American Yakuza

American Yakuza is a 1993 American action crime film directed by Frank Cappello and starring Viggo Mortensen, Ryo Ishibashi, and Michael Nouri, with supporting roles by 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.[1]

American Yakuza
UK DVD cover
Directed byFrank Cappello
Produced byMichael Leahy
Aki Komine
Screenplay byJohn Allen Nelson
Max Strom
Story byTakashige Ichise
StarringViggo Mortensen
Ryo Ishibashi
Michael Nouri
Franklyn Ajaye
Yuji Okumoto
Anzu Lawson
Robert Forster
Music byDavid C. Williams
CinematographyRichard Clabaugh
Edited bySonny Baskin
Production
company
Distributed byRLJE Films (US)
Toei Company (Japan)
Release date
  • December 22, 1993 (1993-12-22) (Japan)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Japanese

The film had its theatrical release in Japan in December 1993, followed by theatrical release in South Korea in 1994. The film had its video premiere in the United States in 1995 and its DVD premiere in Russia in 2002.

Premise

American FBI agent Nick Davis (Viggo Mortensen) 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

Critical response

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", offering 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."[2]

Reviewer Anton Bitel wrote after considering Viggo Mortensen's acting in this 1993 film, and how he is better remembered now as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings films, this one "will leave viewers wondering why Mortensen’s talents were not generally recognized a lot earlier." He also notes that one of the film's ironies is that when the Mafia takes on the Yakuza in the film and "boast of their 'American drive and know-how'", they forget the similarities in 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.[3]

References
  1. "American Yakuza (1994)". InBaseline. The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  2. "American Yakuza: Review". TV Guide. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  3. Anton Bitel. "review: American Yakuza (1993)". Movie Gazette. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
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