Product Details

• Actors: Russell Crowe, Helen Slater, Etsushi Toyokawa, Michael Lerner, Kyûsaku Shimada
• Directors: Frank A. Cappello
• Writers: Frank A. Cappello
• Producers: Aki Komine, Don Phillips, Joel Soisson, Michael Leahy, Mitsuru Kurosawa
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• VHS Release Date: May 5, 1998
• Run Time: 91 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0800180429
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,811 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The FBI, the Mafia, and the Yakuza (Japanese gangsters) fight to the death in this nonstop action thriller starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator). FBI agent Zack Grant (Crowe) sends beautiful rookie operative Seiko (Kelly Hu) on a sting operation against the depraved, skinhead son of a Mafia kingpin. Little does he know that Seiko is on a revenge mission of her own. This bloody situation escalates into all-out war, as the Mafia kingpin, Frank Serlano (Michael Lerner), and the head Yakuza, Yuji (Etsushi Toyokawa), get into the act. Grant is forced to go renegade from the bureau when Serlano kidnaps his young son, a plot point that certainly raises the story's emotional stakes. During an exciting airplane hijacking sequence, we meet Mary (Helen Slater), a dizzy blonde flight attendant who introduces an unexpected note of comic relief to the proceedings (along with a touch of romance). Crowe is convincing in Dirty Harry mode, bringing his characteristic intensity and empathy to the role. It's fun to watch a former Miss Hawaii, Kelly Hu, display her martial arts mastery, and the performances of Slater and Toyokawa are a cut above the action-genre norm. Still and all, No Way Back falls squarely into the "guilty pleasure" movie category. Writer-director Frank A. Cappello (American Yakuza), provides plenty of slam-bang, shoot-'em-up action, plus enough nail-biting suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. --Laura Mirsky

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Follow Russell Crowe, the Yakuza, the Mafia, and the FBI...., June 26, 2000

By 

Maxine E. Nelson (Tampa, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Way Back [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This Russell Crowe film is one of his least known works. One should realize it is not in the same caliber as his other great films, but one that should be appreciated as strictly an action hero performance instead. "No Way Out" was not a theaterical release, instead it debuted on cable televison. It has the typical elements of a made for t.v. movie fare; weak script and storyline, minimal character development, and strictly action-driven. However, Russell Crowe turns this film around from your typical action genre movie to a well-paced and well-acted film on his part. This is the first role of Crowe's where he plays a father and a widower. It is ashame there was not enough of an established relationship between father and son. However, it was so adorable to see the character of Zack Grant talk to his son as if an adult and have his son call him by his first name. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised by this different kind of film, character, and performance by Russell Crowe in his fourth U.S. film. You will notice how far he has come in his present film career!

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly good little actioner, July 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: No Way Back [VHS] (VHS Tape)

While clearly not big studio fare this fun little film sneaks up and takes you by surprise. Director Frank Cappello moves an interesting set of characters along in a fun and engaging way that is far above what you expect in this kind of low-budget genre piece. Cinematography is especially good and the movie has a slick and stylish look. Effects and action sequences are modest, but well done. The film never seems to take itself too seriously, which is a big plus at this level. I highly recommend this one, but I liked "American Yakuza," the previous effort by this same director-producer-cameraman team even better. Check them both out.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Even Russell Crowe Can't Save This One, October 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: No Way Back (DVD)

I'm a big fan of Russell Crowe's work, "L.A. Confidential" and "Proof" are among my favorite films. Having said that, I have to place "No Way Back" in the "what was he thinking?" category. Okay, it's a low-budget, made-for-cable action film, and I shouldn't have hoped for too much, right? Well, I've come to expect Russell Crowe to pull a riveting performance out of even a weak script or a two-dimensional character - just watch "The Quick and the Dead" or "Virtuosity" for evidence of that. Unfortunately, Crowe's Zack Grant was flat and uninteresting and the character of Mary, played by Helen Slater, was simply excruciating. The only performance in the whole film worth watching was Etsushi Toyokawa as "bad guy" Yuji. He brought some complexity and subtlety to what could have been just another flat character. The bottom line? Skip this one, even if you're a big Crowe fan. Trust me.