Web Smith: “Where are you from, ‘sempai’? Scotland Yard?”
John Connor: “Scotland Backyard.”
A late era entry in the last decade of Sean Connery’s impressive catalogue, Rising Sun (1993), co-written and directed by Philip Kaufman, was brought to the page by Michael Crichton – yes, the mind behind Westworld and Jurassic Park, who helped adapt it from his own novel of the same name, building a woven web of corrupt mysteries and thrills in this edgy crime movie.
For James Bond fans, it may bring to mind a direct connection to You Only Live Twice (1967), as in that 007 adventure, Connery plays a character deeply immersed within the Japanese culture. . . as is the case here. After an escort is discovered dead on the boardroom table within the newly christened Japanese company Nakamoto’s office building in Los Angeles, Lt. Webster Smith (Wesley Snipes) is instructed to work with rebellious Capt. John Conner (Connery – the name sometimes sounding like his very own) – as he is an expert in the ways of the Asian culture.
Placed in a most difficult scenario, the team are under the watchful eye of their boss, Lt. Tom Graham (Harvey Keitel), as well as the high end security guarding the Nakamoto company – who are acting more like it is a protected embassy rather than American soil.
Filmizon.com’s Nikolai Adams with Tia Carrere, who stars as Jingo Asakuma in Rising Sun
With numerous players in this most dangerous murder game, there’s Eddie Sakamura (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) – a high-up in the company who was dating the murdered woman last; Yoshida-san (Mako) – the powerful President of Nakamoto; Bob Richmond (Kevin Anderson) – a lying lawyer working for the Japanese company; Senator John Morton (Ray Wise) – a slick politician who has had some dealings with the Japanese recently; Willy ‘the Weasel’ Wilhelm (Steve Buscemi) – a journalist who is aptly named; Jingo Asakuma (Tia Carrere) – a tech expert with lineage that could tie her to both sides of this conundrum; all this while a suspicious merger between an American semiconductor company and the Japanese Nakamoto company hangs in the balance.
As the web grows ever bigger and more complex, the risk of further death also looms in the near future. Who exactly is covering up the real cause of this sexually-tinged death? Might either the political realm or tech merger have anything to do with it? How much power do the Japanese actually have in the United States? Are Smith and Conner, who also seem to have their own shady pasts, hiding anything themselves?
A crafty adult-themed thriller that sadly isn’t seen very much anymore, all of the twists and turns make for an entertaining if dense and slightly meandering whodunit. Backed by the always engaging Connery, a game Snipes, Keitel – who is memorable in all of his roles, some intellectual spice from Carrere, and a fun little role for Buscemi, you just can’t beat this powerhouse cast! Intriguingly, Crichton left the project after Kaufman cast Snipes, which changed the character’s race from Caucasian – which he felt added another complex dynamic that made for too many complicated race relations.
Concluding on an open ended final note, Rising Sun’s finale might not be for everyone (in fact, it’s the most complained about scene in the entire movie), but it certainly makes you think. Lastly, it’s worth noting Toru Takemitsu’s Japanese inspired score – which added an authentic touch to the picture. So, discover who takes the fall in this mystery thriller, it’s a saucy scandal well worth seeing.