NO WAY BACK
US, 1996, 90 minutes, Colour.
Russell Crowe, Helen Slater, Michael Lerner.
Directed by Frank Cappella.
No Way Back is a police thriller. It focuses on an undercover sting which goes wrong. An alleged undercover agent from Japan kills in vengeance the leader of a racist gang. He is the son of a Mafia chief who wants him back. In order to get him, he kidnaps the main policeman's son and holds him to ransom. The main part of the film is a journey from New York to the west coast via plane and car, with a final confrontation on a lake.
Russell Crowe in one of his earlier American films is the FBI agent. Helen Slater plays a rather ditzy flight attendant who comes into her own during the case. Michael Lerner is the Mafia chief.
Routine entertainment - of the type that often goes straight to video.
1. Police thriller? Undercover activities, the FBI, chase, confrontations?
2. The locations, west coast cities, New York City, the desert states, the open roads, the lake? The musical score?
3. The title and its reference to Zac Grant - his work with the FBI, the attack on the Mafia's son, its going wrong, the hold of Salerno over him, his son, accompanying the Japanese Yakuza man, taking him to Salerno? No way back?
4. The opening: the preparation of the Japanese agent, her strength of mind, the expectations of her activity, the wire, her taking it out, the massacre and her killing herself? The investigation and discovering her brother in New York City? The presumption that it was a Yakuza plot? The background of the initial brutality in the street, the street man watching the racists bash the Japanese man to death? The massacre as a revenge for his death?
5. Zac Grant and his being dismissed, given tacit permission to go to New York City to get Yuji? The flight over and his rudeness to Mary on the plane? The infiltration of the Yakuza office, playing cards, the pretence of being a dealer, the shootout and is taking Yuji? On the plane, encountering Mary again? Salerno's blackmailing him with taking his son? On the plane, Salerno's men and the attack, Yuji and his shrewdness in hijacking the plane, the landing?
6. In the desert, taking the cars, Mary as hostage? The three together and Grant pursuing Yuji and capturing him? The breakdown of the car, Mary and Zac pushing it, the continued clashes? The phone calls, the attack of the FBI, Zac refusing to give Yuji to them? His being pursued as a rogue agent?
7. The bonds between the three on the road, Yuji and the final truth about his sister, Zac and the truth about his son, Mary and her driving, resourcefulness?
8. Salerno, the Mafioso grief about his son, his memories of bringing his son up, the funeral? The contrast with Zac and his son, together, his son making allowances for his father's work? Salerno taking Eric, on the boat, fishing, the bonds between the two?
9. The final confrontation: Salerno on the boat with Eric, his henchmen, Mary and her driving to the scene and pretending ignorance, Yuji and Zac in the water? The shootout, Salerno falling overboard with Eric, Zac rescuing him? Yuji wounded?
10. The finale, the resolution, Zac and Eric - and the talk about Aunt Mary?
11. The strength of the cast, giving life to a conventional chase thriller?
