Emphatically not one of those sick Japanese slasher films that I keep getting by mistake. This is gory, yes, but in a grand Shakespearian manner. Similar in that respect to Kurosawa's historical films. A lovingly rendered slice of history (the...
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Emphatically not one of those sick Japanese slasher films that I keep getting by mistake. This is gory, yes, but in a grand Shakespearian manner. Similar in that respect to Kurosawa's historical films. A lovingly rendered slice of history (the late 19th century **** end of the samurai era), poetic images, gritty realistic action. Also a very moving, even sentimental, story. The finale heads full tilt into melodrama. For me, Takita pulls it off - I cried. But then I'm looking for this kind of traditional storytelling and emotional fullness, which I'm just not finding in western films. Kiichi Nakai as the down-at-heel samurai at the centre of the story is a wonderful actor, combining physical agility and swordsmanship with great emotional depth and range.