19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of My Favorites, July 12, 2006
This review is from: Twilight Samurai (DVD)
This is absolutely one of my favorite movies. Sanada's performance as the reluctant warrior at the beck and call of lesser men who are his social seniors draws you into his world. This man is a fighter who has no real interest in fighting. He has children whom he loves and he aspires to nothing greater than caring for them. When he gets a second chance at a love life you hope he can pull it off but circumstances seem to work against it...
This isn't an "action" movie per se. It is definitely a love story; between the man and his family, between the man and his childhood sweetheart. But the lack of action filled fight scenes doesn't mean that you aren't aware throughout the film that this man is "special". As a martial artist and swordsman I felt that the two fight scenes that were in the film were really excellent in terms of technique and drama. Every time I watch this film, I enjoy it more and more.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Think Kirosawa, not Tarantino, February 29, 2008
This review is from: Twilight Samurai (DVD)
This movie is not for the person who wants a slash em up style Samarai film, but it is a gem. It starts off real slow, and gives you subtle clues as it develops unvarnished characters. The first time I watched it, I was very bored the first 20 minutes. I watched it again and enjoyed it more. After you see this, the "Last Samarai", will almost seem like a joke of an over-acted movie. I dont want to rag Tom Cruise too much, as Vanilla Sky was one of the few remakes I've seen that were better done to me than "Abre los Ojos". The worst remake being "Shall We Dance", what a massacre remake of a gorgeos Japanese film. Sorry to deviate...
You get to see the realistic life of a Samarai, and the townfolk of that period, not some overly stylized version. You get to experience the class and casted systems, and their imprisonment of people at their level. The fights in it seem very very real. They are not as flamboyant as other films, but their realism keeps them very dramatic. They really have very little to do with the film, and there are only two of them, its true.
Like many of my favorite films, it really drew emotion from me, especially when he reveals his hopes for a second chance to the woman he loves, who is beyond his class level. Its a story about caring about other people, and sacrificing for your family. Its about people not knowing who you really are inside, and judging you based on assumptions.
I rank it among the best movies ever. Some of my other recommendations are Central Station, Amelie, Once Were Warriors, Shall We Dance (original Japanese version).
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true Samurai, November 30, 2006
This review is from: Twilight Samurai (DVD)
Wow! This is a story about a man of character. He is the epitome of a master swordsman so skilled, so unrivaled that he has nothing to prove. His loyalties are to his family in the true selfless manner of a noble Samurai. The film's 2 fight scenes are all the more poignant because of his deference to just about everyone.
If you're looking for a film that has a fight scene every other minute with no plot (the plot being the gratuitous violence, I guess... not that there's anything wrong with that) this will not satisfy you.
This is one of the most amazing films I've ever seen; from the story, to the acting, to the direction.
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