109 reviews
The day was set to end, I had two videos in my hands I had just rented an hour before, one of them was "Lost in Translation" and the other one was "The Returner".
To make a long story short, my attitude turned pretty sour after viewing the more anticipated "Lost in Translation" and turned on "The Returner" thinking it would be pretty cheesy....turns out, I was completely wrong.
The Returner, even though it obviously borrows a lot of ideas from other films, is incredibly entertaining. The main characters Miyamoto and Milly were incredibly engaging, the bad guy (with his "Vash the Stampede" look and gun) was pretty cool, the storyline (filled with some comedy, drama, action, and a science fiction twist of course) was not that bad (some parts were a lot more enjoyable than others), the execution of the directing was what caught my attention, and the overall impression I got from it was completely passable and whole-fully entertaining.
Even the ending and the soundtrack was superb. It made me drop my jaw in awe during the credits, it really had that much of an impact with me throughout the entire thing. I long for the special double disk edition (if it exists that is, not entirely sure yet).
For those who love action/SCI-FI flicks, this is a definite must. And this is also recommended for those who love Japanese Cinematography in general.
To make a long story short, my attitude turned pretty sour after viewing the more anticipated "Lost in Translation" and turned on "The Returner" thinking it would be pretty cheesy....turns out, I was completely wrong.
The Returner, even though it obviously borrows a lot of ideas from other films, is incredibly entertaining. The main characters Miyamoto and Milly were incredibly engaging, the bad guy (with his "Vash the Stampede" look and gun) was pretty cool, the storyline (filled with some comedy, drama, action, and a science fiction twist of course) was not that bad (some parts were a lot more enjoyable than others), the execution of the directing was what caught my attention, and the overall impression I got from it was completely passable and whole-fully entertaining.
Even the ending and the soundtrack was superb. It made me drop my jaw in awe during the credits, it really had that much of an impact with me throughout the entire thing. I long for the special double disk edition (if it exists that is, not entirely sure yet).
For those who love action/SCI-FI flicks, this is a definite must. And this is also recommended for those who love Japanese Cinematography in general.
- TheWillVega
- Jan 13, 2005
- Permalink
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.
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.
In 2084, the mankind is near total annihilation by alien invaders. Milly (Anne Suzuki), a young woman from the Earth resistance, uses a time machine and returns to October, 2002, trying to avoid the beginning of alien invasion and the war. In her arrival in a ship, she is rescued and saved from the Yakuza evil boss Mizoguchi (Goro Kishitani) by a hit-man called Miyamoto (Takeshi Kaneshiro). Using unconventional methods, Milly forces Miyamoto to help her to save the human race.
"The Returner" is a good surprise: the story uses many elements of "The Matrix" (the shootings, the costume of Miyamoto), "Clockstoppers" (the apparatus that makes time stand quite still), "The Terminator" (the traveling back in time to save the human race) and even "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (an alien that wants to return home). However, although having some flaws in the story (as usual, when dealing with time travel), it is a great entertainment. The chemistry between the beautiful Anne Suzuki and Takeshi Kaneshiro is excellent, and Goro Kishitani is a great villain. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Retorno" ("The Return")
"The Returner" is a good surprise: the story uses many elements of "The Matrix" (the shootings, the costume of Miyamoto), "Clockstoppers" (the apparatus that makes time stand quite still), "The Terminator" (the traveling back in time to save the human race) and even "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (an alien that wants to return home). However, although having some flaws in the story (as usual, when dealing with time travel), it is a great entertainment. The chemistry between the beautiful Anne Suzuki and Takeshi Kaneshiro is excellent, and Goro Kishitani is a great villain. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Retorno" ("The Return")
- claudio_carvalho
- Jan 8, 2005
- Permalink
Rating: *** out of ****
On first impression, I enjoyed Returner very much, but I can easily see why many others didn't care for it. The movie's plot is a rip-off of countless American blockbusters (just on first viewing I see E.T., The Terminator, Back to the Future, ID4, Stargate, Dune, The Matrix, MI:2, and even a little bit of The X-Files) and there's nothing really all that special in the way the story is executed but in general most Asian action flicks don't have much plot so I at least count it a blessing that ripping off all the aforementioned films gives the film enough story to sustain interest.
Takeshi Kineshiro stars as Miyamoto, a mercenary who has an agenda against Yakuza boss Mizoguchi (Goro Kishitani). But before he can fulfill his vengeance, a time-traveling girl (Ann Suzuki) interrupts his task, giving Mizoguchi the opportunity to escape. Frustrated, Miyamoto takes the dazed girl back to his apartment. There, she informs him her name is Miri and that she's traveled back from the year 2084 to save the world from an incoming alien invasion.
