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No Way Back
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by Sony Pictures
Sales Rank: 42959
Price: $9.95
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The FBI, the Mafia, and the Yakuza (Japanese gangsters) fight to the death in this nonstop action thriller starring Russell Crowe (<I>Gladiator</I>). FBI agent Zack Grant (Crowe) sends beautiful rookie operative Seiko (Kelly Hu) on a sting operation against the depraved, skinhead son of a Mafia kingpin. Little does he know that Seiko is on a revenge mission of her own. This bloody situation escalates into all-out war, as the Mafia kingpin, Frank Serlano (Michael Lerner), and the head Yakuza, Yuji (Etsushi Toyokawa), get into the act. Grant is forced to go renegade from the bureau when Serlano kidnaps his young son, a plot point that certainly raises the story's emotional stakes. During an exciting airplane hijacking sequence, we meet Mary (Helen Slater), a dizzy blonde flight attendant who introduces an unexpected note of comic relief to the proceedings (along with a touch of romance). Crowe is convincing in <I>Dirty Harry</I> mode, bringing his characteristic intensity and empathy to the role. It's fun to watch a former Miss Hawaii, Kelly Hu, display her martial arts mastery, and the performances of Slater and Toyokawa are a cut above the action-genre norm. Still and all, <I>No Way Back</I> falls squarely into the "guilty pleasure" movie category. Writer-director Frank A. Cappello (<I>American Yakuza</I>), provides plenty of slam-bang, shoot-'em-up action, plus enough nail-biting suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. <I>--Laura Mirsky</I>
Viewer Reviews
Did anyone beside me notice in the beginning of the movie, when Saiko (the FBI UC woman) blew away the bad guys, her semi-auto's slide never recoiled back? Okay, small detail. Did anyone notice Russell Crowe (Zack) using the same gun on the airliner that John Malkovich used, to attempt to assassinate the President in Clint Eastwood's film "In The Line Of Fire?"
Well, gee, Helen Slater (she was Super Girl, remember?) was pretty entertaining as Mary, the airline stewardess/hostage. On the other hand, Crowe's superior (whoever she was) was one terrible actress. The Mob father; Serlano (Michael Lerner) of the son who was killed (scrotum and testicles no longer attached) by Saiko (who kills herself, soon after), kidnaps Crowe's son; Eric, until he brings the Yakuza dude - Yuji,(Etsushi Toyokawa) to him.
Uh.. Crowe, the FBI guy, and the Yakuza dude go on a desert hike after the Yakuza dude hijacks the plane they're on, on their way to FBI headquarters....and uh, the bad guys take the Yakuza guy from Crowe in the desert and Helen Slater goes along for the ride. Never mind. The Mob lackeys are also low-class actors. I.....just don't know what to say about this movie. It was pretty bad. Oh, the desert showdown between the FBI guys, the Mob guys and the Yakuza helicopter dude; was pretty sad (as in pretty bad).
Anyway, Yuji, Zack and Mary join forces to rub out Serlano and his flunkies in a trap to save Zack's son. There, I spoiled it for you. So the ending was good, but the movie as a whole, wasn't(?)
All in all, I think Helen Slater was the star of the movie. She's a real jewel. (Her conversations with the cop in the car, and with bad guys at the lake are priceless). Maybe I'm wrong, but it's possible that this movie was supposed to be funny. FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELT, PLEASE.
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No Way Back
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