Black Rain

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs Ridley Scott scored again with Black Rain,a stylish and engaging thriller.The movie has an absorbing visual feel to it,as well as an involving story to move things move along nicely.On the performances front,Michael Douglas makes for an even more convincing action man than I would have given him credit for and Andy Garcia brings his usual searing intensity in his screen presence to the role of the sidekick,but the real star of the show is Yusaku Matsuda,who sadly died shortly after the film was released,as the villain,bringing a creepy and sadistic undertone to his role.***

I was searching a review from a Japanese reviewer and found one, very tough with the film. It made me react here. First, I consider myself as neutral as nor American nor Japanese even if I know those two fascinating countries inhabitants a little. And I did not feel the same the Japanese reviewer did. In my sense the film does not mock Japan. It does not show Japan as 'inferior' but as different. And this is all the interest of this film whose purpose in my opinion is to show the opposite mentalities and culture. Both sides are presented. The bad and the good ones. The Bad : Japoneses are showed as ridiculous with red tape and bureaucracy matters, with shy behaviors, weird violence (for occidental people). But Americans too. Those are presented as brutal stupid beasts, for example when Charlie Vincent run after a motorbike without understanding the trap is going into or when Nick Conklin does not manage to restrain himself from knocking everywhere. Or when Nick signs a stupid sheet of paper without distrust. The two Americans are also presented as arrogant as they don't even think that foreigners could speak English .. because they don't imagine it is even possible. Even the American/Japanese prostitute rejects their arrogance. Also American police is presented as corrupted and messy ... So no one wins here I guess. The good : Japaneses are also presented as good. Cops are straight but cooperative and honor respectful, mainly instructed, efficient. Even if they lack of adaptiveness and are bad inspired to reject the American cops help. The mafia is well presented too. Franckly, they really are scary guys but gain respect with their honor code. Sato is impressive. Here I agree with the Japanese reviewer : The Americans are glorified (music helps :). Nick manages on his own (yet with the help of Mas) to solve a difficult case in a country he obviously even doesn't know. This is clearly the weakness of the film. Yet what I really appreciated was the oppositions between Mas and Nick. Wiseness and honor of Mas, for example when he feels insulted by Nicks thief behavior or when he learns from Nick. Humanity and pugnacity of Nick. I also liked mafia's leader speech with Nick. Here we definitively can't say the film only runs for America, obviously. One regret. We definitively see too little of Japan. Even if the film does much in presenting a country that we mainly bad know in occident, it could have done more. That said, I think this was not the purpose of the director who just wanted to focus on mindsets. Another regret : the ridiculous sounds of the motorbikes especially in the beginning of the film and in the last scene. The actors are all perfect. The soundtrack is really cool. Contrarily to the Japanese reviewer, I appreciated the way the director represents Japan, with subtlety, as Japan is all about. And USA with strength, as USA are all about too, sometimes too much :). If the oppositions between the two countries are exaggerated, it is in the purpose of showing them better and make understand, I guess. This is a 'must-be-watched' film for me. One of the best of Ridley Scott.

After a stunning start in films, Ridley Scott staggered a bit before returning to form with Thelma and Louise. This is part of the staggering. Black Rain starts like a made for TV movie, then improves slightly by becoming another bland, boring cop movie. Water on the streets to give the shots "depth", and just about every other modern mainstream movie cliche. Plot trot while eating or drinking or just standing around trying to look interesting. OK - some of the shots have echoes of Blade Runner, but without the atmosphere and intelligence of that film those echoes just make this mess all the more painful to watch. One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go home.

Ridley Scott has made at least two memorable films "The Duellists" and "Hannibal" that displayed immense potential of a director who could make intelligent cinema. Even "Aliens" was interesting to some extent. But "Black Rain" was a movie in which Scott showed his lack of knowledge of the Japanese culture--quite in contrast to the extensive research he put into "Hannibal" and "The Duellists." Scott in "Black Rain" seems to be comfortable insulting the imagination of the viewers--top US cops signing an important government form all in Japanese, an US cop weighing 80-100 kgs getting inside a airplane food cart that had to be pushed at some point to make good his escape, two US cops who can't read Japanese walking down an empty Tokyo street at night when they hardly know the city, etc. If any director wanted to make this movie, he/she should have a feeling for Japanese sensibilities--which was absent. The good moral Japanese policeman is made to look like he is outsmarted by an amoral US cop. Tch tch! Friendship overshadows morals? What is evident is that Scott made an US movie in Japan, recreating a Japan seen through Hollywoodian stereotypic Japanese situations that is ridiculous to an Oriental standpoint. Even Hans Zimmer's music is unusually lackluster. In fact there is no department where the movie inspires--unless you love motorcycles.

