Black Rain

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Ridley Scott
Review: One of my favorite films--if for no other reason, it is signature Scott. However, it is a very good film all around! Douglas, Takakura and Capshaw were outstanding! Some may not like the genre or Scott, hence, some of the reviews. A caution: Be sure to read the reviewer's comments about the quality of the DVD version on down the list.

Rating:
Summary: Top Notch Action Film
Review: Ridley Scott has directed some great movies in his career which has just been highlighted again with "Gladiator". "Black Rain" has always been somewhat overlooked because it was not quite as creative as "Alien" or "Blade Runner". But truth is as much as it might seem like a standard action flick, there is quite a lot of originality to go around as well. Michael Douglas (at his best) plays a tough talking New York Cop who, along with his partner (Andy Garcia) brings in a mobster from Japan. They recieve orders to bring him into Japan and when they do the mobster escapes. Douglas and Garcia both are determined to capture him even though the police codes limit them greatly but they use every way they can to get around them. One thing I really liked about this film is that it does not let up just like the Douglas character. So much happens where one believes he will let the Japanease police handle it instead of himself but his determination keeps him going. Another thing I liked is that the Douglas character is not exactly a good guy. He is the better guy. In this film he is a foul mouthed and somewhat corrupt cop that is rather hard to respect at first but as the movie carries on his character improves gradually. In the end I accepted him fully as the hero. The only major flaws in this film are Kate Capshaw's unnecessary role (she really adds nothing but a bad performance to this great film) and a rather rediculous (yet amusing) kareoke scene (you'll know it when you see it). I really enjoyed this film like I enjoy the majority of Scott's films. It is one of the many great action films that has managed to win my appreciation and is really an enjoyable film. It ranks among the best.

Rating:
Summary: Top Notch Action Film
Review: Ridley Scott has directed some great movies in his career which has just been highlighted again with "Gladiator". "Black Rain" has always been somewhat overlooked because it was not quite as creative as "Alien" or "Blade Runner". But truth is as much as it might seem like a standard action flick, there is quite a lot of originality to go around as well. Michael Douglas (at his best) plays a tough talking New York Cop who, along with his partner (Andy Garcia) brings in a mobster from Japan. They recieve orders to bring him into Japan and when they do the mobster escapes. Douglas and Garcia both are determined to capture him even though the police codes limit them greatly but they use every way they can to get around them. One thing I really liked about this film is that it does not let up just like the Douglas character. So much happens where one believes he will let the Japanease police handle it instead of himself but his determination keeps him going. Another thing I liked is that the Douglas character is not exactly a good guy. He is the better guy. In this film he is a foul mouthed and somewhat corrupt cop that is rather hard to respect at first but as the movie carries on his character improves gradually. In the end I accepted him fully as the hero. The only major flaws in this film are Kate Capshaw's unnecessary role (she really adds nothing but a bad performance to this great film) and a rather rediculous (yet amusing) kareoke scene (you'll know it when you see it). I really enjoyed this film like I enjoy the majority of Scott's films. It is one of the many great action films that has managed to win my appreciation and is really an enjoyable film. It ranks among the best.

Rating:
Summary: Great action on an Sportster XLCR
Review: The first few minutes of the DVD were worth the purchase just to watch Michael Douglas on the Sportster XLCR(or a good lookalike). The race scene by the docks was a hoot! The rest of the movie was pretty good too, as a bonus.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Action! Powerful Plot Line Keeps you guessing
Review: This is an excellent action movie, which the plot line keeps you guessing until the end. Ironically it stars a lesser known action star Douglas, who really makes this an excellent movie.

Rating:
Summary: an excellent movie gone bad when its transfered to dvd
Review: this is one of the few movies my father, brother, and i deemed worthy of purchasing for our dvd we bought back in 1997. since that time our collection has grown to over 50+ dvds and still is. but enough of that, this is one the coolest movies that in mine and my dad's and brothers opinion is one of the best of ridley scott's movie career, its a good storyline, well portrayed by its actors, its orchestral score, and especially its cinematography a perfect movie for the dvd format. this is a movie that you will not be disappointed with if you like good movies such as predator, mask of zorro, armageddon, g.i. jane, the fifth element, and other well done movies that had an excellent transition to dvd. however i'm sorry to say that i was extremely let down by paramount when i went to play this particular dvd, the sound was awful, the picture poor and very "grainy" , no where for any retouching shown, in all the poorest dvd transition i've ever seen to date, and shocked to see that paramount would just transfer a video copy, a very poor video copy, and say its up to the standards of what it means to be dvd. gentleman and ladies i'm sorry to say i think not. in what was one my families favorite movies and long awaited dvd titles to come out, this poor translation turned a five out of five star movie to a sorry three, and for those of you who think it was a bad disc i thought that too, so i exchanged it, and the second was worse than the first. throughout the film it goes from bad to worse in its sound and picture, and i hope ridley scott sees this poor translation of one of his best movies and gets on paramounts back to recall all the copies actually restore and redo the sound and picture and restore this movies to the full standard to which mr. scott intended us to see it in its dvd format.

Rating:
Summary: Typical, Action Flick.
Review: This movie has plenty of action, some relatively adequate acting. Hey... I like action flicks. Not a 5 but worth watching if this genre is your bag. Its mine.

Rating:
Summary: Classic East Vs. West Cop Drama
Review: This movie is one of my favorites. I am a Japanophile, and although Douglas does portray an "ugly American," he does it well! Sometimes you have to realize that different cultures clash, but if the desired end result is the same, who cares? One way is not always the best, and this movie shows you how American muscle and persistence combined with Japanese harmony and sophistication can achieve the desired result. Aside from that, there is good action, beleiveable characters (exception being Kate Capshaw) and great on location shooting.

Rating:
Summary: The Streets of Osaka?
Review: This movie projects the come back of the "Streets of San Francisco" of the 70s but the setting is in the city of Osaka, Japan. In this movie, Michael Douglas teamed up with young stud, Andy Garcia, both cops in battling a Japanese syndicate who is involved in counterfeiting money. Packed with action and motorcycle stunts, this movie depicts a difficult alliance with both cultures in battling crime, but in the end comes a common understanding of putting the bad guys behind bars. Subtitles in english is not an option although they are shown when japanese is spoken. nice flick!

Rating:
Summary: AMAZING ACTION/CRIME DRAMA: ALL- STAR CAST
Review: this movie was incredible. michael douglas is at his best while andy garcia and ken takakura play amazing supporting roles. douglas plays a cop who is under heavy scrutiny from internal affairs and is getting investigated for possible money smuggling from a case he was head of in past years. the story starts out when douglas and garcia are eating lunch, the restaurant is then interrupted when the japanese mafia intervenes at the restaurant, killing people, and then garcia and douglas track down the head man.(Sato). douglas and garcia are informed that they must take sato back to japan for the japanese government to take care of him. upon arriving in japan, sato escapes and douglas refuses to leave japan without getting his man. this is an overlooked film of douglas' but it shouldnt be. this is one of his great films!