The Returner

Surpisingly enough, this movie is not about a guy who returns videos on time. Instead, this Japanese effort is a mix of the Terminator, ET and Trancers and thoroughly enjoyable to boot.

Milly is a young girl from a future that is pretty bleak thanks to an alien invasion years ago. She gets sent back in time to stop the war by destroying the first alien to land on the planet before it can call down the mother ship. To help her, she enlists the aid of Miyamoto, a hitman/martial arts expert by planting a bomb on his neck.

They find out that the ship is in the custody of the government and that an evil gangster who killed Miyamoto's best friend years ago is heading to steal it and use it for his own meglomaniacal aspirations. Can they stop the alien invasion and fight off gang members in the process? Watch it and find out.

The film could have ended up as just another knock-off of established films, instead it takes the cliched elements and makes them its own, creating an action filled and believable scenario that doesn't run too short or too long. The fight scenes are few and well done, relying more on plot and the chemistry between characters to advance the story. The leads are likeable and the villains are despicable and the special effects are top notch. If you're a fan of science fiction, you owe it to yourself to check out this wonderful and fun film. Available everywhere.