American Yakuza II

Retired cop Malone finds himself caught up in a battle between Japanese Yakuza and local mobsters when a psycho bombs a restaurant. He joins forces with Koji in order to protect his daughter and not only discovers that he was framed by a corrupt cop but also discovers a lot about honour and friendship.

When I saw this as American Yakuza 2, I didn't expect much, and I wasn't disappointed. The story relies on unlikely events to get moving and keep moving. For example the whole chain of events that bring Malone and Koji together is set off by a psycho's unlikely hostage situation in a diner! This is typical of the story, in that big dumb situations are used to drive the plot. However, I have to admit that it wasn't terrible. Yes, it's very predictable and quite silly but it is generally quite entertaining and actually has some genuinely good moments.

Rooker is an OK actor but rarely gets good leads - here is no exception. Danielle Harris is quite good as his daughter, while Ishibashi is good as Koji. The rest of the cast are nothing more than cop and mobster stereotypes that fill out the cast.

Overall it's not great but if you're in the mood it's reasonably enjoyable without being too demanding on the old grey matter.

Actually better that American Yakuza, even if it feature a strip club with no stripping. Sheesh!

Michael Rooker is an ex-cop trying to take care of his daughter Chelsea, played by Danielle Harris (Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, "That's Life", "The Wild Thornberrys", Halloween 4 & 5). He joins up with Ryo Ishibashi to take out a mobster to protect her.

Lots of shooting and the opening with Bob Goldthwait was a real riot. He really blows!

Also features the late Vincent Schiavelli.

One of many Pulp Fiction knockoffs, but it really is funny.

Lots of action strung together with converging story lines. "Back to Back" has some peculiarities, some that work and some that don't. For one thing, for a movie with such over the top violence, and an "R" rating, why don't the strippers strip? Fortunately there is plenty of dark humor, and some really great character actors, Vincent Schiavelli, Fred Willard, and Bobcat Goldthwait, being the most memorable. You also get a teenager with an attitude, Danielle Harris, and Elvis even gets to play a part. The film is fast paced, has a high body count, with just enough humor to carry the film into above average territory. Definitely entertaining, and recommended of it's type. - MERK

That terrific character actor Michael Rooker stars in the poorly titled BACK TO BACK, about a perpetually angry ex-cop caught up in a feud between the Japanese and American mobs. Against his better judgment, he teams up with a Yakuza killer (Ryo Ishibashi) to take down a capo who owes money to the Yakuza. The ex-cop's teen daughter (Danielle Harris of HALLOWEEN sequels fame) is along for the ride, and some of the best parts of the movie are the constant bickering between dad and daughter. Shot locally in L.A. and filled with Hollywood types in unnecessary cameos (Tim Thomerson, Bobcat Goldthwait, Fred Willard), the film leans heavily on Rooker, and he comes through as a divorced, aging dad with extreme anger management issues. Whatever the movie may lack otherwise, like a budget and a script, is at least partially made up for in the frequent, John Woo-style shootouts and fistfights, all of which are gorgeously bloody and well-staged. Good for insomniacs, like me. All others, approach with caution.

I would've never seen this movie if Cinemax didn't show it every 5 days. It's a perfect guy's flick, with a classic mismatched buddy formula, slick gun and martial arts action, and some decently amusing one-liners and situations. The Japanese and American mobs are at war, and in the process a down-and-out American cop gets caught in the middle. The real star is the Japanese hitman played by Ryo Ishibashi, who reminds me of Chow Yun-Fat at his stoic, tough guy best. Michael Rooker is typecast but does a decent job playing the straight man, and between the two there's a lot of shooting and ass