Returner (Ritana) (2002)

35% of critics liked it
(31 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(12,257 ratings)

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… More 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, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 58 min.
Directed By: Takashi Yamazaki
Written By: Takashi Yamazaki, Kenya Hirata
Genres: Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Science Fiction & Fantasy

In Theaters: Aug 31, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Feb 10, 2004
Studio: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Critic Reviews

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle
With little room for new ideas, the film must rely on the strength of its actors, and they're excellent across the board.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Returner was a huge hit in Japan, but this would- be sci-fi epic is soporific, shamelessly derivative and barely coherent by American standards.
Richard James Havis, Hollywood Reporter
This Japanese sci-fi actioner copies so many Hollywood hits that it should win an award from the Xerox Corp.
Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News
The real reason to see this film is the scrappy rapport between Kaneshiro and Suzuki. They are so good together, you won't know whether to cheer or cry.
Elvis Mitchell, New York Times
Returner is a smorgasbord that seems to have been picked out of a Dumpster.
Jan Stuart, Newsday
Returner goes on far longer than such a derivative movie has a right to, but it maintains enough of a balance between its human elements and its propulsive action sequences to keep us going.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Worth catching for fans of the genre, just to whet the imagination of what this talented director could do with a coherent screenplay.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
A watchable, if somewhat absurd, sci-fi stir fry.
David Chute, L.A. Weekly
A fourth-generation Terminator hand-me-down.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
Ransacking films like Independence Day for ideas is one thing. Restaging E.T. The Extraterrestrial, right down to the cuddly alien, is another matter entirely.
Larry Carroll, FilmStew.com
Yamazaki has made himself into a cover band, content to play Van Halen classics for middle-aged boys looking for a trip down memory lane.
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Director and co-writer Takashi Yamazaki mines familiar territory and does nothing especially new with it.
Ted Fry, Seattle Times
This irresistibly over-the-top delight remains truly original in spite of its debt to an array of cinematic chestnuts.
David Elliott, San Diego Union-Tribune
An action party for bored fifth graders.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Anthony L

Returner is 50% fun b-movie and 50% Matrix/Terminator/ET rip-off. It's quite fun, and should have been better, if it weren't for all the stupid cliches, rubbish script, two dimentional charictors and unnessersery sub-plots. It does have a great story though, well goes… More
Returner is 50% fun b-movie and 50% Matrix/Terminator/ET rip-off. It's quite fun, and should have been better, if it weren't for all the stupid cliches, rubbish script, two dimentional charictors and unnessersery sub-plots. It does have a great story though, well goes without saying really as it's copied from the best, but it is still entertaining.
Lee ?

This Japanese sci-fi action thriller may lack originality but it still manages to be a very entertaining movie! The story consists of a young woman from a war-torn future who travels back in time 82 years to 2002 to prevent an alien invasion of earth summoning the help of a local… More
This Japanese sci-fi action thriller may lack originality but it still manages to be a very entertaining movie! The story consists of a young woman from a war-torn future who travels back in time 82 years to 2002 to prevent an alien invasion of earth summoning the help of a local hitman. It's got some super-cool action sequences and fairly decent special-effects. The bad guy is absolutely ruthless and the heroes are likable and excell in ass-kickery. It's Takeshi Kaneshiro at his most coolest! A must-see for sci-fi action fans.
xGary X

A young woman returns from the future and enlists the unwilling help of a hitman to stop an alien invasion. The Terminator meets Independence Day with a dash of Transformers in a highly derivative but fun pulp sci-fi actioner. It borrows heavily from a lot of sources and the effects… More
A young woman returns from the future and enlists the unwilling help of a hitman to stop an alien invasion. The Terminator meets Independence Day with a dash of Transformers in a highly derivative but fun pulp sci-fi actioner. It borrows heavily from a lot of sources and the effects can occasionally feel a little "Stargate SG-1" but the likable leads and inventive visuals mean it is still very entertaining. There's the usual high octane martial arts mixed with future technology giving an excuse for some bullet-time acrobatics and Goro Kishitani makes an amusingly over the top villain. If the time travel paradox twist had been used with a little more imagination it could've been brilliant, but as it stands it's an undemandingly fun sci-fi actioner in the mold of Ryuhei Kitamura.
EightThirty .

This Movie is great...Very Smart ^_^
Mike S

Cool and entertaining, but a bit uneven and weird, as with many movies from Japan. I wouldn't go as far as to call it original, since it seems to have "borrowed" most of its components from american movies, but its forgivable since they have given those elements their… More
Cool and entertaining, but a bit uneven and weird, as with many movies from Japan. I wouldn't go as far as to call it original, since it seems to have "borrowed" most of its components from american movies, but its forgivable since they have given those elements their very own style.
Justin Y

Excellent story with a good ending. The action is pretty good, but it is nothing special. The special effects aren't too bad either. I really enjoyed when the airliner opened up into a spaceship.
Dean M

Amazing Japanese action-sci-fi film like <i>The Terminator</i> and <i>Independence Day</i> with kinetic action sequences and awesome CGI special effects.
John M

'Returner' is a fun action movie. It should at least satisfy hardcore action fans, and should be entertaining enough for anyone looking for a fun movie
Anthony V

A fun cross between alien invasion, ET, the Terminator and the Matrix.
alan j

The movie is a hodge podge of several genres including sci-fi, action/adventure, drama, and not original in each idea...feels like "the matirx', 'E.T.' among others..but the way it all comes together..its quite entertaining.. I ended up loving it!! Both lead… More
The movie is a hodge podge of several genres including sci-fi, action/adventure, drama, and not original in each idea...feels like "the matirx', 'E.T.' among others..but the way it all comes together..its quite entertaining.. I ended up loving it!! Both lead actor/actress are quite impressive in their looks and performance, and underneath all of the fireworks of this anime-feel of a movie..this is actually a sentimental story....really enjoyed this one!!
Wu C

Entertaining action/sci-fi that's definitely worth a look..
FanGirl B

Exceptional Japanese sci-fi film. It's too much fun to explain. I just wish I could find more movies like this one. And it's live action in case you were wondering (I know when I saw the cover I almost passed it by because it looked like it would be animated).