Search - Returner

In the year 2084, when humanity is decimated by a ruthless alien force, all hope lies in Milly (Anne Suzuki), a hardened young soldier, as she goes back in time to stop the invasion before it's too late. Ending up in present-day 2002, she appears in the middle of a gunfight as Miyamoto (Takeshi Kaneshiro), a mysterious mercenary, is breaking up a child-slave ring headed by Mizoguchi (Goro Kishitani), a ruthless Triad member with an uncanny thirst for blood. With bullets flying left and right, Milly is shot by Miyamoto and is brought into his secretive ring of do-gooding with the smart-mouthed Kirin Kiki, an arms-dealing old woman that's helping Miyamoto on his quest for revenge against Mizoguchi. Through some coercing (by the form of a small, explosive device the size of a band-aid on his neck), Miyamoto unwillingly joins the mission, as they infiltrate the government base that holds a captured alien and its crashed spacecraft -- the first contact that eventually brings on the invasion. With Mizoguchi and the Triads moving in, seeking some of the alien advanced weaponry, Miyamoto may finally get the vengeance he seeks as Milly gets closer and closer to saving the entire human race. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Takeshi Kaneshiro - Miyamoto
Anne Suzuki - Milly
Kirin Kiki - Xie
Goro Kishitani - Mizoguchi

Playing something like a cross between The Terminator and Independence Day, Japanese director Takashi Yamazaki's unquestionably derivative, but undeniably entertaining, sci-fi actioner finds its way to U.S. shores courtesy of Columbia TriStar Home Video. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the transfer is clean and the colors stable. Returner is a fairly dark film, and the transfer stays true to the original print by sporting solid blacks and even skin tones. Thankfully, there is also little evidence of edge enhancement. The English Dolby Digital 5.1 offers a dynamic mix as our heroes duck alien artillery fire and tear through city streets on a motorcycle, and the Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack rings through just as strong with bold, easy-to-read yellow subtitles. A French-language Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is also included, as are optional French, Portuguese, and Spanish subtitles. Though there is curiously no mention of extras on the packaging, this disc sports some impressive special features as well. A production diary with lively optional commentary by director Yamazaki and star Anne Suzuki reveals that the filmmakers likely had as good a time making the film as viewers did watching it. Featurettes on action coordination, art direction, and visual effects discuss the importance of all elements coming together to make an entertaining feature. A great disc for Japanese cinema fans and sci-fi action buffs who are willing to venture out of the norm to find something new and exciting. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

These movies were ripped-off by Returner...
85	The Terminator (R)
98	Independence Day [Special Edition] (PG-13)
226	The Matrix (R)
These movies are similar to Returner...
2	Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (NR)
21	The War of the Worlds (NR)
74	Starship Troopers (R)
53	Titan A.E. (PG)
51	Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within [Special Edition] (PG-13)
28	Equilibrium (R)
2	Time Quest (R)
100	Transformers [Widescreen] [Special Edition] (PG-13)