''No Way Back'' is a 1995 American

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 life ...

written and directed by Frank A. Cappello. The film stars

Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor. He was born in New Zealand, spent ten years of his childhood in Australia, and moved there permanently at age twenty one. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maxi ...

Helen Slater Helen Rachel Slater (born December 15, 1963) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She played the title character in the 1984 film ''Supergirl'', and returned to the 2015 TV series of the same title, this time as Supergirl's adoptive mot ...

and

Etsushi Toyokawa is a Japanese actor. Biography Born in Yao, Osaka, he studied at Shimizudani High School is a prestigious Japanese public co-educational senior high school (secondary school), located in Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan. Overview Shimizudan ...

. The film was released in 1996 in the United States.

Plot

When an undercover FBI agent with a secret agenda (

Kelly Hu Kelly Ann Hu (born February 13, 1968 ) is an American actress, voice artist, former fashion model and beauty queen who was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993. Hu starred as Dr. Rae Chang on the American television soap opera '' Sunset ...

) murders the skin head son (

Ian Ziering Ian Andrew Ziering (; born March 30, 1964) is an American actor best known for his role as Steve Sanders on the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', which he played from 1990 to 2000. He is also the voice of Vinnie on ''Biker Mice from M ...

) of high-ranking crime boss Frank Serlano ( Michael Lerner), the mafioso retaliates by kidnapping the son of Zach Grant (

), the FBI agent in charge of the botched undercover sting. Simultaneously, Yuji (

), wanted dead by 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 term ...

for forthcoming legal testimony, breaks free from Grant's supervision during a trans-Atlantic flight. He forces their airplane, along with Mary (

), the ditzy stewardess accompanying them, to make an emergency-landing. In an attempt to free Yuji from the gaze of the Yakuza and regain custody of Zach's child from the mafia, the three crash survivors go off of the grid and set into motion a dangerous plan that could quickly facilitate their untimely demise.

Cast

as FBI Agent Zack Grant *

as Mary *

as Yuji Kobayashi * Michael Lerner as Frank Serlano *

Kyūsaku Shimada is a Japanese actor. History Shimada was originally part of the Tokyo Grand Guignol Theater group, formed by artist Norimizu Ameya. He stayed with the group until its dissolution in 1986. One of the productions the group undertook was an adaptat ...

as Tetsuro *

as Victor Serlano *

François Chau François Chau (born October 26, 1959) is a Cambodian American actor. He is known for his roles as Dr. Pierre Chang in ABC's ''Lost'', Quick Kick on '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'', Dr. Chang in the film '' 21 & Over'', The Shredder in '' Te ...

as FBI Agent Gim Takakura *

as Seiko Kobayashi * Andrew J. Ferchland as Eric Grant

Reception

Denise Lanctot of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...

'' rated it D+ and wrote that it would have made a better video game. Scott Hamilton and Chris Holland of ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in May 1923 by J ...

'' rated it 1/5 stars and called it a "preposterous crime thriller". R.L. Shaffer of

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

rated it 5/10 and recommended that fans of the stars watch their other films instead. 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 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "A wholly mediocre thriller, ''No Way Back'' will be of passing interesting to Russell Crowe fans and those who enjoy low budget action movies but outside of that group, it'll probably fall pretty flat."

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:No Way Back 1995 films 1995 action films 1995 crime thriller films 1990s English-language films American action films American crime thriller films Films about contract killing Films about organized crime in the United States American gangster films Films about hostage takings American police detective films Columbia Pictures films Films produced by Joel Soisson Yakuza films 1990s American films 1990s Japanese films