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Movies / On DVD / Returner
Returner

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Returner (2002)

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Reviews Counted: 31

Fresh: 11

Rotten:20

Average Rating: 4.3/10

Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: The "Returner," Miyamoto, acting on tip-offs from his clients, infiltrates deep into the recesses of the black market, steals big scores of nontraceable cash, then as quickly as he gets in, hands the money on to his clients. He is... The "Returner," Miyamoto, acting on tip-offs from his clients, infiltrates deep into the recesses of the black market, steals big scores of nontraceable cash, then as quickly as he gets in, hands the money on to his clients. He is unbeatable in combat but his past harbors a darkness; as a young orphan, his bosom buddy was murdered by persons unknown. While working as the "Returner" his heart is sworn to revenge and the quest for the murderers of his friend is never far from his mind. Yokohama, Bayside. On one of his trips to the underworld, he comes across a man who controls the entire black market. This is Mizoguchi, (Goro Kishitani), unforgettable to Miyamoto, as the man who killed his best friend. Boiling with fury, he lets loose his anger and takes on Mizoguchi. In the furious combat that follows, Mizoguchi manages to give Miyamoto the slip. As the smoke clears, it is apparent that Miyamoto has mistakenly shot an innocent young girl, mixed up in the crossfire. Fortunately, her life is not in danger and "Milly" as she is know, turns out to be a potential client looking to engage Miyamoto for a very special job indeed. "We've only got two days left. Something is going to happen to ruin the world as we know it. I've got to stop it. That's why I've journeyed here from the distant future." Surprised by her sudden outburst, Miyamoto doesn't know what to make of Milly. That is, until she demonstrates an inexplicable power brought with her from the future, right in front of his eyes. He chooses to listen to her and little by little comes to understand her story. Also, he begins to recognize something in her wild eyes that reminds him of himself and the pain of his own past. He takes it upon himself to protect this girl. In turn, Milly senses the decency behind Miyamoto's exterior and they start to bond. Now, with only days in which to turn certain despair into a future of hope, they set out on their quest. However, Mizoguchi, their arch-rival is moving one step ahead of them and lies in wait. Just what is it he plans? Miyamoto is sworn to revenge. Milly is committed to the future. These various threads come together in an unforeseeable way as events unfold with blinding speed and their three intertwined fates reveal the true meaning of "Returner." -- © Sony Pictures [More]

Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Anne Suzuki, Goro Kishitani, Kirin Kiki

Starring: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Anne Suzuki, Goro Kishitani, Kirin Kiki, Akhiko Matsumoto

Director: Takashi Yamazaki

Director: Takashi Yamazaki
Screenwriter: Takashi Yamazaki, Kenya Hirata
Producer: Akfumi Takuma, Toru Horibe, Chikahiro Ando
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Returner

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/19/03
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/27/08
Derek Elley
Variety
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No review available.

comment Comment
10/03/05
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
N/R

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Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page | comment Comment
07/11/04
James O'Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page
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Worth catching for fans of the genre, just to whet the imagination of what this talented director could do with a coherent screenplay.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
12/11/03
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
12/05/03
Marco Lanzagorta
PopMatters
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A watchable, if somewhat absurd, sci-fi stir fry.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
10/22/03
Don Willmott
Filmcritic.com
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A fourth-generation Terminator hand-me-down.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
10/22/03
David Chute
L.A. Weekly
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Ransacking films like Independence Day for ideas is one thing. Restaging E.T. The Extraterrestrial, right down to the cuddly alien, is another matter entirely.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
10/22/03
Daniel Eagan
Film Journal International
Ratings Image

Yamazaki has made himself into a cover band, content to play Van Halen classics for middle-aged boys looking for a trip down memory lane.

Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
10/20/03
Larry Carroll
FilmStew.com
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Director and co-writer Takashi Yamazaki mines familiar territory and does nothing especially new with it.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/17/03
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide's Movie Guide
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This irresistibly over-the-top delight remains truly original in spite of its debt to an array of cinematic chestnuts.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
10/17/03
Ted Fry
Seattle Times
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With little room for new ideas, the film must rely on the strength of its actors, and they're excellent across the board.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
10/17/03
Peter Hartlaub
San Francisco Chronicle
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An action party for bored fifth graders.

Full Review Source: San Diego Union-Tribune | comment Comment
10/17/03
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune
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Returner was a huge hit in Japan, but this would- be sci-fi epic is soporific, shamelessly derivative and barely coherent by American standards.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
10/17/03
Lou Lumenick
New York Post
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Plays like a John Woo movie superimposed on a Terminator /Independence Day /Men in Black hybrid and infused with an anime heart.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
10/17/03
Wade Major
Boxoffice Magazine
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Takashi Yamazaki doesn't have style as much as momentum, which keeps the film rolling right through the whiplash changes in tone from giddy cuteness and shameless sentimentality to brutal jabs of indiscriminate murder and mayhem.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
10/17/03
Sean Axmaker
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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No real reason to plug in here.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
10/17/03
E! Online
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
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This Japanese sci-fi actioner copies so many Hollywood hits that it should win an award from the Xerox Corp.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
10/17/03
Richard James Havis
Hollywood Reporter
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The real reason to see this film is the scrappy rapport between Kaneshiro and Suzuki. They are so good together, you won't know whether to cheer or cry.

Full Review Source: San Jose Mercury News | comment Comment
10/16/03
Glenn Lovell
San Jose Mercury News
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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