Naturally, he doesn't believe her, but finds he has no choice but to help her when she tapes a bomb to his neck. Miri informs him that an alien spacecraft has crashed and the surviving crew member will signal the mothership, thus instigating the war between humans and these aliens called the Daggra. Joining Miri's mission to kill this surviving alien, Miyamoto gradually believes her when he witnesses some astonishing sights. But what should be an easy task proves difficult when the Yakuza get involved and want the alien technology for themselves.
Japan's first (or maybe they've done it before, I sure as hell don't know) attempt at crafting a summer blockbuster that can rival those of American cinema is an unqualified success as a work of great entertainment. It delivers what one would expect from a popcorn blockbuster: fast-paced thrills, big laughs, and visual spectacle, but there's a layer of genuine heart and emotion that propels this far above the crap one could expect from Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer.
Takeshi Kaneshiro is understandably one of Asia's biggest heartthrobs, the man looks great in tousled hair and long trench coats. But along with the cool exterior, he boasts solid acting talent to go with all that charisma. No doubt, he'll probably be Asian cinema's most popular star within the next five years. Ann Suzuki also impresses as the young teen who's had to grow up fast for her age. It's the natural and sweet rapport the two develop that raises the stakes; the addition of human interest makes the action and the story more compelling. As the hilariously laconic and irredeemably evil Mizoguchi, Goro Kishitani is fun to watch, his villainous performance evoking a mix of past work from Alan Rickman and Gary Oldman.
Returner boasts numerous terrific action sequences, rousing gun battles that employ fluid camera-work and stylish slow motion. The opening setpiece, with Kineshiro taking down scores of Yakuza, is a total blast and the coolest opening sequence since Equilibrium. Some of the action scenes employ bullet-time techniques, but that's thankfully limited to only a few moments. There's a potentially cool motorcycle chase that ends way too quickly, but otherwise, the action is first rate.
As for the f/x, I was really quite impressed. I don't know what budget this film had to work with, but the visuals are mostly excellent. Most of the f/x are at least on par with a Sci-Fi Channel miniseries (like Children of Dune), and occasionally are up there with even expensive Hollywood blockbusters (the effects sure as hell are better than, say, The Core). The CGI work on the alien mothership is gorgeous, a definite improvement on the model work from Independence Day.
Returner is not without its faults. There are a few moments that are simply too similar to its "inspirations." The riffs from Independence Day go all the way down to the inclusion of telepathy, alien body armor, and force fields. The battle sequence between the aliens and the last human outpost is gripping. The sets, the direction, and the f/x are all impeccably handled in this setpiece. It probably should have been the film's highlight, but the scene is marred by some poor acting from foreign actors who clearly shouldn't be trying to fake American accents.
But despite its blatant unoriginality, Returner is spirited and thrilling. The climax, set aboard an ocean-bound oil rig, is an exhilarating race against time amid several blazing gun battles. There's some sentimentality on hand, and I'll even admit I got a bit choked up near the end. Admittedly, the movie runs a bit long after all the action, but there's a nice post-climactic plot twist that should please most sci-fi fans.
(Major spoiler warning) I gather that the filmmakers were assuming that once Miri returned to the future, she'd still have the same memories of the former timeline (a la Back to the Future, Frequency), thus enabling her to save Miyamoto. But I'm not sure why she'd automatically return to the future after thwarting the war, or why she didn't arrive after Miyamoto realized she'd saved his life to spend some time with him (End spoiler).
And what's up with playing a Lenny Kravitz song over the end credits? It's a bit of a distraction for an otherwise rather touching final scene. But on the whole, Returner is enthusiastically recommend to sci-fi action fans.
On first impression, I enjoyed Returner very much, but I can easily see why many others didn't care for it. The movie's plot is a rip-off of countless American blockbusters (just on first viewing I see E.T., The Terminator, Back to the Future, ID4, Stargate, Dune, The Matrix, MI:2, and even a little bit of The X-Files) and there's nothing really all that special in the way the story is executed but in general most Asian action flicks don't have much plot so I at least count it a blessing that ripping off all the aforementioned films gives the film enough story to sustain interest.
Takeshi Kineshiro stars as Miyamoto, a mercenary who has an agenda against Yakuza boss Mizoguchi (Goro Kishitani). But before he can fulfill his vengeance, a time-traveling girl (Ann Suzuki) interrupts his task, giving Mizoguchi the opportunity to escape. Frustrated, Miyamoto takes the dazed girl back to his apartment. There, she informs him her name is Miri and that she's traveled back from the year 2084 to save the world from an incoming alien invasion.
Naturally, he doesn't believe her, but finds he has no choice but to help her when she tapes a bomb to his neck. Miri informs him that an alien spacecraft has crashed and the surviving crew member will signal the mothership, thus instigating the war between humans and these aliens called the Daggra. Joining Miri's mission to kill this surviving alien, Miyamoto gradually believes her when he witnesses some astonishing sights. But what should be an easy task proves difficult when the Yakuza get involved and want the alien technology for themselves.
