Yu Irie's epic samurai film is about a band of outsiders who take on the evil shogun.
This film is full of great set pieces and deeply moving moments. It's a film that has some great action and if that's all you need, go for it. If you need more then this film is going to be a long haul.
The problem with this film is it is crafted to be something other than just a samurai film. In particular this film echoes the spaghetti westerns which were crafted using the rhythms of the samurai films of the late 50's and 60's. The film also lifts the attitudes and smart-ass remarks of the modern Hollywood action films. It would have worked if they had blended it all together better, but they didn't with the result that this feels like a dress up retread.
I never felt connected. Worse once the table was set I kind of knew where this was going to go.
I was disappointed.
Is this a bad film? No, but I don't know what this is doing at NYAFF. It's nothing remarkable and like a number of other films playing the festival this year which is that it's here to fill a slot or a ticky box (It's this year samurai movie), not because it' anything super spectacular.
Worth seeing for action fans at the fest, otherwise you can wait.
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