of Milly. That is, until she demonstrates an inexplicable power brought with her from the future, right in front of his eyes. He chooses to listen to her and little by little comes to understand her story. Also, he begins to recognize something in her wild eyes that reminds him of himself and the pain of his own past. He takes it upon himself to protect this girl. In turn, Milly senses the decency behind Miyamoto's exterior and they start to bond. Now, with only days in which to turn certain despair into a future of hope, they set out on their quest. However, Mizoguchi, their arch-rival is moving one step ahead of them and lies in wait. Just what is it he plans? Miyamoto is sworn to revenge. Milly is committed to the future. These various threads come together in an unforeseeable way as events unfold with blinding speed and their three intertwined fates reveal the true meaning of "Returner." -- © Sony Pictures [More]
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Anne Suzuki, Goro Kishitani, Kirin Kiki
Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Anne Suzuki, Goro Kishitani, Kirin Kiki, Akhiko Matsumoto
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Screenwriter: Takashi Yamazaki, Kenya Hirata
Producer: Akfumi Takuma, Toru Horibe, Chikahiro Ando
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films
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Reviews for Returner
Worth catching for fans of the genre, just to whet the imagination of what this talented director could do with a coherent screenplay.
Ransacking films like Independence Day for ideas is one thing. Restaging E.T. The Extraterrestrial, right down to the cuddly alien, is another matter entirely.
Yamazaki has made himself into a cover band, content to play Van Halen classics for middle-aged boys looking for a trip down memory lane.
Director and co-writer Takashi Yamazaki mines familiar territory and does nothing especially new with it.
This irresistibly over-the-top delight remains truly original in spite of its debt to an array of cinematic chestnuts.
With little room for new ideas, the film must rely on the strength of its actors, and they're excellent across the board.
Returner was a huge hit in Japan, but this would- be sci-fi epic is soporific, shamelessly derivative and barely coherent by American standards.
Plays like a John Woo movie superimposed on a Terminator /Independence Day /Men in Black hybrid and infused with an anime heart.
Takashi Yamazaki doesn't have style as much as momentum, which keeps the film rolling right through the whiplash changes in tone from giddy cuteness and shameless sentimentality to brutal jabs of indiscriminate murder and mayhem.
This Japanese sci-fi actioner copies so many Hollywood hits that it should win an award from the Xerox Corp.
The real reason to see this film is the scrappy rapport between Kaneshiro and Suzuki. They are so good together, you won't know whether to cheer or cry.
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