Japan's first (or maybe they've done it before, I sure as hell don't know) attempt at crafting a summer blockbuster that can rival those of American cinema is an unqualified success as a work of great entertainment. It delivers what one would expect from a popcorn blockbuster: fast-paced thrills, big laughs, and visual spectacle, but there's a layer of genuine heart and emotion that propels this far above the crap one could expect from Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer.
Takeshi Kaneshiro is understandably one of Asia's biggest heartthrobs, the man looks great in tousled hair and long trench coats. But along with the cool exterior, he boasts solid acting talent to go with all that charisma. No doubt, he'll probably be Asian cinema's most popular star within the next five years. Ann Suzuki also impresses as the young teen who's had to grow up fast for her age. It's the natural and sweet rapport the two develop that raises the stakes; the addition of human interest makes the action and the story more compelling. As the hilariously laconic and irredeemably evil Mizoguchi, Goro Kishitani is fun to watch, his villainous performance evoking a mix of past work from Alan Rickman and Gary Oldman.
Returner boasts numerous terrific action sequences, rousing gun battles that employ fluid camera-work and stylish slow motion. The opening setpiece, with Kineshiro taking down scores of Yakuza, is a total blast and the coolest opening sequence since Equilibrium. Some of the action scenes employ bullet-time techniques, but that's thankfully limited to only a few moments. There's a potentially cool motorcycle chase that ends way too quickly, but otherwise, the action is first rate.
As for the f/x, I was really quite impressed. I don't know what budget this film had to work with, but the visuals are mostly excellent. Most of the f/x are at least on par with a Sci-Fi Channel miniseries (like Children of Dune), and occasionally are up there with even expensive Hollywood blockbusters (the effects sure as hell are better than, say, The Core). The CGI work on the alien mothership is gorgeous, a definite improvement on the model work from Independence Day.
Returner is not without its faults. There are a few moments that are simply too similar to its "inspirations." The riffs from Independence Day go all the way down to the inclusion of telepathy, alien body armor, and force fields. The battle sequence between the aliens and the last human outpost is gripping. The sets, the direction, and the f/x are all impeccably handled in this setpiece. It probably should have been the film's highlight, but the scene is marred by some poor acting from foreign actors who clearly shouldn't be trying to fake American accents.
But despite its blatant unoriginality, Returner is spirited and thrilling. The climax, set aboard an ocean-bound oil rig, is an exhilarating race against time amid several blazing gun battles. There's some sentimentality on hand, and I'll even admit I got a bit choked up near the end. Admittedly, the movie runs a bit long after all the action, but there's a nice post-climactic plot twist that should please most sci-fi fans.
(Major spoiler warning) I gather that the filmmakers were assuming that once Miri returned to the future, she'd still have the same memories of the former timeline (a la Back to the Future, Frequency), thus enabling her to save Miyamoto. But I'm not sure why she'd automatically return to the future after thwarting the war, or why she didn't arrive after Miyamoto realized she'd saved his life to spend some time with him (End spoiler).
And what's up with playing a Lenny Kravitz song over the end credits? It's a bit of a distraction for an otherwise rather touching final scene. But on the whole, Returner is enthusiastically recommend to sci-fi action fans.
Version: Columbia Tristar's DVD release. Japanese / English subtitles.
Time travel is cool. Explosions are cool, as are gun fights. Any movie that attempts to incorporate 'The Terminator', 'Independence Day', 'Leon', and nearly every John Woo movie made between 'A Better Tomorrow' and 'Face/Off' is cool. 'Returner' features all these elements, and therefore, is awesomely cool. Or at least a fun action movie.
In 2084, the Earth has been nearly overrun by aliens. The last survivors of the human race are fighting a losing battle in the mountains of Tibet. Naturally, these survivors have mad scientists with them who develop all these cool gadgets, as well a time-machine. Milly (Anne Suzuki) volunteers to go back to 2002 to stop the war from beginning. Upon arrival, she teams up with Miyamoto (Takeshi Kaneshiro). Miyamoto is a mercenary seeking vengeance against the Triad gangster, Mizoguchi (Goro Kishitani), who in turn, may actually have caused the war in the first place. Convenient.
A Japanese friend of mine originally recommended 'Returner' to me, and another friend of ours, knowing full well we are easily impressed by explosions. If, like me, you are easily impressed by explosions and have not yet seen 'Returner', you should stop reading and go watch it right now.
'Returner' is little more than a stylish action movie. Most of the plot seems to be taken from random elements of 'Terminator', ID4, and 'Leon', and styled in a similar way to ID4, 'Matrix', and a fair number of John Woo movies. I must admit that any comparison to the 'Matrix' is a tad unfair, as the 'Matrix' was also made up of elements from nearly every movie John Woo ever made. As a sci-fi / action movie, 'Returner' is entertaining, if a little cheesy. The action scenes are generally awesome and exciting.
