The NO WAY BACK Cheat Sheet


We begin our story in a dark abandoned alley. It is night time, which is why the picture is so dark. A mysterious cardboard box is dropped off by a bicyclist. Suddenly out of the shadows, a group of skinheads emerge and surround the box. Is this Romper Stomper? You could only wish it was. Brandishing baseball bats and other clubs, they begin to pummel the box. Blood starts to seep out. Someone's in there! After the skins leave, a homeless man find the wallet of the victim which includes a photo ID of an elderly Asian man. (How did the man end up in the box in the first place? We never know.)

This is Saiko, rookie FBI agent

Next we see a lovely young Asian woman being made up. She is Saiko, a rookie FBI agent about to go undercover. Her boss is Zach Grant (that's Russell to you and me.) He's briefing her on the plan. She's posing as a prostitute about to enter the lair of a group of skinheads led by Victor Serlano. She's wearing a hair pin that's actually a transmitter. She's to drop the transmitter somewhere where Victor has his criminal meetings. Then she's to pop a pill that will make her sick and get herself out of there.
There's great chemistry between Saiko and Zach, but don't get attached to her.

This is Victor Serlano

Saiko is dropped off at the posh apartment complex where Victor and his gang hang out. No, this ain't Romper Stomper. Seems in addition to being the leader of a bunch of Neo Nazis, Victor is also the son of a powerful Mafia boss, which is part of the reason the FBI have been keeping tabs on Victor. As we get a good look at Victor we realize, it's Ian Ziering of Beverly Hills 90210! What's he doing in this low budget movie, slumming? (For that matter, what's Russell doing in this movie.) We also realize that it was him and his gang that beat up the box at the beginning of the movie.

But once Saiko is inside the apartment, she abandons the Fed's plan in favor of her own, mainly slaughter. She's a one-woman wrecking crew taking out everyone in the apartment. Move over Arnold Schwarzenegger! And good-bye Ian. We hardly knew ya.

This is Zach Grant, FBI agent

Realizing something is terribly wrong, Zach rushes up to the apartment and sees all the carnage. Saiko, rather than be taken alive, takes a dive out the window. Damn, I liked her. Back at headquarters, Zach takes the heat for the botched operation. Zach has enough stress on him already. He's a single parent to a seven-year-old boy, Eric. Eric's mother died in childbirth, making father and son's relationship a strained one. These two desperately need to be Touched by an Angel.

This is Eric

But what was up with Saiko? Why did she do what she did? Turns out the elderly man murdered was Saiko's godfather. Looking for revenge, Saiko apparently went through the FBI's screening and training (which must take several years) and managed to get assigned to this case involving the same skinheads who killed her godfather. How convenient. (But how does Saiko know that Victor and his gang are the very ones responsible for the murder? We never know.)

This is Yugi

As Zach is investigating Saiko's background, he discovers a connection between her and Yugi SaidsofastInevercaughtallofhisname. Yugi is a member of the Japanese mafia. Convinced Yugi somehow forced Saiko into her actions, Zach flies to New York to track him down. Unluckily, it is on this flight that we the innocent audience are first introduced to Mary, played by Helen Slater.

This is Mary. Ugh.


This is Frank Serlano, Mafia boss

Meanwhile, we also are introduced to Frank Serlano, Victor's heartbroken father. Devastated over his son's death, Frank vows revenge. He orders his lackies to have Zach trailed. (How does Frank know who Zach is? We never know.)

Posing as a gun dealer, Zach and a partner (his name isn't important, he doesn't last anyway) arrange a meeting with Yugi in his hideout. While Zach's partner, who speaks Japanese, feels out Yugi's relationship with Saiko, mysterious men with guns start to show up outside. It's the skins! A confusing gun fight breaks out between the skinheads and the Japanese. During the confusion, Zach captures Yugi and makes off with him.


 


As the two are driving away, Zach calls HQ to let them know he's got their man. Then soon after Zach gets a call. It's Frank Serlano, and he's got Eric. He'll trade the boy for Yugi, whom he holds responsible for Victor's death. (How did Frank know Yugi was a suspect? How did Frank know Zach's cell phone number? How did Frank know Zach had Yugi as this gun battle had just taken place minutes before? We never know.)

Stress and more stress for Zach. The FBI is expecting him to bring Yugi in, but if Zach doesn't turn him over to Frank, Eric will be killed. Making his decision, Zach drags Yugi onto a plane back to ...  you know, I'm not really sure where they're going back to. Los Angeles? Okay, we'll say L.A. Misfortune is with us again, as it just so happens that Mary is serving on this flight as well.

He works for Serlano

To add to the confusion, a stranger approaches Zach on the plane. He's a Thug who works for Serlano and is just making sure that Zach sticks to the deal of getting Yugi to Serlano. (How did The Thug know which flight Zach would be on? We never know.)

Yugi asks to go to the bathroom. As Zach waits outside, Yugi sets about concocting a makeshift weapon from the plumbing. Eluding Zach, Yugi takes Mary hostage.