It's been said this is the movie Ridley thought he was going to make when he was given Blade Runner. Whether there's truth in that hardly matters: the movies share a lot, especially in terms of the stark thick imagery. Word has it the DVD rendition is terrible, which is a shame as this movie offers so much visually. But Black Rain is more than an aesthetic visual experience: it's a morality play, and what the morale is supposed to be might be difficult to articulate, but it's there. The supporting cast is excellent, as is Douglas, but especially impressive are the Japanese stars Ken Takakura and the legendary Yusaku Matsuda. Takakura, a star in his home country, is eminently sympathetic, and Matsuda's way of playing his role - with a touch of smart aleck snooty adolescence - is nothing short of brilliant. This was Douglas's project; perhaps he had something in mind. It's interesting with respect to the title, what that title means, and the fact that a documentary on the subject (and with the same name in Japanese) came out the same year. Matsuda succumbed to bladder cancer a month after the premiere. He'd known about it for a year but didn't think it fatal. He'd been on his way to making a new film with Sean Connery. Matsuda is a legend in his home country, and was so before his illness. The movie is largely about the Douglas and Takakura characters, but as always when Hans Zimmer has a hand in production, the music really takes off. Zimmer is perhaps the most effective film composer today if not of all time. He's done wonders with movies that might otherwise have not come to people's attention. And this is another great score. The title song with lyrics by Will Jennings is a knock-out. And let's not forget Lady Kate Capshaw. This one is bloody and violent, and that might not be your cup of tea and it certainly isn't mine, but just like with Leon there is a kind of quiet subtle poetry that emerges, gore or not. Three days after seeing it again and the music and scenes are still playing in my mind. It's that strong. And it's a definite keeper.

In this sloppy attempt at a cultural crossover you have an insufferable a-hole cop named Nick (Michael Douglas) who escorts a prisoner to Japan. He released the prisoner, Sato (Yusaku Matsuda), to a police imposter and now he's committed to catching him. In the meantime he goes through Japan like a bull in a China shop being a brash, arrogant, insulting, unbearable dick. I wouldn't care if he was the greatest cop on planet Earth, he didn't have sense enough to tone it down while in another country? He was behaving like he was still in New York where rude intolerable pricks are cherished. I was tempted to shut it off several times before I finally did. I wanted to turn it off when his suddenly stupid partner, Charlie (Andy Garcia), walked right into an obvious trap that got him killed. I was tempted to turn it off when Mas (Ken Takakura) gave Nick a gun though he wasn't supposed to have one in Japan. I finally turned it off when the convenient American girl that spoke Japanese was Johnny on the spot to help Nick find another gangster he was looking for. So, as far as I know, Nick could've had a change of heart and decided to be less of an American ass. Maybe Nick realized the error of his ways and left policing in Japan to the Japanese. I doubt it and I didn't care to find out.

Black Rain is directed by Ridley Scott and written by Craig Bolotin and Warren Lewis. It stars Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Ken Takakura, Kate Capshaw, Yusaku Matsuda and Tomisaburo Wakayama. Music is by Hans Zimmer and cinematography by Jan de Bont. After New York cops Nick Conklin (Douglas) and Charlie Vincent (Garcia) arrest a sword wielding psychopath named Sato Koji (Matsuda), they are tasked with escorting him back to Osaka in Japan. From here they are plunged into a war that is brewing in the Japanese underworld. You see there's a war going on here and they don't take no prisoners. Welcome to Blade Runner's younger brother, Black Rain, a Ridley Scott film I feel has never received the credit it deserves. Viewing from the outside it looked like one of those 1980s cop movies, one where the main cop is washed up and perched on the edge of oblivion, his partner his sanity and voice of reason. However, Scott (brought in late to direct when Paul Verhoeven bailed) wasn't interested in the normalities of the cop drama, he saw the potential for cross continent culture clash and the chance to bring his visual skills to the fore. Yep, it's the big neon glitter of Osaka and the grime and dime of New York that is the big draw here, but characterisations are still rich for the drama, with Scott taking plenty of time to set up the lead protagonist. We know Conklin's troubles, we know how tight his friendship is with Charlie, and by the time things go grim and dour in Osaka we understand just why Conklin plunges head first into a do or die situation. Visually Scott infuses the picture with cramped locales, steamy streets, industrial wastelands and blood red suns, while his lead character is an unshaven trench coat wearer who still manages to look devilishly cool. It's perhaps the drawing of Osaka that is the most impressive, for it's an alien creation to us as much as it obviously is to Conklin, the ignorance gap between America and Japan still wide apart in 1989. Complaints? At just over two hours in running time the film does have periods of flatness, where some better editing wouldn't have gone amiss; though Scott's original cut was considerably longer, begging the question on if more could have been done to enhance the seething culture clash between cops Conklin and Matsumoto (Takakura)? Another problem is that Capshaw's character is under written, a crime when it's the sole female part of note in a two hour movie. Did more of the character hit the cutting room floor? Likely, because now it's a token eye candy offering, which is a shame since what little we do get hints at a savvy performance from Capshaw. Ridley Scott lifts Black Rain from merely being a fish out of water thriller to something more layered. True to say there is more style than substance (what style though), but there is still very much interesting juxtapositioning of countries and human interactions of credible worth as well. 8/10

