Returner

Japan 2002, 112 minutes
Dir. Takashi Yamazaki
In Japanese with English subtitles
Rating: [M]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Science Fiction, Action/Adventure / Futurism, Invaders, Gangsters

Feat. Takeshi Kaneshiro

Aroview: Kitted out with a charismatic cast, CGI-action that delivers, and tongue-lightly-in-cheek, this slick, big-budget sci-fi popcorn from Japan blends the tropes of Anime with Hollywood 'inspiration' (The Terminator, The Matrix, etc.), but is well crafted and entertaining enough to well exceed being a dime-a-dozen imitation.

The wildly eclectic storyline teams up the archetypal lone, cool hero with a quirky, intelligent femme who has 'returned' from the year 2084 to prevent an apocalyptic war with marauding aliens. Together they encounter a vicious Triad-Yakuza alliance who have evil designs on the bubble-headed visitors.

Member Reviews

Average rating (Good Enough). Showing 1-1 of 1 member reviews.

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3 stars (Good Enough) Making as much use as possible of CGI bullet-time sequences, and showing off a slick leather-clad good guy, the Returner is a fairly generic, but entertaining enough, sci fi actioner. ~Tom H