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Rising Sun

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Rising Sun (1993)

July. 30,1993
|
6.2
|
R
| Drama Action Thriller
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When a prostitute is found dead in a Los Angeles skyscraper occupied by a large Japanese corporation, detectives John Connor and Web Smith are called in to investigate. Although Connor has previous experience working in Japan, cultural differences make their progress difficult until a security disc showing the murder turns up. Close scrutiny proves the disc has been doctored, and the detectives realize they're dealing with a cover-up as well.

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Smartorhypo
1993/07/30

Highly Overrated But Still Good

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Dotbankey
1993/07/31

A lot of fun.

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BallWubba
1993/08/01

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

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Zlatica
1993/08/02

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

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a_chinn
1993/08/03

Writer Michael Crichton wrote the part of Captain Connor with Sean Connery in mind and Connery absolutely shines in the role. Connery plays a police detective with an expertise in Japanese culture who's called in to assist on a murder case that took place at an LA high rise owned by a Japanese multinational corporation. Connery is partnered with a very American of detective, Wesley Snipes, which unfortunately gives the film a disappointingly conventional buddy-cop-film vibe that was wisely absent from Crichton's novel. Crichton (a film director himself) and "Rising Sun" director Philip Kaufman reportedly clashed over changes to the script Kaufman made regarding making Connor's partner black, which I'll side with Kaufman that it added an interesting new element in this clash of cultures murder mystery, but I'll side with Crichton in that it was badly done. The scene where Snipes take Connery to a black neighborhood and Captain Connor suddenly becomes the most uncomfortable whitest white person of all time, seemingly to have forgotten all his skills and control previously demonstrated up to that point. This could have been an interesting scene if it was done in a more subtle manner, but Connor is suddenly becoming a buffoon seemed out of place. It's as if Sherlock Holmes for a few scenes became Inspector Clouseau. I'll also side with Crichton on the change of murderer at the end of the film, which seemed completely unnecessary and also went against much of what the book and film had to say about the nature of culture and culture clashes. Despite these deficiencies, there is much to enjoy. Connery has one of the best roles of his career (minus the Inspector Clouseau scenes). Director Phillips Kaufman bring style and atmosphere, crafting a slick modern day noir, while also bringing a surprising amount of sensuality to a mainstream film, rivaling his more art-house of features like "Henry & June" and "The Unbearable Lightness of Being." Director of photography Michael Chapman also gets kudos for his moody photography. The film also features a strong supporting cast that includes Harvey Keitel, Kevin Anderson, Mako, Ray Wise, Stan Shaw, Tia Carrere, and Steve Buscemi. Overall, despite it's deficiencies, this is a stylish mystery that borders on erotic thriller and is centers around an interesting (though not so subtle) subtext about culture.

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leplatypus
1993/08/04

I just have read the fantastic novel in a week and i'm glad our dad picked the movie adaptation ! This karaoke bar opening may be disastrous but i discovered that Crichton has worked on the screenplay. So the movie looks really like the novel but it's more easy to follow, more polished, and above all, it offers new scenes but also new facts about the case and the characters as well! I don't know if Crichton wrote originally with Sean in mind but he's perfect here, as the old wisdom cunning sage (even if it's Giorgio(s suit is awful). However, Snipes has nothing for him : he looks a Jar-Jar, not bright, good for kicks only and that wasn't the liaison agent i followed in the novel.

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staven600
1993/08/05

My favourite buddy cop film and one of my favourite films simply because of how entertaining, unusual, laid back and fun it is. This is a film that took me by surprise when I first watched it because of how chill and easygoing it is, much like character John Conner, played by Sean Connery, an eccentric detective and friend of the Japanese businessmen they're investigating, who knows the Japanese inside out and is therefore the best man for the case. It's almost comical to see Connery deal with the Japanese and give wisdom to his "Kohai" played by Wesley Snipes, knock out opponents like a ninja and spout mind-bending expressions, putting the American police department he derides to shame all the way, especially an arrogant, crooked detective played by Harvey Keitel. Connery couldn't be more perfect as he knocks out a tough body guard and then quips to the other "they say if you have to resort to violence you've already lost...would you like to find out Jeff?" He's justifiably and hilariously pleased with himself, but not the point of smugness as having learned from a superior culture as opposed to the "fragmented mtv rap video" culture of America he's basically a far better detective. The Japanese expect to be caught in Japan, but in America they take advantage because they think the American authorities are crooked and stupid, and aren't often wrong, so when a murder occurs in the Nakumora building during vital business negotiations, an obsequious, highly Americanized little subordinate thinks he can sloppily cover up a scandal with murder and forged evidence. It's up to John Conner to casually play golf with the head of the company get free membership and gain information on the Japanese' terms while Snipes learns and becomes a better detective. It's also a bit of an educational film about the way the Japanese do things, far more direct, simple and precise, and with honour of course, and I guess some kind of strange Japanese/American relations film. It's light entertainment, colourful and fun with a great cast all round, also including Steve Buscemi as a reporter who gets told by Sean Connery. Sean Connery steals the show in quite possibly my favourite performance of his so far, and it's worth watching for him alone. Also it was great to watch Ray Wise from Twin Peaks play a senator. There's a Twin Peaks reference at one point, and there's some Leland Palmer in his performance.

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bent-mathiesen
1993/08/06

I have not read the book, so my disappointment is based only on acting.The movie is not bad, but the acting and scenes seem stiff and unnatural. My disappointment is not based on a particular actor - no one in particular is bad - just stiff and boring.nice cultural ping pongbut it don't scratch beneath the surfacethe emotions played in various scenes are played stiff and unnaturalthe tempo is OK, the story is OK, just the acting is boring.more stories is being told (business, cop, private). It keeps the attention of the viewer. But still boring acting.

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