"The Hidden Blade" isn't necessarily that unusual. Lots of Japanese movies are set in the early years of the Meiji era--just after the country was opened up to foreign trade around the year 1860. It was a truly revolutionary period and this isn't surprising. And, there are lots of films that show the corruption of the Shoguns and local bosses that call into question the morality of the Code of Bushido. So in this sense the movie is not all that unique. However, it is handled so beautifully and deliberately that I was very, very impressed by the film.
The film concerns a samurai named Munezô Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase). He's a good man who seems out of place. He doesn't see himself as superior to the lower classes and actually loves a woman from the lower caste. However, being a good samurai, he doesn't act upon this love--it simply wouldn't be allowed. This bothers him but he follows the unwritten rules of society. However, when he sees his leaders behaving in very dishonorable ways, he is stuck. While he agrees to kill a rogue samurai (who was his friend), the motives of his family's leaders disgust him. How will he handle this and his love for a woman who he cannot marry? See this lovely film and find out.
"The Hidden Blade" has a lot going for it. It isn't just some action film (in fact, there is an amazingly small amount of action), but it's both a love story and a film about moral dilemmas. What I liked about this most was the wonderful pacing, direction and music--it all worked together wonderfully and is a film that really, really impressed me. Beautiful and well worth seeing.
The film concerns a samurai named Munezô Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase). He's a good man who seems out of place. He doesn't see himself as superior to the lower classes and actually loves a woman from the lower caste. However, being a good samurai, he doesn't act upon this love--it simply wouldn't be allowed. This bothers him but he follows the unwritten rules of society. However, when he sees his leaders behaving in very dishonorable ways, he is stuck. While he agrees to kill a rogue samurai (who was his friend), the motives of his family's leaders disgust him. How will he handle this and his love for a woman who he cannot marry? See this lovely film and find out.
"The Hidden Blade" has a lot going for it. It isn't just some action film (in fact, there is an amazingly small amount of action), but it's both a love story and a film about moral dilemmas. What I liked about this most was the wonderful pacing, direction and music--it all worked together wonderfully and is a film that really, really impressed me. Beautiful and well worth seeing.