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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A terrific fantasy film I loved as a kid., June 22, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Daimajin [VHS] (VHS Tape)
A medieval Japanese village suffers a violent coup d'etats during a ceremony to placate the warrior god Majin, whose spirit is encased in a 20-foot stone statue that threatens to come to life and pummel the town to dust. The ceremony works all too well: the peasants endure ten years of forced labor and brutal taxation at the hands of an evil Warlord before the deity awakens from his slumber to destroy the tyrant and his army. This movie rocks! (Pun fully intended.) The story moves at a brisk pace, as any good adventure should, and creates a fair amount of suspense along the way, despite the all but inevitable conclusion. The cinematography and set design are superb, effectively contrasting the beauty and mystery of the countryside with the back-breaking drudgery of the local labor camp. The special effects are also impressive, from the haunting opening shot of a giant eye superimposed on a gloomy mountainside to Majin's destruction of the villains and their fortifications. Most interesting is the film's treatment of the Majin himself. Sporting a scowl that would make Redd Foxx shudder, Majin slays all who stand in his path, be they good or evil. Yet this object of terror clearly respects and responds to selfless devotion--a girl's imminent suicide actuates his rampage, while her tearful prayer ends it--which places him on a somewhat higher moral plane than the sneering, sadistic Warlord (boo, hiss). The moral: sometimes the evil we don't know IS preferable to the evil we endure. Heady stuff for a children's fantasy film. All in all a highly enjoyable kaiju eiga (giant monster movie).
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The colossus of Japan., June 22, 2000
This review is from: Daimajin [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Mixing elements of the jedai(samurai)film with elements of the kaiju(monster)film, Daimajin is a rousing adventure that is sure to appeal to fans of both types of films. Set in medievel Japan, the film follows the story of a boy and his sister, who are pursued by the man who had their father murdered and then took over his kingdom. Watching all of this is the giant statue of Majin, a powerful spirit that can be invoked to right wrongs and punish evil-doers. The story moves along well, aided by good performances by all of the actors, though it is perhaps a bit slow at first. Once Daimajin("dai" meaning giant, "majin" meaning spirit) revives, all hell breaks loose on the evil Lord and his men. The spfx are spectacular(immensely aided by the widescreen presentation). Functioning like a pounding funeral drum is Akira Ifukube's magnificent score, one of his best non-Godzilla works. This is a great film that is thankfully no longer obscure.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Samurai Meets Kaiju, February 10, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Daimajin [VHS] (VHS Tape)
If you enjoy the Samurai genre, this is an average film. If you enjoy Japanese monster films, this is an above average film. However, if you like bothe genres, this is an excellent movie. Great acting and special effects, as well as an appropriate and awesome score. Highly Reccommended!
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