Review of Black Rain (1989) by Russ B — 19 Apr 2016

I think Black Rain could have been a sharper modern (at the time) crime noir where Western and Eastern sense of justice clash if Michael Douglas' Nick Conklin was written less of an insufferable and rather xenophobic prick throughout most of the film. Doesn't help that the film is clearly on the side of the maverick, "off the cuff" and "screw protocol" New York cops, that it looks upon Japanese law enforcement (and by broad association, Japanese culture) through egregiously cynical lens. The endearing Masamoto, the Japanese officer that tags along both Douglas and Garcia's New York "off the cuff" cops (and his lukewarm respect for Garcia's character being one of the few "human" elements of the story), doesn't nearly get the time to shine.

Still, Ridley Scott's direction and Jan de Bont's serviceable cinematography of Osaka Japan really fit the noir tone like a glove.