'Returner' is a fun action movie. It should at least satisfy hardcore action fans, and should be entertaining enough for anyone looking for a fun movie - 7/10
Time travel is cool. Explosions are cool, as are gun fights. Any movie that attempts to incorporate 'The Terminator', 'Independence Day', 'Leon', and nearly every John Woo movie made between 'A Better Tomorrow' and 'Face/Off' is cool. 'Returner' features all these elements, and therefore, is awesomely cool. Or at least a fun action movie.
In 2084, the Earth has been nearly overrun by aliens. The last survivors of the human race are fighting a losing battle in the mountains of Tibet. Naturally, these survivors have mad scientists with them who develop all these cool gadgets, as well a time-machine. Milly (Anne Suzuki) volunteers to go back to 2002 to stop the war from beginning. Upon arrival, she teams up with Miyamoto (Takeshi Kaneshiro). Miyamoto is a mercenary seeking vengeance against the Triad gangster, Mizoguchi (Goro Kishitani), who in turn, may actually have caused the war in the first place. Convenient.
A Japanese friend of mine originally recommended 'Returner' to me, and another friend of ours, knowing full well we are easily impressed by explosions. If, like me, you are easily impressed by explosions and have not yet seen 'Returner', you should stop reading and go watch it right now.
'Returner' is little more than a stylish action movie. Most of the plot seems to be taken from random elements of 'Terminator', ID4, and 'Leon', and styled in a similar way to ID4, 'Matrix', and a fair number of John Woo movies. I must admit that any comparison to the 'Matrix' is a tad unfair, as the 'Matrix' was also made up of elements from nearly every movie John Woo ever made. As a sci-fi / action movie, 'Returner' is entertaining, if a little cheesy. The action scenes are generally awesome and exciting.
'Returner' is a fun action movie. It should at least satisfy hardcore action fans, and should be entertaining enough for anyone looking for a fun movie - 7/10
- AwesomeWolf
- Apr 27, 2005
- Permalink
This Japanese Sci-Fi thriller is actually quite good, and it starts out in a fairly good pace and keeps rolling forward at that pace. The movie is driven by an equal amount of story, action and character development. There are some similarities to the "Terminator" movie though.
"Returner" (aka "Ritânâ") is about Milly (played by Anne Suzuki) who is living in a war-torn future, the year is 2084 and aliens are waging war on mankind, and mankind is losing. In a desperate attempt, Milly flings herself through a vortex, traveling back in to to the days prior to the incident that sparked the war. Here she gets help from a reclusive gunman named Miyamoto (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro).
Story-wise then "Returner" is entertaining and fast paced. The dialogue is good and the characters are alive and colorful.
The effects were good and passes as believable, although I was puzzled at how the driver and gunman disappeared from inside an exploding car as it came crashing down on the road.
Fun and action-filled entertainment, "Returner" is well worth watching, regardless if you like Japanese movies or not.
"Returner" (aka "Ritânâ") is about Milly (played by Anne Suzuki) who is living in a war-torn future, the year is 2084 and aliens are waging war on mankind, and mankind is losing. In a desperate attempt, Milly flings herself through a vortex, traveling back in to to the days prior to the incident that sparked the war. Here she gets help from a reclusive gunman named Miyamoto (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro).
Story-wise then "Returner" is entertaining and fast paced. The dialogue is good and the characters are alive and colorful.
The effects were good and passes as believable, although I was puzzled at how the driver and gunman disappeared from inside an exploding car as it came crashing down on the road.
Fun and action-filled entertainment, "Returner" is well worth watching, regardless if you like Japanese movies or not.
- paul_haakonsen
- Dec 18, 2015
- Permalink
This is a fun little mix of gangster and sci fi movie, nothing for the ages but quite entertaining. Characters are nicely drawn and well acted and the movie stays at a good clip throughout, and the ending is just lovely. It feels like a nifty little b movie.
It's interesting to see how varied comments on this site are for this one.
I'm surprised by how much some people hate this movie. Yes, it's derivative of a number of other movies, but it's done nicely. Read the negative reviews and you get a sense that some people were expecting a different kind of movie and just didn't like the movie they got instead. I think this movie is the movie it wants to be and succeeds on its own terms, but if you don't like those terms you won't like the movie. Anyway, I rated it 7/10 but was tempted to give it 8/10. It doesn't quite deserve 8/10 but it's just so darn likable.
It's interesting to see how varied comments on this site are for this one.
I'm surprised by how much some people hate this movie. Yes, it's derivative of a number of other movies, but it's done nicely. Read the negative reviews and you get a sense that some people were expecting a different kind of movie and just didn't like the movie they got instead. I think this movie is the movie it wants to be and succeeds on its own terms, but if you don't like those terms you won't like the movie. Anyway, I rated it 7/10 but was tempted to give it 8/10. It doesn't quite deserve 8/10 but it's just so darn likable.