This film, made in the era of "Japan, Inc" has not aged well (neither has the idea that the Japanese "model" is the superior way of organizing an economy or society). I do not know any NYC Cops but I simply cannot believe that the scriptwriter could have intended for Michael Douglas' character to be so insultingly brash. He's not a complex character at all but a spiteful cynic tough guy who fires off insults right and left to anyone near enough to hear them. No cultural ambassadorship for Douglas' "Nick" by any stretch of the imagination. But this characteristic could have been displayed with a great deal more subtlety. The ending is typical hollywood rubbish, which allows Douglas to "get the bad guy", show that he's been somehow "cleansed" by the experiences in the film and wind up with the girl in the end. Just far too unbelievable. The cinematography is quite spectacular though (if a little bit reminiscent of Blade Runner in its styling, unsurprisingly), and the industrial city of Osaka (not Tokyo as another reviewer suggested) plays its grim role well.

I grew up watching many crime action flicks. Heat, The Untouchables, The Lethal Weapons, Die Hard, you name it. Black Rain is among them. There are so many levels about this film that I love: the story, the acting, the action sequences, the cinematography, the music-to name a few. The story is simple; Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) is a New York cop who is under investigation by Internal Affairs for corruption. When eating lunch, Nick and his partner (Andy Garcia) witness a bloody double homicide. They catch the perpetrator, but because he is Japanese and a wanted criminal in Japan, he must be taken back to his home country for trial. Reluctantly, Nick and his partner take him home but lose him in their custody. They then team up with the Japanese law enforcement to catch the criminal. The film really explores the different styles of cop work from New York and Japan. Nick is a hardass who breaks the rules to get the job done. In contrast, the Japanese law enforcement does everything by the book, which provides no help, particularly with the Japanese cop (named Masa) Nick and his partner are assigned to (played wonderfully by Ken Takakura). Not only do the two cops buttheads, but when the film's plot takes a dark turn, Nick and Masa learn to tolerant their differences and work together. As a result, both also learn some important lessons from each other. Critics have always said that Michael Douglas's best role is his 1988 Oscar winner for Gordon Gekko in Wall Street. I beg to differ. Douglas as Nick Conklin is his best performance. Why? Unlike Gordon, Nick goes on a journey that ultimately changes his character. There is a strong sense of ambivalence in his character as he teams up with the Japanese law enforcement to catch the Yakuza boss. As mentioned above, Nick is a jerk at first, but as the film progresses, he learns some important lessons in Japan and likewise with the Japanese cop. This is what I love about Douglas's performance. He should have received a nomination for this film. Andy Garcia is perfect as Nick's partner; he supplies the comic relief-fulfilling as the good cop. Ken Yakuza as Masa is another great addition to the film. I wish I had seen him in more movies. The actor who plays the villain (I can't remember his name) is perfect. He carries both the demeanor and facial expressions of a natural-born psycho. It is sad that he was dying of bladder cancer when he was filming this movie-he would have had quite a career. Another aspect worth noting is Jan De Bont's cinematography. He captures a very Blade Runner look: dim lighting; smoke filled rooms and streets, and skyscraper vistas. His work is truly breathtaking-capturing Tokyo at the rise of its peak in the late 1980s. Hans Zimmer's score is flawless. He incorporates oriental instruments to accommodate the Japanese atmosphere, as well as includes synthesis, brooding drums, and electric guitar to reflect the two Americans in Japan-a West meets East feeling, I love it! People do not talk much about this film, perhaps because it has fallen under as just another crime action flick. Yes, there is plenty of action, including a big shootout at the end, following a sweet motorcycle chase, and a brutal hand-to-hand fight between the good guy and bad guy. However, there are so many levels to this film that I feel most people overlook. It has action, but there is more than it. Black Rain has it all: drama, some light humor, brilliant performances, an interesting plot, and a tour-de-force in the filmmaking aspects, specifically in direction, cinematography, and music. My rating (obvious) **** out of ****

Douglas, as a tough american detective and his partner played superbly by Andy Garcia chase down a murder suspect on his home turf- Tokyo An excellent movie that explores the culture shock felt by Douglas on his chase and the bureaucracy that tries to stop him..this violent tension filled film is not for the young ones but provides loads of action from the director of Blade Runner.. on a scale of one to ten... a 7