Rising Sun | | Cast : | Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes | | Director : | Philip Kaufman | | Studio : | Twentieth Century Fox | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | July 30, 1993 | | DVD Released Date : | May 21, 2002 | | Language : | French (Dubbed), English (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | May 17, 2005 | | Summary | Very interesting movie | Content
 | This was a very interesting movie, though I found myself liking it for reasons other than what I had expected. I have read most of Michael C.'s books, but thought I'd short cut this one and just see the movie. I found myself very pleasantly surprised, even though the movie apparently was a very loose translation.
In terms of accuracy to Japanese culture, the movie does an admirable job of capturing 1980s Japan, as well as American paranoia surrounding it. If you accept the characters bias as irony, the movie does very well - at least as solid as Lost in Translation in capturing truth amongst the stereotypes.
The plot was interesting as well. There were enough twists and turns to keep one interested, and it's hard to figure out "Whoodunit?" until the last 20 minutes of the movie. Even with that, there's still some lingering uncertainty at the end. It's a movie that actually makes you think.
In the end I enjoyed the movie, an am convinced I need to read the book as well. It's a rare movie that does that. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 05, 2005 | | Summary | Dark, foggy and complete waste of energy | Content
| Don't even consider watching this movie, if you already read the book and are hoping for a decent adaption to screen. This movie is more interested in showing us body parts than a good plot that moves and flows well.
Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes do nothing to brighten the outlook or dialogue of this movie, and Steve Buscemie's role is way to short to be any help in saving the torn threads of this really awful movie. Besides being, this movie doesn't inform us why the murdered girl is playing such a big important role in the film, only that men seem to enjoy her, and who was the killer. The negotiations are never really explained also, we only know they are importent to the Japanese, and the American's are a bit wary in agreeing.
If you're looking for a good Micheal Crichton movie, try Jurassic Park 1-3 or the thirteent Warrior. For all thats good and wonderful, don't, I beg you, bother with this boring, drawnout attempt at the real thing. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 29, 2005 | | Summary | One of my favorites. | Content
| This movie was nowhere as bad as people say it is. It actually is a great mystery thriller film to Michael Crichton's best selling, and controversial novel. Apparently this movie was trashed by most critics when it came out in 1993, and Crichton and Philip Kaufman had a major fight over the changing of several major key things in the script. For example, the novel had a more overly anti-japanese slant, but this was toned down in part due to the studios corporate ties with Japan. A decision that gave alot of people a reason to hate this movie for being nonfaithful to the book. One of the major things that people got on this movie was the decision to cast Wesley Snipes, and Sean Connery as the leads, because of the lack of chemistry between them. I disagree with this arguement, because I feel that they were both perfect together, and played their roles just like in the book. Conner is the smart detective who's always right, and has full knowledge of how to do business with the Japanese. Smith is the other guy who follows Conner and watches him, wondering about how he knows all of the stuff that he seems to have full knowledge of. The rest of the cast played their roles to the T, especially Harvey Keitel as the racist cop towards the Japanese, but friendly towards Smith, who is black. Overall, a nice and well done movie, that should be seen, and judged by it's own standards, not because it's based on a novel. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 21, 2005 | | Summary | a good half of an aged book | Content
| This movie is an adaptation of one of crichton's more controversial books. The book originally was a meant as an examination of the growing strength and influence of Japanese business on the U.S economy during the late 80's and early 90's. It was criticized by many as a racist novel meant to inspire fear of the Japanese. I find this characterization to be unfair after reading the book. The books subject matter however has not aged well, since when it was written in the early 90's. The problem solved itself and there is no reason to be concerned now as there was at the time, but the story that wrapped this warning is still as strong as ever. The story is engaging and set on a timeline much like Crichton's other novels.
The movie seems to know a good thing when it sees it and fallows the story almost exactly for a little over half the film then it seems to lose sight of everything except the basic plot elements.
As far as casting goes every other part except the two main parts of John Conner and Web Smith seem to be filled with surpassingly good background acting. Connery was a good choice to play Conner but seemed a little out of touch with the character's unique view of the Japanese. Web smith was perhaps the worst portrayed character in the film. Whether it was Snipes acting or the screenplay, the film did not seem to capture the distinction between him and any other American's relation to the Japanese at all. a feat that was accomplished with contrast to Grahm in the novel and could have been accomplished the same way in the film. They also lost the story line involving his struggle with being a single father dealing with a successful, public image obsessed, ex-wife in the back half of the film. Tia Carrere was an excellent casting choice as the part of the ostracized American Japanese computer whiz. But the attempted splicing of a romantic conflict into the plot and the less than tactful Snipes ruins any portrayal of this character. the book is worth reading for its story alone despite its now dated message. read the book then see the first half of the movie and envision the rest for your self. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 16, 2004 | | Summary | PARTIAL ECLIPSE | Content
| RISING SUN has some good moments, but overall it's a slow-paced and convoluted story. Based on Michael Crichton's best seller, the plot revolves around the murder of a call-girl during a high-powered gathering of Japanese businessmen who are trying to buy a failing American corporation. The movie uses flashbacks, and takes its time in laying out the multi-layered, if somewhat predictable plot.
Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes do not have a good screen chemistry and both actors seem to be earning a paycheck but not infusing their performances with any real gusto. Kevin Anderson as a lecherous lawyer has the worst hairstyle in movies in years; Harvey Keitel looks constipated, Mako and Tia Carrere are wasted, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is ineffective as well.
Since this movie was made, our "fear" over America becoming Japanese dominated has certainly vanished, so one has to remember when this flick was filmed.
Director Philip Kaufman offers no real cinematic genius in his direction, and by the time the movie wraps up, you're ready to put in another disc. Not awful, but very disappointing considering the geneaology. |
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