Asian movies are constantly improving in visual style and special effects. Many of them nowadays reaching Hollywood-budget quality. Returner is one of those, however looks and style does not a good movie make.
In the future humanity is waging war against an Alien species called "Daggra" by the humans. One of them faked a crash-landing on earth, and then their armies attacked and destroyed almost everything. Now a few desperate survivors have built a time machine. With this they plan on sending a troop of soldiers back in time to kill the original alien before the war can even start.
What strikes me most about this movie is all it's influences. And don't get me wrong here, i don't mind movies taking influences from others. Mixing influences from other movies with original moves is usually a good idea. The problem here is that once you remove the influences there is not much left to originality... The main influences that are plainly visible is E.T., Independence Day and The Matrix for the action sequences. The problem with movies like this one is that the feeling is always in the back of your mind that you have seen all of this before.
That being said i can state though that i enjoyed this movie somewhat despite it's flaws. Because it uses the different influences to create a story that is not unique, but at least entertaining. The special effects are nicely done, as are the action scenes. Also i found the characters quite entertaining, especially the evil mastermind Mizoguchi who is wonderfully sinister.
All in all this is not too shabby. With a few more ideas of their own and a tighter script this could have been really good. Now it's more an entertaining patchwork of things we've seen before. Not a waste of time, but not a must-see either. I rate it 6/10.
In the future humanity is waging war against an Alien species called "Daggra" by the humans. One of them faked a crash-landing on earth, and then their armies attacked and destroyed almost everything. Now a few desperate survivors have built a time machine. With this they plan on sending a troop of soldiers back in time to kill the original alien before the war can even start.
What strikes me most about this movie is all it's influences. And don't get me wrong here, i don't mind movies taking influences from others. Mixing influences from other movies with original moves is usually a good idea. The problem here is that once you remove the influences there is not much left to originality... The main influences that are plainly visible is E.T., Independence Day and The Matrix for the action sequences. The problem with movies like this one is that the feeling is always in the back of your mind that you have seen all of this before.
That being said i can state though that i enjoyed this movie somewhat despite it's flaws. Because it uses the different influences to create a story that is not unique, but at least entertaining. The special effects are nicely done, as are the action scenes. Also i found the characters quite entertaining, especially the evil mastermind Mizoguchi who is wonderfully sinister.
All in all this is not too shabby. With a few more ideas of their own and a tighter script this could have been really good. Now it's more an entertaining patchwork of things we've seen before. Not a waste of time, but not a must-see either. I rate it 6/10.
- Antagonisten
- Mar 15, 2005
- Permalink
I was told by everyone that this movie was awful. Even the critics said it was bad. Then I wanted to check it out by myself! MAN, has everyone lost their mind? This is probably one of the best sci-fi flick I've ever seen! Never saw something that refreshing since Fifth Element.
Of course a lot of people are going to say it is a Matrix rip-off, that the script looks like Terminator or Independence Day, blah blah... Then I'm sure these people didn't watch the same movie I did! Cuz it has nothing to do with these films, AT ALL! It may be futuristic, but it has its own universe, its own way to introduce it to you. Plus, you stay close to the characters, to the very end. Even though the plot is big and takes place on a higher level, you always stay close to the characters life, emotions, motivations and goals. That's what I liked about this movie. It may be sci-fi, but the characters are not so far from any drama movies.
I heard someone saying that the Japanese love to copy American movies. BLASPHEMY! If you look carefully, it's the total opposite. Weren't the Americans the ones who did a remake of Godzilla? Weren't the Americans the ones who did free adaptations of Ringu and Ju-On? Aren't the Americans planning to do a live-action movie of The Transformers? Besides, Matrix IS a Japanese animation *rip-off*. It deliberately got his inspiration from anime such as Ghost in the Shell or X. And if you want good example of innovative Japanese movies, I recommend to you Akira Kurosawa's, even though it has nothing to do with sci-fi.
Anyways, Returner is a must see to all sci-fi fans and to all Japanese movies and animation lovers. I can guarantee you a good time if you watch it *open-minded* and if you put aside the *rip-off* crap we've been so fed about.
9 out of 10
Of course a lot of people are going to say it is a Matrix rip-off, that the script looks like Terminator or Independence Day, blah blah... Then I'm sure these people didn't watch the same movie I did! Cuz it has nothing to do with these films, AT ALL! It may be futuristic, but it has its own universe, its own way to introduce it to you. Plus, you stay close to the characters, to the very end. Even though the plot is big and takes place on a higher level, you always stay close to the characters life, emotions, motivations and goals. That's what I liked about this movie. It may be sci-fi, but the characters are not so far from any drama movies.
