Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

American Yakuza

  • 1993
  • R
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
American Yakuza (1993)
Home Video Trailer from Columbia Pictures
Play trailer1:49
1 Video
22 Photos
ActionCrimeDrama

An American FBI agent is lured away by the Japanese Mafia--the Yakuza--in this action film.An American FBI agent is lured away by the Japanese Mafia--the Yakuza--in this action film.An American FBI agent is lured away by the Japanese Mafia--the Yakuza--in this action film.

  • Director
    • Frank A. Cappello
  • Writers
    • Takashige Ichise
    • Max Strom
    • John Allen Nelson
  • Stars
    • Viggo Mortensen
    • Ryo Ishibashi
    • Michael Nouri
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    2.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Frank A. Cappello
    • Writers
      • Takashige Ichise
      • Max Strom
      • John Allen Nelson
    • Stars
      • Viggo Mortensen
      • Ryo Ishibashi
      • Michael Nouri
    • 27User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    American Yakuza
    Trailer 1:49
    Watch American Yakuza

    Photos22

    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)
    American Yakuza (1993)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Viggo Mortensen
    Viggo Mortensen
    • Nick Davis…
    Ryo Ishibashi
    Ryo Ishibashi
    • Shuji Sawamoto
    Michael Nouri
    Michael Nouri
    • Dino Campanela
    Franklyn Ajaye
    Franklyn Ajaye
    • Sam
    Yuji Okumoto
    Yuji Okumoto
    • Kazuo
    Anzu Lawson
    Anzu Lawson
    • Yuko
    • (as a different name)
    Robert Forster
    Robert Forster
    • Littman
    John Fujioka
    John Fujioka
    • Isshin Tendo
    Nicky Katt
    Nicky Katt
    • Vic
    Jimmy Taenaka
    Jimmy Taenaka
    • Taka
    • (as James Katsuyuki Taenaka)
    Saiko Isshiki
    • Aya
    Fritz Mashimo
    • Okazaki
    Jeff Bankert
    • Medical Student
    Rosine 'Ace' Hatem
    • Agent #1
    John Hammil
    • Agent #2
    Michael Westfall
    • Long Haired Man
    Nathan Jung
    • Giant Yakuza
    Chris Hubbell
    • Personnel Manager
    • Director
      • Frank A. Cappello
    • Writers
      • Takashige Ichise
      • Max Strom
      • John Allen Nelson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Back to Back
    5.6
    Back to Back
    The Passion of Darkly Noon
    5.8
    The Passion of Darkly Noon
    The Indian Runner
    6.9
    The Indian Runner
    Good
    6.2
    Good
    A Walk on the Moon
    6.6
    A Walk on the Moon
    Everybody Has a Plan
    5.6
    Everybody Has a Plan
    Vanishing Point
    5.6
    Vanishing Point
    Albino Alligator
    6.1
    Albino Alligator
    Prison
    5.8
    Prison
    Deception
    4.9
    Deception
    The Portrait of a Lady
    6.2
    The Portrait of a Lady
    Desperate Hours
    5.4
    Desperate Hours

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Viggo Mortensen, on being asked why he took the role: "I was quite broke and needed a job."
    • Goofs
      (at around 1 min) When the Japanese bodyguard fires the last bullet out of the Thompson machine gun, the scene cuts to a shot of the spent bullet casings hitting the ground. As the shells hit the ground, you can clearly see the that ends of the cartridges, where the bullet exits the shell have been crimped, indicating that these are spent blanks. Real spent bullet casings are smooth.
    • Alternate versions
      The 18-rated German video version was cut for violence in many scenes. The TV-Version and the DVD-Release are also cut. All cuts have finally been waived on the 2021 DVD release by Imperial Pictures/Cargo Records.
    • Connections
      Followed by Back to Back (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Won't Be Long
      Written by Bro.KORN

      Published © 1990 by Burning Publishers Co., Ltd. & FUJIPACIFIC MUSIC INC.

    User reviews27

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Predictable but reasonably entertaining
    Half way through watching this film I had the sudden suspicion that I had seen this film before but, after checking, discovered that I hadn't - and I think that signifies its biggest failing. Essentially it's by-the-numbers film-making, making use of every genre cliché which means it has a certain predictability about it.

    Viggo Mortensen gives a decent performance, although for me his pretty boy looks means he's miscast in the role of an undercover cop who infiltrates the Yakuza, and the story is reasonably entertaining and fast-moving. The characterisation is fairly predictable though: wise older Japanese gangster, hot-headed younger gangster, cold-blooded Italian gangster, etc. The film sometimes looks as if it's heading in some interesting directions (the Italian mobster's verbally abused sidekick for example) but these turn into dead ends. The cinematography is first-class though. Successful on its own low-budget terms, the film will entertain those who watch without high expectations.
    helpful•6
    0
    • JoeytheBrit
    • Jun 14, 2009

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 22, 1993 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Američki jakuza
    • Filming locations
      • Echo Park Lake, Echo Park, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • First Look International
      • NEO Motion Pictures
      • Overseas FilmGroup
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Ultra Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    American Yakuza (1993)
    Top Gap
    By what name was American Yakuza (1993) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.