Andy Garcia’s performance in an awful ’80s crime thriller impressed Taylor Sheridan so much that he cast him on “Landman.” This shows that no matter how bad some of his projects are at times, Garcia can still deliver the goods and make an impression on viewers. However, the actor also made some entertaining crime flicks back then, with Ridley Scott’s 1989 thriller “Black Rain” being a particular standout.
“Black Rain” is a fish-out-of-water cop story that sees Garcia and Michael Douglas play a pair of New York City detectives who get pulled into the Japanese criminal underworld. Basically, they are tasked with escorting a Yakuza member from the United States to Japan, but their mission goes awry after the criminal escapes en route to Osaka, forcing our heroes to deliver justice in a world they don’t understand.
“Black Rain” isn’t often ranked among the upper echelon of Scott’s filmography, but that’s only because classics like “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” “Gladiator,” “Thelma & Louise,” and “Black Hawk Down” overshadow it. Be that as it may, “Landman” fans will gravitate toward “Black Rain,” even though both projects see Garcia play entirely different types of characters. With that in mind, let’s dig into the wonders of Scott’s overlooked ’80s crime thriller.
Black Rain and Landman are different, but they share some key features
“Black Rain” and “Landman” are totally different in a lot of ways. Taylor Sheridan’s oil drama is a sun-scorched neo-Western set in the heart of Texas, while Ridley Scott’s thriller is an atmospheric neo-noir with a Far Eastern flavor. However, both projects are led by morally complex heroes who are full of machismo, so fans of “Landman” — or any Taylor Sheridan series for that matter — should get a kick out of “Black Rain’s” hard-boiled sensibilities.
What’s more, both projects are heavily set in the world of organized crime. “Landman” is an oil drama on the surface, but it’s also a cartel story in which Andy Garcia’s character is the main kingpin. This is a stark contrast to the detective he plays in “Black Rain,” but both roles still showcase Garcia’s charismatic coolness and natural affinity for starring in crime dramas.
“Black Rain” deserves some reappraisal, as it really is an unsung gem with plenty of style and great performances by Garcia and Michael Douglas. Hopefully, Garcia’s success on “Landman” will lead to more viewers delving into the forgotten corners of his filmography and checking it out, even if it’s only to see the “Landman” star perform an outstanding musical number.