I heard someone saying that the Japanese love to copy American movies. BLASPHEMY! If you look carefully, it's the total opposite. Weren't the Americans the ones who did a remake of Godzilla? Weren't the Americans the ones who did free adaptations of Ringu and Ju-On? Aren't the Americans planning to do a live-action movie of The Transformers? Besides, Matrix IS a Japanese animation *rip-off*. It deliberately got his inspiration from anime such as Ghost in the Shell or X. And if you want good example of innovative Japanese movies, I recommend to you Akira Kurosawa's, even though it has nothing to do with sci-fi.
Anyways, Returner is a must see to all sci-fi fans and to all Japanese movies and animation lovers. I can guarantee you a good time if you watch it *open-minded* and if you put aside the *rip-off* crap we've been so fed about.
9 out of 10
"Returner" tells of an assassin who encounters a teen female during a firefight and learns she has traveled back through time to prevent a sci-fi war between good and evil and save humanity from oblivion. A kind of second rate knock-off of everything from John Woo stylistics to Mad Max contraptions, this Japanese B-flick misses the opportunity to capitalize on the girl/guy team humanistics as it ventures into CGI man vs machine silliness. Dubbed in English and with subtitles, "Returner" makes for a campy action romp which will play best with tech-heads and gamer-types into anything action. (C)
This has admittedly taken a lot of inspiration from Matrix, Terminator, Independence Day, ET, Predator, and probably a few others that I didn't notice. However, it seems more like a tribute to the movies, than a lazy ripoff, as it treats the source material with the respect it requires. The plot is very good, it borrows heavily from Terminator, but it gives it a bit of a twist that is pretty interesting. The science fiction portion of the movie is pretty good; the effects are nothing short of stunning and mind-blowing. The CGI totally mixes in perfectly with the live action, without at any point in the movie looking out of place. The action sequences are fantastic; sure, the action is often heavily inspired by films like The Matrix, but they pull it off pretty good. Some sequences leave you yearning for more. The acting is pretty good. I saw it with English audio, so I can't really say anything about the original actors voices, but the English/American voice actors did their job well. The only negative thing I can say about the film, is that the plot drags a bit in some places. At certain times, the movie seemed to not move on at all. However, this is only a few instances in the first part of the movie, and no one should be discouraged from watching it simply because of that. It's a damn good action/sci-fi movie, as long as you can accept that the concept is not particularly original. I recommend this to anyone who liked The Matrix, or similar films. 8/10
- TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews
- Apr 1, 2004
- Permalink
Lightweight but entertaining Japanese sci-fi flick that rips off about a dozen similar Hollywood movies made in the last couple of decades. I've watched a lot of rip-offs over the years and the ones I enjoy more are those that rip off multiple movies to create their own wild blends rather than those that slavishly copy the plot and style of one specific movie (such as the execrable REIGN IN DARKNESS, which copied THE MATRIX so heavily it was a total bore). RETURNER is a film that goes for quantity over quality, delivering a quite frankly bonkers plot that riffs on such movies as THE MATRIX (in the look, style and action), THE TERMINATOR (with the main character having travelled from the future to save the present) and STAR WARS (dodgy looking aliens are the enemy in this instance). Throw in some distinctly Japanese elements – nasty gangsters, cute bonding over rice – and you have a film that's difficult to describe.
Of course, it's a triumph of style over substance, but that doesn't make it a bad movie. In fact, it's pretty entertaining, loaded with tons of action scenes and featuring a central twosome who are difficult to dislike. Takeshi Kaneshiro trades on his boyish charm as is the norm and Anne Suzuki proves an unexpectedly heartwarming saviour. There are a ton of CGI effects, some dodgy, some decent, but for the most part Returner gets by on just the kind of wild enthusiasm and imaginative effort you expect from Japanese cinema.
Of course, it's a triumph of style over substance, but that doesn't make it a bad movie. In fact, it's pretty entertaining, loaded with tons of action scenes and featuring a central twosome who are difficult to dislike. Takeshi Kaneshiro trades on his boyish charm as is the norm and Anne Suzuki proves an unexpectedly heartwarming saviour. There are a ton of CGI effects, some dodgy, some decent, but for the most part Returner gets by on just the kind of wild enthusiasm and imaginative effort you expect from Japanese cinema.
- Leofwine_draca
- Aug 27, 2011
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Crummy Japanese action flick starts off as a rip off of The Matrix (action scenes) and The Terminator (basic plot), then eventually gets sappy and turns into ET. I really, really hated this one. The effects sucked, there wasn't a single original idea to be found and the movie never seemed like it was going to end. Minor virtues: the lead actress was cute and looked like a live action anime character and the surprise ending would have been moving and clever in the service of a better movie, but all in all unless you're twelve years old I would probably avoid this one.
