Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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65 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunningly Beautiful Tale of the Masterless Samurai and Lost Bushido..., June 29, 2005
Ronin Gai tells a story of four different ronins in 1836 that have no solid existence in life, as they have been stripped of titles, income, or meaning. Their introduction into society's poor quickly bestows them a cynical perspective of life. This place had no room for their high morals, Bushido, as it does not put food on the table, or provides a roof over their head. If the ronins were to live by their high ideals in their newly assigned social class it would offer them nothing but belittling and public ridicule. Thus, these bewildered and socially perplexed men of Bushido found themselves taking derogatory odd jobs to pay for the sake in which they could drown their misery and problems.
To fully understand Ronin Gai some historical, political, and cultural perspectives can help the audience through this remarkable cinematic journey. In the 1830s the samurai purpose slowly faded away amidst a peaceful time after centuries of cruel and bloody clan wars. Yet, the clan society still existed in a feudal system run by the Shogun who demands the clan's support, or they had to face war. However, the wars have drained the lands and people's will to fight, which has given peace a chance to root. This meant that there was a surplus of samurai, which often lead the samurai to become masterless either through the death of their master or more likely because the master could not afford them. These samurai became known as ronin, the master-less samurai, who drifted aimlessly trying to find a purpose and hopeful meal ticket.
The samurai code, Bushido, originated from Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, and Zen. Through Buddhism the samurai gained the insight that death was not to fear, because death lead to incarnation and possibly another life as a samurai. The unyielding loyalty of a samurai was derived from Shintoism while Confucianism gave them their principles of human relations. Zen gave the Samurai the knowledge of focus and meditation, which should help a samurai to learn one self and avoid personal limitations. In addition, the samurai were to be righteous, compassionate, loving, and most of all have complete self-control. Combined with all these values Bushido ascends the samurai to be a true and complete warrior. However, the Bushido followed the same diminishing fate as the samurai where ronin had to find an existence among those that did not live or could afford to live by the Bushido.
Ronin Gai opens with a spectacular scene where rain washes away the dirt around a tree exposing its roots. This rain provide multiple symbolical interpretations suggesting that the samurai true nature is about to reveal itself and cleanse the blood from centuries clan wars. Of course additional interpretations are available, as the scene quickly jumps into a duel where to ronin is about to fight to the death while the rain drenches both men. After the duel, one of the story's main character advances to pray for the fallen ronin, but also takes advantage of the situation and exchanges his sword. This further displays the disillusionment of humanity among the masterless samurai, as the sword was something samurai would guard with their lives.
In the absence of war life is flourishing in the little village outside Edo where the story takes place. The main characters have fallen below in social status, to many thugs and thieves, as they struggle for the little income they can acquire. These four ronin find themselves as hired thugs, bouncers, bird salesmen, and even taking advantage of women's generosity. In this society very little has changed for the women, as they still face chauvinism and inferior positions in regards to the men. The women are used to their low social standing while the masterless samurai display depression, confusion, and disregard of the Bushido code to be placed in such a low standard. They escape their miseries through large quantities of sake and the company of prostitutes in the local restaurants and brothels.
The brothel plays an significant part where the geishas appear far stronger than the samurai. When someone begins to ruthlessly kill innocent geishas for sport in the surrounding forest the geishas request the help of the ronin. A chance for salvation arises for the masterless samurai who are sluggish in their attempts to prevent further killings, but eventually they come around to try to regain what they once lost. It is evident that Bushido is about so much more than mere sword fighting, as these men have been stripped of what they once held in high regards - their morals, beliefs, and identity.
Kazuo Kuroki directs a stunningly beautiful tale of the masterless samurai and their lost Bushido. The framing of the film displays several symbolical scenes and notions to ponder that go far beyond the script. It is truly a pleasure watching this film, as characters and actions come together in a final conclusive decision supporting what they all believe. Ronin Gai is a graceful film of self-worth that reaches beyond the cultural boundaries and leaves the audience to ponder several interesting ideas and beliefs.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Exciting, Thoughtful And Excellent Samurai Film, June 16, 2005
The early 1800's were a tough time for a samurai. There wasn't much call anymore for skilled warriors. The merchant class was moving up to positions of power. The various lords around the country didn't need and in many cases couldn't afford to have hundreds of retainers. So there were thousands of samurai without employment -- ronin -- who could only hire themselves out, give up their status as samurai and move down to the merchant class, become criminals, or eke out a living as best they could. Ronin Gai takes place in a small inn and brothel on the outskirts of Tokyo. The characters are the women who work there, the ronin who hang about and who have slipped down into becoming drunks or doing unbecoming work for a samurai, and a group of the Shogun's samurai retainers who have become arrogant murderers, preying on the inn's women.
Eventually one of the women takes a stand, and for her courage she is captured and condemned to be torn apart by oxen. Four of the inn's ronin customers shake themselves out their self pity and find the honor and courage they had seemingly lost. One by one they appear in the forest where the hundred samurai have gathered to enjoy the execution. One by one, then together, they take on the bad guys.
The first two thirds of the movie is an excellent story of the women of the inn and the lives of the ronin around them. The last third is a great sword slashing epic, not too bloody, and full of climaxes and more climaxes. This is a movie that is both exciting and thoughtful. The actors do a great job. There's Shintaro Katsu as "Bull" Akaushi, a big, slovenly ronin who is part drunk and part bouncer at the inn. He's a blowhard, but a well intentioned one, and during the climax of the movie he finds a way to redeem himself that is brave and startling. There's Yoshio Harada as Gennai Aramaki, all nihilistic self pity but a great swordsman. There's Renji Ishibashi as Horo, reduced to testing the local lord's swords on the corpses of executed criminals and who loves perhaps too much. And there's Kanako Higushi as Oshin, beautiful and high priced, who eventually sets justice into motion by her example. That's a lot of Japanese names but in time you can sort out who's who. I think the movie is well worth watching. The DVD picture is just fine and the movie is beautifully photographed.
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
No review will do this justice..., October 22, 2005
The setting, a poor area outside of Edo, a rundown restaurant and small time brothel. Prostitues, drunken ronin and unemployeed samurai work, sleep and drink, spending most of their time trying to forget the past or plotting to enrich their future. This film has been made with loving care and unmatched knowledge of the film craft that it is hard to put down how good it is, even with a thousand words. It is gritty, touching, rude, lovely and ugly all at the same time. Shintaro Katsu, not to be confused with Toshiro Mifune, plays Bull and really gives the character heart and soul.
Also, the ending is one of the most effective, if not messy, protrays of a sword fight I have ever seen.
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