Forcing his way into the cockpit, Yugi makes the pilot land the 747 in a remote and small airfield. (Something tells me the scene with the airplane landing is where most of the film's budget went.) Taking Mary with him, Yugi escapes the jumbo and makes off with a SUV at the airfield. But Zach is hot on his heels in a stolen convertible also from the airfield. (For a small airfield they sure have a lot of vehicles parked there.) Of course something major such as a jet being high jacked gets back to the FBI, so now they know where Yugi and Zach are and are heading out.

Now we're supposed to believe that the plane had been forced to land somewhere in Arizona. I've never been to that state myself, but according to this movie it's got mountains covered with evergreens as we see in the scene where the jet lands, then it quickly turns into a dry desert type setting as you drive away from the airfield after your quarry.

As tired of Mary as we the audience are, Yugi dumps her on the side of the road, which is a helpful indication to Zach of which direction Yugi went. Zach does the smart thing and doesn't stop to pick Mary up. He catches up to Yugi and forces him off the road. Yugi tries to make a run for it, but Zach captures him once again. As the two are walking back to the road, Yugi continually argues that he had nothing to do with Victor's death.

When they get back to the road, there's Thug waiting for them with a couple of cars and a group of skins. Oh yeah, they also have Mary. Why did they pick her up? Why didn't they leave her to the vultures in the desert? (For that matter, how did Thug know where Zach and Yugi were? How did Thug get there with a gang of skins when the landing in Arizona was totally unexpected? We never know.)

So now the mob/skins have Zach, Yugi, and Mary. Thug radios for a helicopter to pick them all up at Eagle Rock. It just so happens that the FBI were listening in and heard the radio call, so they're on their way. There's a standoff between the Feds and the Skins. Mary is taken hostage again!

To make things even more confusing, the helicopter shows up. But instead of the mob, it's Yugi's Japanese who are flying the helicopter. (How did they know where Yugi was, as previously stated the landing in AZ was unexpected? How did they know where the helicopter was in the first place? How did they know that Thug would order the helicopter to pick them up? We never know.)

So another confusing gun fight erupts among the Feds, the Mafia, and the Japanese Mob. Mary (unfortunately unscathed by all the bullets flying around), Yugi (who is scathed), and Zach hop in a car and get the hell out of there. Mary is driving through what looks to be a rock tunnel, banging the sides of the car up and knocking the roof off completely.

The FBI now think that Zach has sold out to the Mafia, and so put out an APB and arrest warrant for him.

At a dusty gas station that doesn't appear to have anyone working at it, Zach calls Frank. (How did Zach know Frank's phone number? I don't think he'd be listed in the phone book.) The two arrange to meet at a nearby lake to exchange Yugi for Eric. Zach steals another car. Strangely, not only does he take Mary with him, he also allows her to drive this car. Doesn't he remember what she did to the last car she drove?

Don't get attached to the cop

Along the night drive, they're pulled over by a cop. Suspicious of the whole thing, the cop radios in for the information on Zach and Yugi. It just so happens Thug hears the radio broadcast and now knows where they are. The cop takes everyone into custody. Zach & Mary are in the back, Yugi is handcuffed in the front. As the cop is driving them all to police headquarters, the Mob car catches up to them and they shoot the cop. The car skids out of control and flips.

They're all trapped in the car. The Mob reach them and start getting closer and closer. Yugi is able to get the dead cop's shotgun and manages to shoot the three hitmen. He also manages to get the keys to his handcuffs and frees himself. He starts to walk away. Zach, trying to get him to come back and free them, apologizes to Yugi for dragging him into this mess, and that he believes Yugi is indeed innocent of Victor's murder.

Yugi comes back to tell him that no, he is right. Yugi was behind Victor's murder. He reveals that Saiko was his sister. They had both planned on how to kill Victor to avenge their godfather's death, but Saiko wasn't supposed to die.

Furious, Zach kicks his way out of the car and confronts Yugi. He tells Yugi that the only way he can get his son back alive is to hand Yugi over to his sure death, but Zach is up for any alternative plan.

It is morning and we are at the lake where Frank and Zach are supposed to meet. Frank and Eric are in a little boat fishing. There could have been an interesting angle of Serlano, who's just lost his son, bonding with Eric, who's never quite had a father, but we don't get that.

Zach and Yugi are hiding in the weeds along the shore. They're working together. Zach hands the guns (apparently taken off either the dead cop or the dead hitmen) to Yugi, as he plans to swim out to the boat.

Driving the dead hitmen's car and risking her life for people she doesn't really know, Mary distracts the guards. Yugi then starts firing, taking out most of the men on shore, but gets shot several times himself. Frank starts rowing for the dock. Zach is swimming after them.

Yugi manages to shoot Frank from the dock. As Frank is toppling over, he drags Eric with him.

Zach starts searching for his son underwater, amongst flashbacks of his wife's death. He finds Eric and brings him to the dock, but he's not breathing. Finally Mary has a reason for being in this film in the first place, as she starts emergency breathing on the boy.

Eric is saved. Zach realizes how much he loves his son. They've been Touched by Helen Slater.

What happens to Yugi? We never know.
What happens to Mary? We don't want to know.
What happens to Zach? Apparently he's able to explain everything to the FBI and clears his name. The last thing we see is father and son going to a baseball game.
 

THE END


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