'The Hidden Blade' does not reach the picks of beauty and does not fascinate like other samurai films, but is a solid, well filmed and well told story worth watching. The period when the action happens is the same one where 'The Last Samurai' is located, the time when Japan underwent rapid transformation and opening to the Western culture and way of life, but the angle is the one of the traditional samurai world. Like in the more famous movie the centuries old code of honor of the samurais enters in conflict with the rapid pace of change of the society around, but this conflict takes a secondary role here.
It is actually the old code of honor that motivates Munezo, the principal character and which prevents him to consume his love to the servant Kie who belongs to another social class, and leads him into a life and death fight with his old friend who revolted against the stagnating system. The moral value of the code prevails and saves eventually the heroes in a kind of happy end, not unexpected, but yet well desired by audiences who identified with the heroes.
The film is well acted and uses less the high tomes and interjections that sometimes discourage the Western audiences watching Japanese movies. The cinematography is consistent in approach and dominated by balanced nuances of brown and yellow. Without daring too much 'The Hidden Blade' is a well told story and should not be avoided by fans of Japanese films, or even as plain entertainment.
It is actually the old code of honor that motivates Munezo, the principal character and which prevents him to consume his love to the servant Kie who belongs to another social class, and leads him into a life and death fight with his old friend who revolted against the stagnating system. The moral value of the code prevails and saves eventually the heroes in a kind of happy end, not unexpected, but yet well desired by audiences who identified with the heroes.
The film is well acted and uses less the high tomes and interjections that sometimes discourage the Western audiences watching Japanese movies. The cinematography is consistent in approach and dominated by balanced nuances of brown and yellow. Without daring too much 'The Hidden Blade' is a well told story and should not be avoided by fans of Japanese films, or even as plain entertainment.