Andy Garcia, Kate Capshaw, Ken Takakura

Two New York City police detectives lose the killer they were escorting back to Japan and help the Tokyo police try to recapture him.

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55% liked it

23,272 ratings

R, 2 hrs. 6 min.

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Release Date: January 1, 1989

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DVD Release Date: February 16, 1999

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Flixster Reviews (651)


  • September 15, 2009
    A modern classic. It's still sad when Andy Garcia get chopped in half by an angry motor-ninja, and it's still original in that the bad guy isn't killed at the end! Great East meets West cop film and beautifully directed!
  • September 8, 2009
    Ridley Scott tends to give his films a very potent visual energy (see "Alien" and "Blade Runner" for further evidence), and here he takes a story that's been around since films began and dresses it up with his customary pictorial trimmings. Black Rain is another fish-out-of-water...( read more) yarn in which a cop leaves his usual patch to track down a criminal in an unfamiliar place (see also Brannigan, French Connection II, No Mercy, Beverly Hills Cop, etc. for other versions of what is virtually the same story). The unoriginality of it all is a bit disappointing in all honesty, but Black Rain compensates for its over-familiarity by excelling in other areas.

    Reckless New York cop Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas - looking more like his father Kirk than ever) and his partner Charlie Vincent (Andy Garcia) catch a Japanese gangster named Sato (Yasuka Matsuda) in their city. They are assigned to escort Sato back to Japan and hand him over to the Japanese police. However, almost immediately upon their arrival Sato escapes with the aid of some of his underworld friends, cunningly disguised as cops. Nick and Charlie are left with egg on their face, and endeavour to help the Japanese police to recapture their man. They join Japanese cop Masahiro (Ken Takakura), but police methods in Japan prove very different to what the Americans are accustomed to, and soon differences in approach boil over into frustration and violence.

    Scott paints the night-time streets of Osaka as some kind of neon-lit, nightmarish maze. It becomes easy to relate to Nick and Charlie's bewilderment, and the viewer is left glad NOT to be sharing their experiences in the seedy, dangerous environment of this seemingly hostile city. There are some attempts to explore the different codes of honour by which the American and Japanese law enforcers measure their success. Also, the film establishes and sustains an edgy atmosphere (one scene, in which a key character is lured into a trap and beheaded, is especially tense).

    Black Rain is a mix of effective and not-so-effective elements. The visuals, the atmosphere and the cultural alienation of the main character are very interesting, while the plotting and dialogue are disappointingly familiar. It's definitely a film worth catching, though it probably won't be remembered as fondly fifty years from now as some of the director's other films.
  • February 29, 2008
    Japan, Motorcycles, Decapitation
  • February 29, 2008
    worth checking out...I've heard Year of the Dragon is slightly better...so who knows
  • January 26, 2008
    Bit of a no-brainer that's essentially Coogan's Bluff relocated to Japan. The usual nice visuals from Scott, but Douglas is as dislikeable as usual. Andy Garcia's quite good though.
  • October 15, 2009
    Black Rain is an intense and classy cop thriller.
    The story is about two New York police detectives who witness a brutal murder involving the Yakuza. After arresting the criminal responsible, they are assigned to deliver him back to Japan for incarceration. But upon arrival, th...( read more)e culprit escapes cleverly. This compels them to recover him and undertake a dangerous mission in Japans underworld.
    The plot is interesting because it places the detectives in foreign turf with a culture much different to theirs. This makes their case more challenging as they struggle in communication and manners. That said, there are also several exciting motorcycle chases, some graphic violence, and a lot of aggressive behavior.
    The two detectives are played by Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia. Their performances are first rate.
    The film is directed by Ridley Scott. And just like in his other films, there is elegant photography and superior production.
  • September 23, 2009
    Douglas is totally believable in this movie
  • August 20, 2009
    Un policial muy bueno. A Andy se lo ve muy poco lamentablemente.
  • August 15, 2009
    i really enjoyed this one! :)
  • June 30, 2009
    A blast from the past When Michael Douglas was still considered a top actor, this is one of his cool action movies that I enjoyed. Andy Garcia is his awesome partner as they take on the Japanese Mafia in this action, suspense and drama flick.

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  • LadyOfTheDarkestNight
    December 7, 2007
    This is one of the best movies IŽve ever seen.
    good movie! good soundtrack!
    just great!

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Black Rain Trivia


  • What word can go in all the blanks to make 4 movie titles? 1. _______ Man 2. Purple _______ 3. Black _______ 4. _______  Answer »
  • In the movie 'Black Rain', how did Andy Garcia's character die?  Answer »
  • Who sang im just a little black rain cloud in the many adventures of winnie the pooh  Answer »
  • What 1989 film has this tag line : An American cop in Japan. Their country,. Their Laws. Their games. His Rules ?  Answer »

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