If you watch enough Japanese sci-fi films (live-action or animated), you'll see that their makers *love* to get their ideas from American films. This one is no exception; among other films, you'll see elements of THE TERMINATOR, INDEPENDENCE DAY, and E.T. There's even evidence that the filmmakers saw the Jack Scalia/Dennis Christopher direct-to-video flick THE SILENCERS! As derivative as the movie may be, it's still pretty entertaining. Sure, the story has a few murky plot points, but none that terribly confuse you about what is going on. And while it's directed in that stiff and somewhat sterile style often found in Japanese films, that feeling is much less intense than usual. The movie rolls along at an acceptable clip, there are some neat action scenes, and the special effects are often pretty good for what must have been a limited budget. Not a movie to actively seek out, but it's a good one to pick up when your neighborhood Asian DVD rental place is offering 3 rentals for $10. Ten lashes with a whip for the Universe Laser & Video Co., however, for one of the crummiest DVD transfers to date!
I am going to quote a previous reviewer, mats_carcass, who put the problem with this film most succinctly:
"Ingredients: 2 Parts E.T. 1 Part The Terminator 1 Part Indepedance Day Rind of The Matrix pretty much every action movie cliché"
Yet while I respect the perceptions of the reviewer I quote, I must disagree as to the entertainment value of the film; I liked the characters enough that I found their story entertaining, and the pacing was good, with a enough plot twists to allow me to ignore the derivative nature of the whole project. Laso, it is well made, and the importance of that to a derivative film can't be overestimated. If it moves as well as the films it imitates, then I don't mind wasting a little time with it.
I also warn the viewer not to turn the movie off at the point the main plot seems resolved. The last ten minutes are actually the best thing about the story, because they leave us with questions that the main story line only implies.
"Ingredients: 2 Parts E.T. 1 Part The Terminator 1 Part Indepedance Day Rind of The Matrix pretty much every action movie cliché"
- all true; and add as well an actress with a face that would look great in a manga cartoon and a popular young Chinese actor doing what popular young Chinese actors do in action films these days.
Yet while I respect the perceptions of the reviewer I quote, I must disagree as to the entertainment value of the film; I liked the characters enough that I found their story entertaining, and the pacing was good, with a enough plot twists to allow me to ignore the derivative nature of the whole project. Laso, it is well made, and the importance of that to a derivative film can't be overestimated. If it moves as well as the films it imitates, then I don't mind wasting a little time with it.
I also warn the viewer not to turn the movie off at the point the main plot seems resolved. The last ten minutes are actually the best thing about the story, because they leave us with questions that the main story line only implies.
- disdressed12
- Jan 8, 2007
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'Returner' is not a bad film. The science fiction and action movies fans will find it entertaining. There is nothing too original either in this film, if we are to except the idea of taking ideas, effects, and full cinema quotes from many other American films, and combining them in a Japanese teryaki mix. However, with the American cinema having taken that many Japanese film ideas, characters, and stories and mixing them on the Hollywood McDonalds plates, who can put a blame on this? Internationalization of the cinema works many ways, and the cinema highway is not one-way either. What we are left with is a film that works well for much of its length, so sit back, relax, enjoy. The two main actors are pretty good, and I expect seeing them in other similar Japanese films in the future. 7 out of 10 on my personal scale.
This is a fun action venture with a definite sense of humour. This film is Japanese and they way the handle the action comedy balance is quite excellent. This film has elements in it of other films but it does not distract in this context. The male lead is appealing as is the female lead who has amusing cartoon like features when it comes to her facial expressions. The film does a good job in creating a distant future that seems realistic to us as these humans struggle for survival in their future world being devastated by an alien race (element of Terminator here, but Terminator didn´t have cool Japanese actors). I do endorse this film and look forward to more Japanese releases in a similar vein.
An excellent movie, with a lot of Japanese clichés, like transforming robots, ningas, and strange new technology. I swear, this must have been the best bullet time I've ever seen. It's even better than The Matrix. No only do you see the bullets, but also the streamers of air coming off of them, and they can be moved if something passes through them. Also, it accurately shows bullets going though flesh, and many other cool things in bullet time. The ending was strong, and tied up many plot holes and paradoxes. The ending was very surprising, yet touching. Overall, excellent film, with unique storyline, cute aliens, realistic special effects, and believable action.
Milly (Anne Suzuki), a girl from a war-torn future where the human race is threatened by aliens, is sent back 80 years in order to rid the world of the menace that plague the future. Now in 2002 she teams up with Miyamoto (Takeshi Kaneshiro), vigilante to help in her mission.
This kinetic cross between Independence Day, The Terminator and The Matrix plays like a live-action anime film. Transforming airplanes, time-slowing devices and stylised Kung Fu all come in to play in this great thriller.
Boasting fine comedic touches, tension and genuine emotion whilst not relying on romance the film manages to be a great fun film that could have been rather a rather unoriginal.
