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''Into the Sun'' is a 2005
action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include l ...
directed by
Christopher Morrison Christopher "MINK" Wingfield Morrison is a British American film director, writer, producer and comic book novelist. Early life Christopher "mink" Wingfield Morrison was born in London and relocated with his parents to Los Angeles, California. ...
and starring
Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-l ...
(who also produced),
Matthew Davis Matthew Davis, also professionally known as Matt Davis, is an American actor. He is mostly known for his roles as Warner Huntington III in ''Legally Blonde'', Adam Hillman on the ABC comedy-drama ''What About Brian'' from 2006 to 2007 and Alar ...
,
Takao Osawa is a Japanese actor. Career Osawa starred in the 2002 film ''Filament'' and the 2007 film ''Midnight Eagle''. He has also appeared in films such as Masayuki Suo's ''A Terminal Trust'' and Takashi Miike's ''Shield of Straw''. The Newport Beach F ...
,
Eddie George Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an American football coach and former player who is the current head coach at Tennessee State. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily f ...
, Juliette Marquis, and
William Atherton William Atherton Knight (born July 30, 1947) is an American actor, best known for portraying Richard Thornburg in '' Die Hard'' and its sequel and Walter Peck in ''Ghostbusters''. Early life Atherton was born in Orange, Connecticut, the son ...
. The original script, written by
Trevor Miller Trevor Miller is an English screenwriter, author and playwright who the ''Record Mirror'' joked "is hailed by some as the voice of a generation". The ''London Evening Standard'' called his debut novel '' Trip City'' "an ''On the Road'' for the po ...
, was very similar to Sydney Pollack's ''
The Yakuza ''The Yakuza'' is a 1974 neo-noir crime drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura and Brian Keith. The screenplay by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne is from a story by Schrader's brother, Leonard Schrader. ...
''. Joe Halpin, a former undercover narcotics detective, rewrote the script with Seagal to avoid making it a costly remake. Set in Japan, Seagal plays a CIA operative who takes down
Yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the ter ...
gangsters. It was theatrically released in Japan but only went direct-to-DVD in the United States.


Plot

The assassination of
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
's governor Takayama causes a stir of public outrage in
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, Japan. Upon hearing news of the incident, the U.S.
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
asks the CIA's Tokyo office to investigate the killing, believing it to be linked to the
Yakuza , also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the ter ...
, a dangerous Japanese mafia syndicate. The Japanese branch of the CIA starts sniffing around under the auspices of the
United States Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
. CIA agent Travis Hunter and his rookie FBI agent understudy Sean Mac are assigned to work on the case and to track down the perpetrators. During their work, Mac proves to be primarily a distraction to Hunter, especially as he is neither very knowledgeable about CIA procedures nor Japanese customs. Hunter, on the other hand, having been raised in Japan, has a strong understanding of the Yakuza and their mysterious, eccentric and sinister ways. Hunter and Mac discover a plan by Kuroda, the boss of a new Yakuza outfit, to build an enormous drug-dealing network using his export company in cahoots with a Chinese Triad outfit leader named Chen. Kuroda is killing everyone who gets in his way. While reviewing security footage of the assassination, Hunter identifies a medallion seen around the neck of the shooter that links Kuroda to be the mastermind of the governor's assassination. As Hunter has been told that Kojima, the second-in-command of an old school Yakuza group run by elderly 'godfather' Oyabun Ishikawa, is the only Yakuza player who is capable of defeating Kuroda, Hunter turns to him for help. When they speak, Kojima tells Hunter that the new Yakuza have gained more power after joining forces with the Triads, and are ready to eliminate any other Yakuza gang. Kojima then reveals and he and Hunter have something in common - permanently ridding of Kuroda, adding that it will be interesting to see which one of them kills him first. Meanwhile, Hunter's relentless pursuit of Kuroda increasingly endangers those associated with him. First, Kuroda has godfather Ishikawa murdered, making Kojima the new leader of Ishikawa's Yakuza outfit. Mac gets out of his depth while investigating and is also brutally murdered. But when Kuroda has Hunter's fiancée Nayako savagely slaughtered by sword, Hunter's search for Kuroda becomes devastatingly personal. Teaming up with CIA operative Jewel and tattoo artist Fudomyo-o, whose wife and young child were also killed by Kuroda, Hunter sets out to take down Kuroda. By nightfall, Fudomyo-o and Hunter arrive at the temple Kuroda uses as his hideout. One-by-one they take on all the members of Kuroda's group with
katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the '' tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge f ...
s. Mei Ling, former student of Hunter and daughter of his sifu, who was killed by Chen, also arrives just in time to save Fudomyo-o and then teams up with the two men. After Fudomyo-o survives being shot during a confrontation Kuroda. Hunter then appears and ferociously battles Kuroda, ultimately killing him by slashing his chest. They then leave Kuroda's temple hideout. The next day, Mei Ling, Fudomyo-o and Hunter hold a memorial service to offer their respects to Nayako. At the same time, a Yakuza ceremony is held to formally make Kojima the successor leader. Jewel and her CIA "professional cleaning company crew" arrive at Kuroda's hideout and quickly coat virtually everything with a gooey blue substance. The local authorities arrive shortly thereafter to investigate the scene, and are puzzled by what they find. They take the bodies of Kuroda and his henchmen for autopsy as the weapons are collected for forensic criminal investigation. As the chief inspector comments that the blue goo will keep them from gathering fingerprints, Hunter returns to the park where he and Nayako used to hang out in order to grieve and remember her.


