Returner
(2002)
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Returner
(2002)
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| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Takeshi Kaneshiro | ... | ||
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Anne Suzuki | ... | |
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Kirin Kiki | ... |
Xie
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Gorô Kishitani | ... |
Mizoguchi
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Yukiko Okamoto | ... |
Dr. Yagi
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Mitsuru Murata | ... |
Mizoguchi's Henchman
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Kisuke Iida | ... |
Karasawa, Mizoguchi's Henchman
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Kazuya Shimizu | ... |
Murakami, Mizoguchi's Henchman
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Chiharu Kawai | ... |
Liu's Interpreter
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Dean Harrington | ... |
Dr. Brown
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Xiaoqun Zhao | ... |
Slave Merchant
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Masaya Takahashi | ... |
Liu Laoban, Chinese Godfather
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Kenji Motomiya | ... |
Mizoguchi's Henchman
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Hoshi Ishida |
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Misako Nagashima |
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After an alien invasion threatens to annihilate the human race, a young Japanese girl, named Milly (Anne Suzuki), travels back in time from 2084 to October 2002, and enlists the reluctant aid of skilled Tokyo gunman, named Miyamoto (Takeshi Kaneshiro), to discover and prevent the start of the war. However, trouble ensues when the two protagonists are forced to deal with a Japanese mafia boss, named Mizoguchi (Goro Kishitani), who is somehow involved in the start of the war by keeping the first alien spaceship and its alien pilot captive, while our two heroes race against the clock to find a way to stop the oncoming destruction from the vengeance-seeking alien invasion fleet on its way to Earth. Written by Exile-Inc
Having read a few online reviews of this movie, and having seen some of the more recent movies out of Japan including Batoru rowaiaru (2000), my expectatations were low. (Battle Royale is for the most part a good movie, but enjoyment of the movie is ultimately crippled by a truly lousy ending.) For some reason, recent Japanese live-action movies tend to be really bad, while anime is often very good.
This movie was a pleasant surprise. It didn't rip off other movies nearly as much as I was led to believe. True, some of the special effects resembled those in The Matrix, but they helped advance this movie instead of being a way to try to make the movie seem more "cool."
The character of Mizoguchi, played by Goro Kishitani, resembled Gary Oldman's parts in a number of films including Fifth Element, The (1997) and Léon (1994). The acting by Takeshi Kaneshiro as Miyamoto was good, but the standout of the movie was the cute-as-a-button Ann Suzuki as the serious, fun, energetic, and rebellious Miri.
The CG of aliens disguised as terran aircraft transforming into their true forms was impressive, resembling the work done in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) and Independence Day (1996). This is a movie not to be missed by CG buffs.
With the recent shortage of good live-action movies coming out of Japan, The Returner is one of the best to come out within the last few years.