By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Yôji Yamada
Starring: Masatoshi Nagase | Takako Matsu | Yukiyoshi Ozawa
Original language title: Kakushi ken oni no tsume
Country: japan
Year: 2006
Running time: 132
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0442286/
Michael says: “With over 60 films under is directorial belt, Yôji Yamada follows up his Chlotrudis Award nominated TWILIGHT SAMURAI with this lovely film THE HIDDEN BLADE. Munezo, like Seibei, the title character in TWILIGHT SAMURAI, is a true samurai living by the codes and ethics of the time. He is a highly trained and skilled warrior, but he has never killed a man and he prefers tending his farm and spending time with Kie, a maid who tends to the family home. After his sister marries a good friend, and Kie is married to a merchant, Munezo’s life becomes more solitary. When he learns that Kie’s new family is mistreating her and she has fallen ill, he takes her from her sorry lot and nurses her back to health. They are happy as master of the house and his devoted servant, but anything more between them is still impossible due to the strict Japanese caste system. Meanwhile, a former samurai colleague is found out to be a political subversive and Munezo is assigned to battle him to the death.
“THE HIDDEN BLADE plays like a traditional samurai film, but without the constant battles and violence. Instead Yamada turns up the romance and liberally sprinkles his film with slapstick comedy. There is drama a-plenty as well with the ethical dilemma Munezo finds himself in when he is assigned to put an end to his former friend’s activities. While strangely derivative of TWILIGHT SAMURAI, THE HIDDEN BLADE is still a lovely movie filled with enough tragedy and romance to soften even
the hardest of hearts. 4 cats”