Ritana (2002)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Takashi Yamazaki

Writers:

Kenya Hirata (writer)
Takashi Yamazaki (writer)

Release Date:

31 August 2002 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Who cares about the future?

Plot:

A young woman from the future forces a local gunman to help her stop an impending alien invasion which will wipe out the human race.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Alien Invasion | Dodging Bullets | Murder | End Of The World

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Takeshi Kaneshiro	...	Miyamoto
Anne Suzuki	...	Milly
Kirin Kiki	...	Xie
Gorô Kishitani	...	Mizoguchi
Yukiko Okamoto	...	Dr. Yagi
Mitsuru Murata	...	Mizoguchi's Henchman
Kisuke Iida	...	Karasawa, Mizoguchi's Henchman
Kazuya Shimizu	...	Murakami, Mizoguchi's Henchman
Chiharu Kawai	...	Liu's Interpreter
Dean Harrington	...	Dr. Brown
Xiaoqun Zhao	...	Slave Merchant
Masaya Takahashi	...	Liu Laoban, Chinese Godfather
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ahmad Ali	...	Future Soldier
Ari Andres	...	Future Technician
Byron Baron	...	Future Soldier
Bernard Beardsley	...	Future Soldier
Buruna	...	Future Soldier
Francisco Gala	...	Future Soldier
Ryan Hill	...	Future Technician
Kanata Hongô	...	Young Miyamoto
Hoshi Ishida
Semenov Ivan	...	Future Technician
Kenji Motomiya	...	Mizoguchi's Henchman
Misako Nagashima
Shûgo Oshinari	...	Shooter
Kristie Protacio	...	Future Technician
Eric Robinson	...	Future Technician
Sean Ryan	...	Future Soldier
Steve Ryan	...	Future Soldier
Soltane M. Salah	...	Future Soldier
Nejat Shanino	...	Future Soldier
Laura Windrath	...	Future Technician (as Laura Windrash)

Directed by
Takashi Yamazaki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Kenya Hirata		writer
Takashi Yamazaki		writer

Produced by
Chikahiro Ando	....	producer
Toru Horibe	....	producer
Akifumi Takuma	....	producer

Original Music by
Akihiko Matsumoto

Cinematography by
Akira Sako
Kôzô Shibasaki

Film Editing by
Takuya Taguchi

Production Design by
Anri Johjo

Sound Department
Keiichi Momose	....	sound designer
Yasushi Tanaka	....	sound

Special Effects by
Kikuo Notomi	....	armourer
Kikuo Notomi	....	pyrotechnician

Visual Effects by
Semin Tho	....	CG artist
Takashi Yamazaki	....	visual effects

Stunts
Misako Nagashima	....	stunts
Yûji Shimomura	....	stunts
Hiroyuki Yoshida	....	utility stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Nariyuki Ueda	....	lighting technician

Production Companies

• Amuse
• Fuji Television Network
• Imagica Corp.
• Robot
• Shirogumi
• Toho Company

Distributors

• Destination Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Metacinema (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Kobe Film Office  film commission

Also Known As:

Returner (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence. (also edited version)

Runtime:

USA:116 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Mandarin | Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (video rating) | UK:15 | Malaysia:18SG | Malaysia:U (cut) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:13 | Germany:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:18 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Himeji, Japan

Company:

Amuse

Trivia:

The name of the aliens in this film, the "Daggra", is the Tibetan word for "Enemy".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the highway chase when the car is blown into the air and falls back down, the cable that was used by the crane to lift the car up into the air so they could drop it again is visible as the vehicle crashes to the ground.

Movie Connections:

References Gorgo (1961)

Soundtrack:

Dig In

Not bad, though no points for originality!

If you watch enough Japanese sci-fi films (live-action or animated), you'll see that their makers *love* to get their ideas from American films. This one is no exception; among other films, you'll see elements of THE TERMINATOR, INDEPENDENCE DAY, and E.T. There's even evidence that the filmmakers saw the Jack Scalia/Dennis Christopher direct-to-video flick THE SILENCERS! As derivative as the movie may be, it's still pretty entertaining. Sure, the story has a few murky plot points, but none that terribly confuse you about what is going on. And while it's directed in that stiff and somewhat sterile style often found in Japanese films, that feeling is much less intense than usual. The movie rolls along at an acceptable clip, there are some neat action scenes, and the special effects are often pretty good for what must have been a limited budget. Not a movie to actively seek out, but it's a good one to pick up when your neighborhood Asian DVD rental place is offering 3 rentals for $10. Ten lashes with a whip for the Universe Laser & Video Co., however, for one of the crummiest DVD transfers to date!