Returner
Destination Films | Release Date: October 17, 2003 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
36
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews
Positive:
1
Mixed:
9
Negative:
7
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
A B-movie goof on an A-minus budget, Returner is a mini-epic tweaked with computer effects and one blazing gun battle after another and set to an anonymous techno-beat. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesManohla Dargis
Like all good B-movies, Returner comes loaded with enough eccentric touches to give the recycling a whiff of freshness and, as is often the case with many above-par follies, it's the cast that takes the whole thing to another level. Read full review
50
VarietyDerek Elley
Kaneshiro is all long flowing locks and smoldering disdain, the visual F/X are only so-so, and pacing is almost brisk enough to hide the plot holes. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubTasha Robinson
Yamazaki is clearly a science-fiction fan himself, and in Returner, he shows some worthwhile style, if only by stealing the biggest and best possible elements for his serviceably entertaining genre mashup. Read full review
50
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Hovering between "Last Action Hero" and "E.T.," this sci-fi extravaganza is bookended with violence but has some gentle moments in between. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Hartlaub
Less a new Japanese movie than a series of scenes from old American ones, most notably "The Terminator" and "ET." Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Overwrought and overlong, Returner might been a rousing B-movie -- had it not been hamstrung by Yamazaki's bigger pretensions. Read full review
50
Portland OregonianMarc Mohan
Hardcore genre fans may find some appeal in this warmed-over tale, but most viewers will be squirming in their seats even before the prolonged finale. Read full review
40
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
A smorgasbord that seems to have been picked out of a Dumpster. It clumsily combines a fish-out-of-water story with bits lifted from sources including the "Terminator" movies, "Star Wars," "Starman," "Close Encounters," a couple of Pink Floyd albums and H. G. Wells. Read full review
40
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
Mines familiar territory and does nothing especially new with it. On the plus side, Kishitani is a spectacular villain. Read full review
38
Chicago TribuneRobert K. Elder
Serves as both an homage to and shameless thief of its influences. The result: a sprawling, deformed, undisciplined piece of cinema that hobbles along on weak, genre-splicing tactics. Read full review
33
Entertainment WeeklyBruce Fretts
With his tousled mane and wispy facial hair, Asian pop star/ Prada model Kaneshiro suggests a Japanese Johnny Depp, but even his charisma can't carry Returner through its interminable longueurs. Blame it on Yamazaki. Read full review
30
Village VoiceEd Park
A shamelessly recycled vision of decrepit high tech. Read full review
30
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Suzuki and Kaneshiro keep the first hour afloat with their easy comic interplay, but Yamazaki badly needs editing: the opening escape sequence is needlessly repeated later, and a slow drip of false endings drags this out to a tiring 118 minutes. Read full review
30
L.A. WeeklyDavid Chute
Silly, derivative stuff. Read full review
25
New York PostLou Lumenick
Soporific, shamelessly derivative and barely coherent by American standards. Read full review
25
PremiereScott Warren
The story and stunts are outlandish, and the effects are distractingly computer-generated. To be fair, some of the best things about the film are very Japanese, notably the anime. Read full review
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