Official Movie Website Theatrical Release 07/23/04 Home Video 11/09/04 MPAA Rating Rated R for strong stylized bloody violence. Running Time 1 hour 56 minutes Genre Action/Adventure, Foreign Film, Japanese, Action Adventure, Gambling, Revenge, Battles, Massage Directed by Takeshi Kitano Cast Beat Takeshi, Tadanobu Asano, Michiyo Agusu, Yui Natsukawa, Gadalcanal Taka, Daigoro Tachibana, Yuko Daike, Ittoku Kishibe, Saburo Ishikura,Akira Emoto Studio Miramax |
THE BLIND SWORDSMAN: ZATOICHI
A wandering, aged, blind masseur with a
propensity for gambling would seem to be no
threat, unless his name happens to be Zatoichi.
And in that case, be very wary of his famous
cane. Nothing about this swordsman is as it
seems. A humble servant of righteousness, he is
content wander the countryside helping those in
need of his services, massages included. And he
still makes time for a game of chance here and
there.
In this particular episode of Zatoichi’s saga, he
comes to the aid of two geishas who are trying to
avenge their parents’ murder. At the center of
the crime is Ginzo, a ruthless gangster with an
army of bodyguards at his command, including
the great samurai warrior, Hattori. “How can an
elderly blind swordsman possibly battle the
dangerous Hattori?”, you ask. Very skillfully,
indeed.
Filmed in Chinese, and fully subtitled in English.
propensity for gambling would seem to be no
threat, unless his name happens to be Zatoichi.
And in that case, be very wary of his famous
cane. Nothing about this swordsman is as it
seems. A humble servant of righteousness, he is
content wander the countryside helping those in
need of his services, massages included. And he
still makes time for a game of chance here and
there.
In this particular episode of Zatoichi’s saga, he
comes to the aid of two geishas who are trying to
avenge their parents’ murder. At the center of
the crime is Ginzo, a ruthless gangster with an
army of bodyguards at his command, including
the great samurai warrior, Hattori. “How can an
elderly blind swordsman possibly battle the
dangerous Hattori?”, you ask. Very skillfully,
indeed.
Filmed in Chinese, and fully subtitled in English.
Brenda’s comments
Over the top martial arts battles with a very
clever story thrown in for good measure.
True fans would probably be content with
even less plot if it meant more fighting
routines.The very idea of a blind
swordsman is a bit much, but Zatoichi has
been immortalized in films for decades and
his story is what legends are made of. Be
sure to see this unlikely defender of the
downtrodden work is magic.
Over the top martial arts battles with a very
clever story thrown in for good measure.
True fans would probably be content with
even less plot if it meant more fighting
routines.The very idea of a blind
swordsman is a bit much, but Zatoichi has
been immortalized in films for decades and
his story is what legends are made of. Be
sure to see this unlikely defender of the
downtrodden work is magic.
Mary’s comments
Escapism with an Asian flavor. Zatoichi’s
prowess is certainly not too believable, but I
want to believe it. If you are content to go
along with the story, it is an enjoyable
exercise in good vs. evil. Plenty of action
makes for a fast paced action movie so
hang on tight.
Escapism with an Asian flavor. Zatoichi’s
prowess is certainly not too believable, but I
want to believe it. If you are content to go
along with the story, it is an enjoyable
exercise in good vs. evil. Plenty of action
makes for a fast paced action movie so
hang on tight.
© 2003 St. Louis Movie Review Weekly. All rights reserved, except where indicated.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
All movie titles, pictures, etc...are the property of their respective studios.
| ST. LOUIS MOVIE REVIEW WEEKLY Brenda S. Ladd & Mary K. Morgan |
DVD Details
Disc Specs
Languages: Japanese with
English subtitles & English
dubbed track
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Number of Discs: 2
Features:
DVD not only includes the movie
Zatoichi but also the feature
Sonatine
Zatoichi DVD features include:
· Behind-the-scenes special
· Video interviews with the crew
(cinematographer, production
designer, costume designer,
master swordsman)
Sonatine features include:
· Intro by Quentin Tarantino
· Beat Takeshi interview
Languages: Japanese with
English subtitles & English
dubbed track
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Number of Discs: 2
Features:
DVD not only includes the movie
Zatoichi but also the feature
Sonatine
Zatoichi DVD features include:
· Behind-the-scenes special
· Video interviews with the crew
(cinematographer, production
designer, costume designer,
master swordsman)
Sonatine features include:
· Intro by Quentin Tarantino
· Beat Takeshi interview