Black Rain (1989)

In year 1989, two different films titled 'Black Rain' were made to depict Japanese realities. The first film was directed by acclaimed Japanese director Shohei Imamura. His film discussed the consequences of Hiroshima bombing on Japanese people. The credit for making second 'Black Rain' goes to American filmmaker Ridley Scott whose film makes good use of both American as well as Japanese actors to portray lives of criminals whose influence goes beyond the national borders of two highly advanced countries Japan and USA. It is fun to watch how American cops Andy Garcia and Michael Douglas get some major morality lessons from their Japanese counterpart Takakura Ken. American film 'Black Rain' features a lot of cops who are determined to catch tough criminals but it does not portray itself as a buddy movie. At times, it appears as a tale of cultural differences as American as well as Japanese police use all their best policing methods to catch hoodlums who have wreaked havoc in both countries. Action scenes are this film's major highlight. However, they do nothing to weaken viewers' interest in appreciating the dramatic elements of this film. Lastly, if exploring Osaka city without leaving your house is on your mind then 'Black Rain' is the ideal film for you.

Fmovies: 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

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 t

Black Rain fmovies. Black Rain is an absolutely gorgeous movie to look at. And for the most part it's highly entertaining and well acted - the guy playing Sato is brilliantly menacing. But occasionally, very occasionally, it descends into either complete predictability or downright cheesiness. A motorbike chase, well, that's a surprise! And that award ceremony right near the end - why? It's totally irrelevant, feel good factor nonsense - the sort of stuff you get with bog standard action movies. And this is not bog standard, and not really an action movie. Certainly underrated and deserving of a better audience than it has received, but ultimately let down by a few lapses in quality.

Black Rain (1989) Starring Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia.

Running Time: 125 min. Rated R

Black Rain stars Michael Douglas(Wall Street, Falling Down) and Andy Garcia(The Untouchables, Desperate Measures) as Detectives Nick Conklin and Charlie Vincent. One day while eating lunch at a local diner, they witness a horrific mob killing. The twist is that the killer is a dangerous gangster named Sato(Yusaku Matsuda) from Japan who is also wanted their for various other crimes. Soon after, a chase ensues and Sato is captured. The police tell Nick and Charlie that he must be returned to Japan in order to be prosecuted. When they finally get to Japan, the police there are very generous in accepting Sato, only they're not the police, they're Sato's thugs in disguise. So Nick and Charlie must go after him, but because they are foreigners, no one will help them in their investigation and they must also accept a new partner (Ken Takakura).

Filmed on location in Tokyo, Japan, Ridley Scott, who also directed Alien(1979), Blade Runner(1982) and Gladiator(2000) sets up a really dark tone for, much as he does in most of his films.

It's also surprising how low the rating is for this movie. It's a classic like so many other of Scott's films.

10/10

Black Rain is hands down the best cop movie ever made! And I'm not saying that just because I like it. The cinematography and even the costumes were phenomenal and couldn't have been any better. Whoever did the casting for this movie earned their pay and then some. You couldn't have found better actors anywhere in the world. This is Michael Douglas at his best as New York Detective Nick Conklin, a macho yet streetwise cop after a coldblooded Yakuza killer all the way from the back alleys of Manhattan to the streets of Japan. Andy Garcia also gives a tour-de-force performance as Douglas's partner Charley Vincent and gives the movie some extra humor. There some great one liners here. I even like Kate Capshaw as Conklin's friend and love interest. Sato Kogei, the bad guy, is played brilliantly and almost effortlessly by Yusako Matsuda. Why haven't I ever seen this guy in anything else? Definitely one of my top ten best villains to grace the silver screen. Also look for Ken Takakura as Masahiro Matsamodo the stubborn and by the book police officer who befriends Douglas and Garcia and helps them chase Matsuda (Takakura was also in Mr. Baseball). Sato's rival Sugai Kenyo gives a stunningly great performance as well as the old time crime boss. Anyways if you haven't seen this film go out and get it like I did and make it part of your collection. Its great viewing, timeless and worth every penny. You won't regret it.