Cast

*
Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-l ...
as CIA Agent Travis Hunter, a law enforcement agent sent to Tokyo to track down a crime syndicate responsible for murdering the governor *
Matthew Davis Matthew Davis, also professionally known as Matt Davis, is an American actor. He is mostly known for his roles as Warner Huntington III in ''Legally Blonde'', Adam Hillman on the ABC comedy-drama ''What About Brian'' from 2006 to 2007 and Alar ...
as FBI Agent Sean Mac, Hunter's rookie understudy *
Takao Osawa is a Japanese actor. Career Osawa starred in the 2002 film ''Filament'' and the 2007 film ''Midnight Eagle''. He has also appeared in films such as Masayuki Suo's ''A Terminal Trust'' and Takashi Miike's ''Shield of Straw''. The Newport Beach F ...
as Kuroda (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: 黒田, ''Kuroda''), the leader of the crime syndicate responsible for assassinating Tokyo's Governor and the main antagonist. *
Eddie George Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an American football coach and former player who is the current head coach at Tennessee State. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily f ...
as CIA Agent Jones, Travis' ex-partner who is killed in South East Asia. *
William Atherton William Atherton Knight (born July 30, 1947) is an American actor, best known for portraying Richard Thornburg in '' Die Hard'' and its sequel and Walter Peck in ''Ghostbusters''. Early life Atherton was born in Orange, Connecticut, the son ...
as CIA Agent Block: The head of the CIA stationed in Tokyo. * Juliette Marquis as Jewel, a CIA spook. *
Ken Lo Ken Lo (Kenneth Houi Kang Low) (born 19 March 1957) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, and stuntman. He is known for his martial arts and stunt work as a former member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team, most notably for his antagonistic role as Jo ...
as Chen ( Mandarin: 陈, ''Chén''), a Triad boss who plans to make the Triads and Yakuza one unstoppable criminal organization. * Kosuke Toyohara as Fudomyo-o (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: 不動明王, ''Fudōmyōō''): A tattoo artist whose wife and child was killed by Kuroda. *
Akira Terao is a Japanese musician, singer and movie actor. As of 2012, he is the only male actor to have received both the Japan Record Award and the Japan Academy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Early life Terao was bor ...
as Matsuda (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: 松田, ''Matsuda''), the elder boss of the Yakuza. * Dale Payne as Zen Custodian * Eve Masatoh as Kojima (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: 小島, ''Kojima''), an old-school Yakuza underboss who has knowledge of Kuroda's illegal activities and plans. * Pace Wu as Mai Ling ( Mandarin: 麦玲, ''Mài líng''), a protege of Travis. * Chiaki Kuriyama as Ayako, the daughter of the Governor who was assassinated by Kuroda's men. * Kanako Yamaguchi as Nayako (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: なやこ, ''Nayako''), Travis' Japanese fiancé' who is murdered by one of the Yakuza mafia members * Namihiko Ohmura as Takeshi (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: たけし, ''Takeshi''), one of Kuroda’s lieutenants who wears glasses and is seen with Kawamura. * Daisuke Honda as Kawamura (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: 川村, ''Kawamura''), one of Kuroda’s lieutenants wearing a cowboy hat. * Roy Oguri as Kenji (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
, 賢司, ''Kenji'') * Sokyu Fujita as Investigator Maeda (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: 前田捜査官, ''Maeda sōsa-kan'') * Vikrom Suebsaeng as Chang Choudong ( Mandarin, 张崇东, ''Zhāngchóngdōng''), a Chinese-Thai triad member based in Bangkok. * Shôji Oki as Ishikawa (
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
, 石川県, ''Ishikawa ken''), the mob boss of an old-school Yakuza organization who bears hatred for Kuroda.


