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Zatoichi (2003) Certificate 18

Zatoichi

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Rated 3.5 stars
Average rating
(71%)
 
Starring: 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano | Tadanobu Asano
Director: 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano
Studio: ARTIFICIAL EYE
Run time: 111 mins
Collections: 100 Swords and Sandals Films
Genres: Action/Adventure | World Cinema
Languages: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Released: July 26, 2004

Takeshi Kitano, best known for such gangster films as VIOLENT COP, BOILING POINT, and BROTHER, makes his first period drama with ZATOICHI, an updating of the classic Japanese character portrayed by Shintaro Katsu in movies and television from 1962 to 1989. Zatoichi is a blind samurai who shuffles from town to town, righting wrongs with his remarkable sword hidden within his cane. He is also a masseuse who likes to gamble. Kitano serves as director, writer, co-editor, and star of the film, playing the protagonist under his acting name, Beat Takeshi. This version of Zatoichi, based on the stories of Kan Shimozawa, is more violent than the earlier series, as Kitano strives to make it more realistic. He has also infused a clever sense of humour, while cinematographer Katsumi Yanagishima adds beautiful depth of field to many scenes.
When Zatoichi arrives in a small town, he unknowingly walks into a classic tale of revenge, as two women plot to kill the men who murdered their family. As Zatoichi becomes more involved, an eventual showdown with young samurai Hattori (Tadanobu Asano, who excelled in Takashi Miike's very violent ICHI THE KILLER) is inevitable. ZATOICHI is thrilling filmmaking at its best, an endlessly entertaining samurai epic from a man who fully understands the genre and is not afraid to take it to the next level.

Screenshots

Radio Times

Shintaro Katsu may have starred as Zatoichi the blind swordsman in 26 B-movie adventures during the 1960s and 70s, but none of those can match the cinematic panache of this thrilling variation on the traditional themes of duty, honour and championing the cause of the oppressed. Director Takeshi Kitano also takes on the iconic role of the itinerant masseur/swordsman, but his inevitable showdown with the warring clans terrorising the residents of a small town in 19th-century Japan isn't simply a homage to a cult hero. It's a glorious visual scrapbook referencing the greats of Japanese film-making who have influenced Kitano's unique blend of pitiless violence, slapstick comedy and sensitive social detail. Superbly shot and scored, this is both riotous entertainment — witness the tapdancing finale — and exquisite art.

Highest rated reviews

50 out of 57 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5.0 stars
Utterly Brilliant!

A Customer from Stowmarket, England, 2nd May, 2004

Kitano does it again, this time as Zatoichi. This film is a definate must see. Superb fight sequences, an interesting storyline and characters and with a funny, wacky ending.
More feel-good than his previous film 'Dolls'.
I really can't say anything else, I just thought it was a true 5 star film in the cinema, at the end I came out having throughly enjoyed myself and on a real high that only the best films can achieve.

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16 out of 18 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5.0 stars
Pure Brilliance

A Customer from Engerland, 11th June, 2004

Forget Kill Bill as this is the real deal. The fact that this has subtitles is irrelevant, it is more entertaining than most of the recent hollywood films put together and the martial art skill on display is stunning.

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13 out of 18 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 4.0 stars

julia_davison from ROCHFORD, 29th June, 2004

Bring it on Takeshi! Am one of the Kill Bill converts so I know I'm not qualified to review this quality film but am going to anyway. Brilliant film with everything in it - action, comedy, tragedy.... and dancing (!). The story was a little disjointed and hard to follow in places but overall you rooted for the main characters. Keep an eye for the twist at the end.... and the paddy field workers. Scenery and music really suceeded in bringing this film alive. Am off to to the Japanese section as you read this...

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11 out of 15 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 4.0 stars
No wires, no computers, just a very sharp sword and years of practice...

James Wright from Staines, 1st September, 2004

That practice came in the form of almost one film per year since 1989 for Director/Star Takeshi 'Beat' Kitano. 15 years after his directorial debut Kitano adopted and transformed the popular Japanese legend of a blind masseuse (the title role of Katoichi) who also happens to be a hardcore Samurai warrior. The humble old man takes refuge in a small Japanese village, before revealing his sword skills in order to rid the town of two warring gangs. Heard it before? Not like this your haven't...

In this, by far the best, version of the tale, Kitano has created and oxymoron: a gentle stroll of a samurai movie; the narrative meandering on with enough quiet confidence to pause for a moment or two and look at the scenery. The scenery in this case comes in the form of a full cast of eccentric but thoroughly likeble characters and their back-stories.

These sporadic flashbacks occasionally stall the momentum of the film, but the more frequent sword fighting interludes never fail to jump start it again.

In a film with less feeling and characterisation, these perfectly executed fight scenes would alone boost the star rating, but in Katoichi, they are a huge bonus in an otherwise engaging story with such depth and unselfconscious humour that the all-out song and dance number at the end seems like a perfectly fitting conclusion to a Samurai movie!

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Most recent reviews

1 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5.0 stars
A Japanese Legend with a Modern Twist that should please Old and New Fans alike.

H0LLIE from , 21st July, 2010

Zatoichi, the blind swordsman. This film made me laugh and cry. If you're a fan of Japanese cinema then Zatoichi is a must see. This film is nothing short of spectacular. The story is nothing special but has a bit of everything you need, a sad childhood, the search for vengeance, the problems of gambling addiction, transvestism in feudal Japan... not to mention some incredible swordplay. The special effects are all CG and so can look a little fake but somehow still incredibly cool, the costumes and settings are wonderful, the acting and direction brilliant. Takeshi Kitano is a modern day genius, a talented actor, director and comedian. He's taken a Japanese legend and given it a modern day twist that should please old and new fans alike. Very highly recommeded.

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3 out of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 5.0 stars
what can i say

A Customer from Liverpool, 19th June, 2010

freaking awesome movie, if u like raw nice action and Japanese aesthetic u will love this without a doubt .. nuff said.

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1 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Rated 3.5 stars
Great film

A Customer from London, 13th June, 2010

If you liked akira kurosawas seven samurai, then you will enjoy this. The lone wonderer comes through town and cant help but get involved in the issues of the victims he befriends.

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1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

*** May contain spoilers ***


Rated 5.0 stars
You have to see this!

JustARandomReviewer from , 10th April, 2010

Simply brilliant! As a period piece i think its one of the best I've seen. The set dress, costumes and locations are a joy to look at. The characters along with the story are believable, The fight sequences were great and it had some comedic value thrown in to lighten it up a little. There was the use of some CG sword-play and blood in the film which looked a little out of place at first but you got used to it. And I found myself wondering about the incidental music on the odd occaision, it got slightly out of feel with the scene. But it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the film. It felt very traditional even though it had a modern edge. Loved the festival music at the end. A must see!

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