There is great chemistry between the two leads, he the super-cool Neo-like hero, she the appearing like a homeless person for much of the film. The villain of the film (an almost punk looking gangster) is actually scary and provides a very good motivation for Miyamoto to follow Milly.
This is a fun film that borrows from many different films but stands on its own as an entertaining ride.
This kinetic cross between Independence Day, The Terminator and The Matrix plays like a live-action anime film. Transforming airplanes, time-slowing devices and stylised Kung Fu all come in to play in this great thriller.
Boasting fine comedic touches, tension and genuine emotion whilst not relying on romance the film manages to be a great fun film that could have been rather a rather unoriginal.
There is great chemistry between the two leads, he the super-cool Neo-like hero, she the appearing like a homeless person for much of the film. The villain of the film (an almost punk looking gangster) is actually scary and provides a very good motivation for Miyamoto to follow Milly.
This is a fun film that borrows from many different films but stands on its own as an entertaining ride.
- DaveCurtis
- Jun 6, 2005
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I can forgive this film for it's derivate nature. I have no real concerns with it pinching elements from a myriad of films. (If you see it you'll know which films) What annoys me is even with the blatant plagiarising going on it could have been so much better than it turned out to be. Three main factors murder the film in cold blood. One is the sorry excuse for a script. Just because the premise was unoriginal didn't mean they had to throw in every cliche in the book. It's awful, awful writing. Plain embarrassing. I squirmed on many occasions. Secondly the soundtrack. What a mess. Bouncing from heavy rock to dance fused rock to serene piano and strings all within a few scenes. It's one of the worst soundtracks ever and seriously disrupts the film. Lasty are the character inconsistencies. Our hero flits from being an unstoppable, brutal, emotionless killing machine with no fear to a scared kid getting freaked out by a fire alarm. It just doesn't sit right at all. His character arc is all over the place. All these factors, not the story itself, contribute to dragging Returner down to straight to video hell. A shame as the production values ain't too bad. One last thing. The director handles the action well but seemingly has no idea what type of film he wants to make. The tone of the film zig zags from one extreme to the other leaving you completely bewildered. If you can ignore the poor writing and the messy structure then you may get some enjoyment from this little flick. The action scenes ain't too bad after all. Don't expect too much from the film itself though.
5/10
5/10
- VoodooVince
- Mar 24, 2004
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I know that I will definitely have to see this film again. Japanese movies are getting that sleek futuristic look and Returner is chock full of it. Although I have to admit, there seem to be a lot of "homages" ranging from Matrix, Men in Black to Fifth Element, X-Files and so on. Still, it's an action packed with cool style to boot.
The main hero and butt whooping babe work well together. From martial arts, lasers, guns, explosions, action scenes are so rapid that you're left blinking in awe. I definitely think towards the final 30 minutes, it does seem to go on a tangent and a friend and I were trying to piece together what we could and keep up. The CG is used well in enhancing the style of the film, especially the futuristic technology stuff.
If possible, catch this in the theater or on a good home system and you won't be disappointed.
The main hero and butt whooping babe work well together. From martial arts, lasers, guns, explosions, action scenes are so rapid that you're left blinking in awe. I definitely think towards the final 30 minutes, it does seem to go on a tangent and a friend and I were trying to piece together what we could and keep up. The CG is used well in enhancing the style of the film, especially the futuristic technology stuff.
If possible, catch this in the theater or on a good home system and you won't be disappointed.
RETURNER has the makings of a good science fiction film. It has all the ingredients in all the right doses. The cool, loner hero; the hot chick from the future; and a big enough budget that it's never lacking for visual treats. And yet, the whole thing is built from a poor script that lacks coherence, logic, and most of all, fails on every conceivable level.
It's bad enough that there are so many awful movies out there nowadays, but you really hate to see a film like RETURNER, which has so much going for it, failing so badly. Even if it had reached the level of dumb action movie, it might have been more successful than it currently is.
As it stands, the poorest element of RETURNER is its juvenile and logic-defying screenplay. With another script, this could very well be the best Japanese sci-fi of the millenium. As it stands, RETURNER is just an impressive failure. Impressive visually, but atrocious when it comes to story.
4 out of 10
(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this movie and reviews of other foreign films)
It's bad enough that there are so many awful movies out there nowadays, but you really hate to see a film like RETURNER, which has so much going for it, failing so badly. Even if it had reached the level of dumb action movie, it might have been more successful than it currently is.
As it stands, the poorest element of RETURNER is its juvenile and logic-defying screenplay. With another script, this could very well be the best Japanese sci-fi of the millenium. As it stands, RETURNER is just an impressive failure. Impressive visually, but atrocious when it comes to story.
4 out of 10
(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this movie and reviews of other foreign films)
- NIXFLIX-DOT-COM
- Aug 30, 2003
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