Production

The original script by
Trevor Miller Trevor Miller is an English screenwriter, author and playwright who the ''Record Mirror'' joked "is hailed by some as the voice of a generation". The ''London Evening Standard'' called his debut novel '' Trip City'' "an ''On the Road'' for the po ...
had to be reworked, as it was too similar to ''
The Yakuza ''The Yakuza'' is a 1974 neo-noir crime drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura and Brian Keith. The screenplay by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne is from a story by Schrader's brother, Leonard Schrader. ...
'', which would have cost too much to license for a remake. The film was announced in 2003 after Franchise Pictures bought the script. Joe Halpin, who rewrote the script, is a former undercover narcotics detective who worked with the
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States ...
and
Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...
. Morrison said that the film, which was shot in Japan, was designed to feel authentically Japanese instead of merely being an American film set in Japan. Seagal had lived in Japan earlier and expressed embarrassment in the DVD commentary over how rusty he was at the use of the
Japanese language is spoken natively by about 128 million people, primarily by Japanese people and primarily in Japan, the only country where it is the national language. Japanese belongs to the Japonic or Japanese- Ryukyuan language family. There have been ...
. The director said his "experience with Steven was terrific. I was working on a project very near to his heart as it was set in Tokyo and Steven had lived there for years and speaks fluent Japanese. The only difficulties came from stretching the budget and schedule to work in Tokyo and Thailand with a multi-language speaking cast. I however am very grateful for him giving me the shot to work with him on such a personal project he wrote."


Release

Sony released ''Into the Sun'' theatrically in Japan on November 26, 2005, and it grossed $164,762. In the United States, it went direct-to-video, released on February 15, 2005.


Reception

Beyond Hollywood wrote that the film could have been good if it had starred someone besides Seagal, whose extensive scenes of dialogue feel like padding and do not play to his action hero strengths. Ian Jane of
DVD Talk DVD Talk is a home video news and review website launched in 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman. History Kleinman founded the site in January 1999 in Beaverton, Oregon. Besides news and reviews, it features information on hidden DVD features known as ...
rated it 3/5 stars and, while calling it one of Seagal's better recent films, recommended it to fans of mindless action films.


References


Bibliography

*


External links

* * {{Rotten Tomatoes, 1139813_into_the_sun
''Into the Sun''
at Letterbox DVD
Review of film
at Vern 2005 films 2005 direct-to-video films 2005 action films 2005 martial arts films American action films American martial arts films Japanese action films Japanese martial arts films 2000s Japanese-language films Direct-to-video action films Films about the Federal Bureau of Investigation Films about the Central Intelligence Agency Films set in Tokyo Films shot in Japan Destination Films films Triad films Yakuza films Franchise Pictures films Films scored by Stanley Clarke Films produced by Elie Samaha Japan in non-Japanese culture 2000s English-language films 2000s American films 2000s Hong Kong films 2005 multilingual films American multilingual films Japanese multilingual films