74 of 75 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still Great, December 4, 2004
This review is from: Zatoichi - Darkness Is His Ally (DVD)
After so many years of playing the role of "Zatoichi" Katsu Shintaro still manages to put out a stellar performance is the reluctant hero "Ichi". His character has grown much older now but still roams the back roads seeking peace but always running into opposition from both the law and the gangsters (yakuza). In the midst of all this he is still trying to help out the less fortunate. Yes there's is less fight scenes but the theme of good conquering evil against all odds is still there. A must for fans of this series.
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48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Darkness is His Ally, April 19, 2004
This review is from: Zatoichi - Darkness Is His Ally (DVD)
I loved this film. I am a relatively new Katsu fan, having started watching him on Samurai Saturdays on IFC.
With that said, I didn't know any of his personal history until having read the previous reviews. It doesn't matter. His end seems poetic in a way. The character that defined the man, never betrayed his code, yet the man who played the character did.
I loved the cinematography, as each scene played like a visual Haiku for my soul to play and replay. It was bloody, which I appreciated, because I think we need to see the full gore of what gangsters these men were in life. This film, unlike the milder TV versions I've watched previously, made you more acutely aware that Ichi had been forced each time to rid this un-repenting evil from the world. The dueling third party even verbalizes this for us during the film.
I found the introduction of the third duelists intriguing and important - since it was the betrayal of his own "code" that led to his demise. It left us wondering if Ichi even knew it was he whom he fought in the end, since I don't believe a word was spoken in the final fight scene, nor before it to let Ichi know that the price on his own head was too much for his friend to turn down - which for as far as Ichi was concerned, this could have just been another swordsman who drew first. But the character development and the caring this man showed for Ichi, led us to understand that it was a great internal conflict that prevented him from trying to collect the bounty on Ichi's head previously. In that regard, he had violated his oath to his master, even though his sword mastery appeared to rival that of Ichi. (The interview is to what I'm referring, where he was hired as a bodyguard.)
I didn't know that Katsu had died, although seeing this news in previous posts means little to this review, except that now, my possession of this DVD makes this highly coveted gem in my collection even more precious. It is a visual jewel, that I will enjoy watching again, and again.
Friends be warned - you may enjoy this film at my house on any occasion at the asking, however, I will never lend this DVD to anyone. It is to me, like Ichi's mirror, where I hope to see that which has previously eluded me.
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a Great Zatoichi!, January 28, 2006
This review is from: Zatoichi - Darkness Is His Ally (DVD)
I loved this movie! quite the best Zatoichi I've seen. very adult in it's theme, the love scene was the best yet. I also enjoyed the fight scenes. the sense of continuity from the other stories in the Blind Swordsman series is important to me as well and was extremely well done. the character of Zatoichi really lives in this movie.
what I did have a problem with was receiving two defective DVDs in a row.
:(
Amazon was good enough to take them back. but I was scared off of a third replacement.
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