Perfectly adorable

A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The first must-see film of the year.

Back to Back is movie made in the same vein as the American Yakuza. Ryo Ishibashi plays role of Yakuza again. Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) is an ex-cop who has anger issues living with his daughter (Danielle Harris) in LA. There're three plots going on at the same time. One with Malone with his daughter Chelsea, and another with Yakuza Koji (Ryo Ishibashi), and Hideo (Koh Takasugi) where they are trying to make delivery of who knows what, and Leonardo (Vincent Scavelli) the gangster and police Sargent Dussecq (John Laughlin) who's actually working together.The event that brings all of them together is the bank robbery by robber Psycho (Bob Goldswaith) that goes awry thanks to Malone bludgeoning the guy waiting in the getaway car to a pulp during the heist. Psycho gets away and ends up in a restaurant Koji and Hideo is having coffee. This restaurant is also the meeting place for Leonardo and his associates. The funny twist to the story is that no one at the restaurant knows that Koji is an Yakuza including Psycho, Leonardo's associate and the restaurant employee who all in their own way belittles Koji and Hideo and tests their patience. Psycho is the first to get the taste of Koji's violence Yakuza style when he gets his hand chopped off with a cooking knife. Police arrive at the scene and Psycho with his hand chopped off goes out firing his machine gun in a hail of fire. Flagship killing (in my opinion) of this movie happens shortly afterwards.From there Koji, Chelsea, and Malone meet in the police station and the plot builds up to the final confrontation between Malone + Koji vs. Leonardo and Dussec. the story is well told from the view of people living in the back side of the society, with friendship, and loyalty which is an universal code between warriors of two countries. Ryo Ishibashi and Daniel Harris steals the show with their acting. A hidden gem of a movie I'm sure you'll agree if you've seen it.

Everything about this movie is fine, and of course the bullets flying scenes are great. But since the title is American Yakuza 2, it seems to neglect the "Yakuza" part, especially the guy in black should have deserved more action. The prowess of the Yakuzas was portrayed in scenes like the man in white chop off the hand and escape the police station. And this movie showed the fact that some corrupt cops are in cahoots with the MOB.Furthermore without more action from the yakuzas, this movie just seems like another 2 super fit gunmen blasted bullets through a mob of people.

Some good humour, sweet gun fighting and good cast...how can you go wrong? Im not sure exactly, but somehow this flick did. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this movie...but it wasn't great. Worth a rental if theres nothing else to rent, and maybe - MAYBE - worth buying. Main problem is the mix of comedy and action. Not enough action to make a solid action movie, nor enough humour to make it really funny. But hey, the casts still strong. Michael Rooker and Ryo Isabashi do their jobs well as the two main characters. And the lovely Danielle Harris as always does a fine job ( Then again she could have spent the movie sitting there doing absolutely nothing and I would have remained interested) ****SPOILER ahead**** But is it just me or was Bobcat annoying in this movie? Especially when he ran out of the restaurant freaking out with his assault rifle and screaming. That lasted far too long, and I wished somebody would get a lucky shot and rip off his jaw. Anything to shut him up. ****SPOILER ended**** Anyways, if you like comedy or action...or like me just like Danielle Harris, you may wanna rent this movie. I mean its not bad, its just not all that good. Elvis Lives.

"Back to Back" didn't stun the world with its market impact when released. Watching it five years later there doesn't seem to be much wrong with it, there's sufficient action and plot to stop most people falling asleep on the sofa. It has an "R" rating, but for me the violence is in context and doesn't detract from the entertainment value of the movie.The director, Roger Nygard, obviously knows his job. As a piece of film making, "Back to Back" is well put together. The cast and crew do a good job with a neat script. Admittedly, coincidence does have a field day in the story line. The script boasts two yakuza hit men (one a disciple of Elvis), suitably evil mafiosi, a disgraced ex-cop, his much exasperated daughter, a mad bomber bank robber and, last but not least, an obnoxious, corrupt detective who you just know has been responsible for everything that has gone wrong for years.The cast is definitely above average. Some of the names are regulars among the ranks of supporting players featuring in bigger budget movies. There's Michael Rooker (Bob Malone), who I last saw making a fair job of Stan Zedkov in "The Replacement Killers" (1998). Sci-Fi enthusiasts will I'm sure be pleased to spot Stephen Furst, Vir Cotto from "Babylon 5", in the minor role of Jimmy, one of two no-accounts planning to sell Hideo back to the Mob. Also, a real inspiration in the casting of "Back to Back" has to be offering Bobcat Goldthwait the part of the psycho bank robber. Villainous and comic, he's great!Danielle Harris is much more than eye candy as daughter Chelsea Malone: wayward fathers need a firm hand! It is entertaining to see the changes brought about by advancing years (at least in this young lady's case it is!). I remember DH as little Melissa, the younger daughter of the Crandell family in "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" (1991). By 1996 she certainly had looks and screen presence aplenty. I recently spotted her again in "Urban Legend", dating from 1998, a movie in which costume and make up render her almost unrecognizable.I have not seen the two Japanese actors before who play Koji and Hideo. The mentor and his pupil scenario is nicely done. If I didn't know from experience how difficult it is to find the work of Japanese actors, it would be interesting to see other things they've done. Look out too for the enjoyable cameo from Leland Orser as the Wheelchair Guy. His brief screen appearance is a realistic peek into the precarious existence of someone surviving on the street.TV movies are sometimes bland, this one is well worth seeing.