Into the Sun (2005 film)


Into the Sun is a 2005 action film directed by Christopher Morrison and starring Steven Seagal, Matthew Davis, Takao Osawa, Eddie George, Juliette Marquis, and William Atherton.
The original script, written by Trevor Miller, was very similar to Sydney Pollack's The Yakuza. Joe Halpin, a former undercover narcotics detective, rewrote the script with Seagal to avoid making it a costly remake. Set in Japan, Seagal plays a CIA operative who takes down Yakuza gangsters. It was theatrically released in Japan but only went direct-to-DVD in the United States.

Plot

The assassination of Tokyo's governor Takayama causes a stir of public outrage in Tokyo, Japan. Upon hearing news of the incident, the U.S. FBI asks the CIA's Tokyo office to investigate the killing, believing it to be linked to the Yakuza, a dangerous Japanese mafia syndicate. The Japanese branch of the CIA starts sniffing around under the auspices of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Retired CIA agent Travis Hunter & his rookie FBI agent understudy Sean Mac are assigned to work on the case & to track down the perpetrators. During their work, Mac proves to be primarily a distraction to Hunter, especially as he is neither very knowledgeable about CIA procedures nor Japanese customs. Hunter, on the other hand, having been raised in Japan, has a strong understanding of the Yakuza & their mysterious, eccentric and sinister ways.
Hunter & Mac discover a plan by Kuroda, the boss of a new Yakuza outfit, to build an enormous drug-dealing network using his export company in cahoots with a Chinese Tong outfit leader named Chen. Kuroda is killing everyone who gets in his way. While reviewing security footage of the assassination, Hunter identifies a medallion seen around the neck of the shooter that links Kuroda to be the mastermind of the governor's assassination. As Hunter has been told that Kojima, the second-in-command of an old school Yakuza group run by elderly "godfather" Oyabun Ishikawa, is the only Yakuza player who is capable of defeating Kuroda, Hunter turns to him for help. When they speak, Kojima tells Hunter that the new Yakuza are now joining forces with the Tongs, which means they are becoming too powerful. Kojima says that - like Hunter - he too would love nothing more than to permanently get rid of Kuroda, adding that it will be interesting to see which one of them kills him first.
Meanwhile, Hunter's relentless pursuit of Kuroda increasingly endangers those associated with him. First, Kuroda has godfather Ishikawa murdered, making Kojima the new leader of Ishikawa's Yakuza outfit. Mac gets out of his depth while investigating & is also brutally murdered. But when Kuroda has Hunter's fiancée Nayako savagely slaughtered by sword, Hunter's search for Kuroda becomes devastatingly personal. Teaming up with CIA operative Jewel & tattoo artist Fudomyo-o, whose wife & young child were also killed by Kuroda, Hunter sets out to take down Kuroda.
By nightfall, Fudomyo-o & Hunter arrive at the temple Kuroda uses as his hideout. One-by-one they take on all the members of Kuroda's group with katanas. Mia Ling student to Hunter's old master & an expert sword fighter, also arrives just in time to save Fudomyo-o & then teams up with the two men. When Fudomyo-o confronts Kuroda, the latter shoots him, but only in the left shoulder, & so the former survives. Hunter then appears & ferociously battles Kuroda, ultimately killing him by slashing his chest. They then leave Kuroda's temple hideout.
The next day, Mi Ling, Fudomyo-o & Hunter hold a memorial service to offer their respects to Nayako. At the same time, a Yakuza ceremony is held to formally make Kojima the successor leader. Jewel & her CIA "professional cleaning company crew" arrive at Kuroda's hideout & quickly coat virtually everything with a gooey blue substance. The local authorities arrive shortly thereafter to investigate the scene, & are puzzled by what they find. Some take away the bodies of Kuroda and his henchmen for autopsy while others collect the weapons for forensic criminal investigation. Their main inspector comments that the blue goo will keep them from gathering fingerprints. In the final scene, Hunter returns to the park where he & Nayako used to go in order to grieve & remember her.

Cast

The original script by Trevor Miller had to be reworked, as it was too similar to The Yakuza, which would have cost too much to license for a remake. The film was announced in 2003 after Franchise Pictures bought the script. Joe Halpin, who rewrote the script, is a former undercover narcotics detective who worked with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. Morrison said that the film, which was shot in Japan, was designed to feel authentically Japanese instead of merely being an American film set in Japan. Seagal had lived in Japan earlier and expressed embarrassment in the DVD commentary over how rusty he was at the use of the Japanese language.
The director said his "experience with Steven was terrific. I was working on a project very near to his heart as it was set in Tokyo and Steven had lived there for years and speaks fluent Japanese. The only difficulties came from stretching the budget & schedule to work in Tokyo and Thailand with a multi-language speaking cast. I however am very grateful for him giving me the shot to work with him on such a personal project he wrote."

Release

Sony released Into the Sun theatrically in Japan on November 26, 2005, and it grossed $164,762. In the United States, it went direct-to-video, released on February 15, 2005.

Reception

Beyond Hollywood wrote that the film could have been good if it had starred someone besides Seagal, whose extensive scenes of dialogue feel like padding and do not play to his action hero strengths. Ian Jane of DVD Talk rated it 3/5 stars and, while calling it one of Seagal's better recent films, recommended it to fans of mindless action films.