The clear inspiration for the scenery of futuristic Los Angeles in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner were nighttime images of neon-drenched streets and skyscrapers of contemporary Japan. In 1989 Ridley Scott actually visited those locations in order to use them as setting of his action thriller Black Rain.
The plot actually begins in New York where the protagonist, NYPD detective Nick Concklin (played by Michael Douglas) goes through a rough patch due to divorce, financial woes and Internal Affairs investigation over alleged theft of drug money. Nick and his friend and partner Charlie Vincent (played by Andy Garcia) are nevertheless good in their work and manage to arrest young yakuza boss Sato Koji (played by Yusaku Matsuda) after seeing him kill two of his rival in restaurant. Later, they are ordered to escort Sato to Japan where he would have to face the charges. After arrival at Osaka airport, they hand him over to Japanese police only to quickly learn that the policemen were Sato’s men in disguise. Feeling humiliated, Nick is determined to bring Sato back into custody, although Assistant Inspector Masahiro “Mas” Matsumoto (played by Ken Takakura) reminds them they can remain in Japan only as observers and that they can’t use guns. Nick meets Joyce (played by Kate Capshaw), American night club hostess who tells him about the war between Sato and older yakuza boss Sugai Kunio (played by Tomisaburo Wakayama), which apparently erupted over stolen plates for perfect counterfeits of US Dollar bills.
Script by Craig Bolotin and Warren Lewis isn’t particularly original and it looks like nothing more than a basis for generic 1980s buddy cop action film. According to some sources, it was originally developed as a sequel for Beverly Hills Cop, a film with similar premise about rough street smart police detective having to pair with more refined and by-the-book colleagues in a foreign city; that project ultimately ended as Beverly Hills Cop II directed by Ridley’s brother Tony Scott. For many critics, Black Rain actually represented the film in which Ridley Scott actually tried his best to employ style and themes of his brother. This is most evident in the beginning where he shoots scenes in sunset, has protagonist ride motorcycles and employs machistic action. When the plot switches to Osaka, which is presented as very modern, hip and futuristic megalopolis, Ridley Scott allows himself to use more personal style and employ style and iconography of Blade Runner. This result in the film that looks great, although the actual content might leave something to be desired among the audience that want something deeper. There is some superficial exploration of clash of American and Japanese culture, as well as some sort of commentary at late 1980s geopolitical situation, when Japan, due to superior economy, was widely seen as true winner of Cold War instead of USA. But, in the end, it mostly gets suffocated by 1980s buddy cop film cliches.
The protagonist, who has a mullet, drives motorcycles, smokes, drinks and prefers decisive action to following bureaucratic rules, is embodiment of such cliches. Thankfully, Michael Douglas plays him very effectively and manages to elevate both the character and entire film. He is aided by excellent international cast. Ken Takakura, one of most popular actors in history of Japanese cinema, is very effective as Nick’s partner who, at least initially, tries to do everything by the book and only gradually accepts American’s more direct ways of fighting crimes. This achievement is even greater considering that Takakura at the time didn’t speak English and had to learn all of his lines phonetically. Yusaku Matsuda is even more impressive in the role of young villain that speaks very little but oozes charisma; he even manages to create character which is with his rule-breaking actually quite similar to protagonist. Matsuda was, sadly, mortally ill during production and died shortly after premiere. Andy Garcia is also good in relatively small character of Nick’s regular partner who would become Sato’s victim; although his character leaves film relatively early, he leaves strong impression, making film light-hearted in first half and later giving extra motivation for the protagonist. Kate Capshaw, on the other hand, looks redundant in her role, introduced only to give Nick some sort of love interest in otherwise exclusively male story.
Despite being drenched in the formula, Black Rain worked as action film and became first commercial success in Ridley Scott’s career after ten years. Like many Scott’s films, it has more style than substance, but there is just enough of the latter to provide solid entertainment even for the audience today.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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