Young men are sent off to an elite Samurai school where they train to be real men and national leaders. Taught fighting and humiliated if they fail in a task one wonders if the teachers are trying to kill their charges. Things become deadly when an old wash out returns with allies to take over the school.
Damn, I've made it more exciting then it is. Supposed biting satire of Japanese society, the Japanese macho ethic and the stock characters that inhabit its mass media this is a quite dull, been there before martial arts send up that has some stylized and wholly unremarkable action scenes and a keen fashion sense. It looks exactly like you'd expect a comic or animated series come to life should look but its plotting is as clichéd as the weakest of the comics (It becomes what its satirizing to the point of boredom). I'm sure if you click with its often silly over the top feel you'll have a good time, but I'm guessing you'll be like me and wonder why some people have been saying this is the next big thing. Honestly its not bad as such but its been there and done that, not to mention too long at two hours for what is a couple of loosely connected set pieces. I'd take a pass or either borrow it from a friend or wait and hope for cable.
Damn, I've made it more exciting then it is. Supposed biting satire of Japanese society, the Japanese macho ethic and the stock characters that inhabit its mass media this is a quite dull, been there before martial arts send up that has some stylized and wholly unremarkable action scenes and a keen fashion sense. It looks exactly like you'd expect a comic or animated series come to life should look but its plotting is as clichéd as the weakest of the comics (It becomes what its satirizing to the point of boredom). I'm sure if you click with its often silly over the top feel you'll have a good time, but I'm guessing you'll be like me and wonder why some people have been saying this is the next big thing. Honestly its not bad as such but its been there and done that, not to mention too long at two hours for what is a couple of loosely connected set pieces. I'd take a pass or either borrow it from a friend or wait and hope for cable.