Customer Reviews

Twilight Samurai

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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).

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.

I enjoyed Stephen Hunter's THE 47th SAMURAI immensely. That book is in the Earl Swagger series. In an afterword the author said he immersed himself in samurai culture and katana fighting; mainly through watching samurai films. The author deemed TWILIGHT SAMURAI the best. I decided to check it out for myself.

Now after seeing the movie for myself I was not disappointed. This is a sweet tragedy about a lowly and modest petty samurai caught up in Meiji period internecine political struggles. It is a beautiful movie in every sense. The bucolic countryside of northern Japan is exquisitely filmed. The love of the widower protaganist for his two young daughters and his childhood sweetheart is touching. Our hero toils in poverty to scratch out a living until this modest warrior is called to battle. First, he rises to protect the honor of his childhood sweetheart Tomoe. This he does by using a wooden stick against a bully with a sword. He deftly disposes of the bully with a conk on the head. This tale is spread and our heroe's talent becomes fodder in a political succession struggle. And, yes, there are two of the best katana fight scenes ever filmed for the guys. But guys, this is one you can watch with your wives and daughters and they wont think you are an animal.

This is a beautiful film. It depicts a much more realistic view of samurai life than one normally finds in the samurai genre. If you're looking for lots of sword action, this is not your film. If you enjoy images that illustrate the best (and sometimes, by necessary contrast, the worst) of the human spirit, then you will love this film. The photography is excellent, and the story is moving without being at all sappy. It also displays a splendid portrait of an era long gone in detail, managing to both highlight what was beautiful about it without being shy of critique in a way that is subtle enough to avoid distracting one from the lovely narrative and the multiple climactic scenes. The direction is superb, and the ending surprises mildly. Highly recommendable for people that love good film.

In fact, this movie should not even be compared to most samurai movies. Its not about swordplay or macho duels at all. Quite the reverse. A reluctant samurai who doesn't want to fight or kill anyone. It ends all to quickly but beautifullly, making one pause and consider the implicaitons of a short but full life. Its romantic, and grittily realistic. Its something worth owning.

The Twilight Samurai, brings to the screen the story of Seibei Iguchi, a low ranking samurai and a widower, who is facing mounting problems, including taking care of himself, his two young daughters and his senile mother on a rather low salary, while seriously in debt. Things get more complicated as he gets entangled in the shady factional politics of 19th Century Japan...
The film combines romance, drama, action and adventure making it one of the best of its kind!
Moreover, the fascinating culture and traditions of the "Land of the Rising Sun," are presented very well in the film.
The plot is excellent and opens a window into the mysterious Orient.
Furthermore, shot on location it provides for some amazing scenery.
Needless to say, Hiroyuki Sanada, and the rest of the cast have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100%! Their great talent and chemistry clearly shows, thus providing an entertaining film that can be watched over and over again.
The setting, the dialogues, the music and the costumes are all wonderful!
Very well written and very well presented, it is a movie definitely worth owning, yet alone watching, especially for those with a soft spot for History, and especially for Eastern/Oriental enthusiasts.
Strongly recommended along with Shogun the TV series, starring Richard Chamberlain, to those with a soft spot for all things Japanese.

An amazing film that is not your typical all-action carnage. Hiroyuki Sanada plays a low level samurai who cares for his two young daughters and ailing mother after his wife passes away. He is extremely poor, but still better off than the peasants who routinely die of starvation around him. He finds solace in his quiet life, even though the other samurai pick on him for his holes in his clothes and grungy appearance. These are samurais in a time of peace - most are now pencil-pushers who never have an opportunity to wield their sword.

When a childhood sweetheart tries to woo him, he is appreciative, but he worries that his poor condition could never please her. She comes from a richer family, and he has already seen how much people - including his dead wife - look down on the shape of his house and clothing.

There are some action scenes in here - it turns out this quiet samurai is good with a blade when he's forced into action. He wishes he could be a peaceful farmer, but as a samurai he's required to follow the orders of his clan, even if he disagrees with them.

Great all around. Great dialogue, great action sequences, great relationship moments, and a great insight into the challenges faced in life in such a rigid society.

Kurosawa casts such a long shadow that it's easy to overlook other directors working in the samurai genre. Case in point: Yoji Yamada and his quiet gem Twilight Samurai. The film tells the story of Seibei Iguchi, a low-ranking samurai struggling to get by after the death of his wife. There is minimal swordplay and blood (it fact, you hear rather than see blood) but the big Final Showdown has more visceral punch than entire battle scenes in many films. Mostly, we see Seibei grinding through his day job at the castle, caring for his young daughters and elderly mother, and awkwardly attempting to rekindle a romance with his childhood sweetheart. Yet, what might sound banal is entirely compelling to watch due to the film's attention to historical detail, the superb script and cinematography, and a remarkable performance by Hiroyuki Sanada in the lead role (movieplex goers may recognize him as the badass from Last Samurai). The film's closing epilogue is slightly clunky, but overall Twilight Samurai is outstanding.

This movie is not just sword play but more about the life of a man who struggles to live in his own way, well played in reserved way by the actor. In a way it is a love story. The sword play still is a focal point, and magnificently presented. English subtitle is very good, although the original Japanese dialogue is so much better, and simply not translatable with all the nuance. The Japanese dialect spoken here enhances the warm feeling.