Another Japanese film that came to the Czech Republic. This time about a blind masseur who is a hidden samurai. Directed by Takeshi Kitano.
Masher Zatoichi moves easily from village to village, massaging people until he comes across one village that is being decimated by a gang of local lords who are having their ransoms paid every day this time. Along the way, he meets two Geishas looking for the killers of their family and parents.
But the masseur is not just any masseur he is a samurai who is blind, but despite his blindness he can fight the best of all the people around him. He's actually a legend who's quite famous. Dozens of Japanese films have been made about Zatoichi over the past century. And so he's back again, directed by the jack-of-all-trades Takeshi Kitano, who in his own way makes each film completely differently.
And he made this film pretty well. You can see a lot of Japanese style filmmaking in it, but mostly, it's the kind of classic Asian fight movie that Quentin Tarantino definitely took a page from. There's quite a bit of blood, but not as much. Just as much as needed for the effect of really making the film a little gory, but not too much. But I totally don't understand why this film is considered accessible when there is a lot of blood. It certainly didn't seem like a movie for the seven year old sitting right next to me.
If I'm going to pick out an interesting feeling. Well it's just a movie, laced with interesting jokes, on samurai, on blind men, and in a way the movie is actually making fun of itself.
On the other hand, if I'm to praise the actors, Takeshi Kitano, as Zatoichi, played his part well enough, but not to praise just the actors, Takeshi Kitano also directed, he actually just directed himself completely. And the rest of the characters were pretty well acted, but I admit I didn't know any of them...
But in conclusion, I just recommend you go see the movie. You'll have a good time, and most importantly, you'll understand a little bit about the example Tarantino was taking from....
Original release of April 3, 2004 – Kritiky.cz
