American Yakuza
| American Yakuza | |
|---|---|
 UK DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Frank Cappello |
| Screenplay by | John Allen Nelson Max Strom |
| Story by | Takashige Ichise |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Richard Clabaugh |
| Edited by | Sonny Baskin |
| Music by | David C. Williams |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | RLJE Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States[1] |
| Language | English |
American Yakuza is a 1993 American crime film directed by Frank Cappello and starring Viggo Mortensen, Ryo Ishibashi, Michael Nouri, Franklyn Ajaye, Yuji Okumoto, Anzu Lawson, and Robert Forster. The screenplay by John Allen Nelson and Max Strom is based on a story by executive producer Takashige Ichise.[2] American Yakuza was released in the United States on December 22, 1993.[1]
Premise[edit]
American FBI agent Nick Davis works undercover, rising through the ranks of the Yakuza to infiltrate their operations. Adopted by the Tendo crime family, he is entangled with the Italian Mafia, the Yakuza, and the FBI. In the end he must decide what is most important to him.
Cast[edit]
- Viggo Mortensen as Nick Davis / David Brandt
- Ryo Ishibashi as Shuji Sawamoto
- Michael Nouri as Dino Campanela
- Franklyn Ajaye as Sam
- Yuji Okumoto as Kazuo
- Anzu Lawson as Yuko
- Robert Forster as Littman
- Nicky Katt as Vic
- John Fujioka as Isshin Tendo
- James Taenaka as Taka
- Toni Naples as Mrs. Campanela
- Saiko Isshiki as Aya
- Fritz Mashimo as Okazaki
- Joey Ciccone as Rudy
Reception[edit]
TV Guide wrote that director Frank Cappello did "an adequate job of weaving a relatively intricate storyline together, while delivering numerous explosive, action-packed sequences". The reviewer said that Viggo Mortensen excelled in his performance, and Ryo Ishibashi was impressive in his role. They concluded that overall, American Yakuza "is a surprisingly powerful portrayal of the loyalties that exist in the underworld, where violence and betrayal are a way of life."[3]
In a review for the Movie Gazette, Anton Bitel wrote that after considering Viggo Mortensen's acting in this 1993 film and how he was mostly known as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings films, American Yakuza "will leave viewers wondering why Mortensen's talents were not generally recognized a lot earlier." He also noted that one of the film's ironies was that, when the Mafia takes on the Yakuza in the film and "boast(s) of their 'American drive and know-how'", they forget that a century earlier they were just as eager as the Yakuza "to get a foothold in this country". Bitel feels that "American Yakuza is in effect 'The Godfather: the next Generation' – an immigrant saga of family, blood and assimilation that just happens to be set in the world of organized crime." He found flaws in that parts of the film "have the look of a rock video" and overall suffers from needing a larger budget. He concludes with praise for the acting, twisting plotline, and the carefully restrained violence.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g "American Yakuza (1993)". AllMovie. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ Crow, Jonathan (2007). "American Yakuza (1994)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 21, 2007. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
- ^ "American Yakuza: Review". TV Guide. Archived from the original on April 8, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
- ^ Bitel, Anton. "review: American Yakuza (1993)". Movie Gazette. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
External links[edit]
- 1993 films
- 1990s American films
- 1990s crime action films
- 1990s English-language films
- 1990s Japanese films
- 1993 directorial debut films
- 1993 martial arts films
- American crime action films
- American martial arts films
- English-language crime action films
- Films directed by Frank Cappello
- Japan in non-Japanese culture
- Yakuza films
- Films scored by David C. Williams