Samurai Rebellion is a taught and tense samurai film throughout, possessing not even an ounce of humour. That's no bad thing. You get the impression it's all building to something huge, in-fact I was waiting to see this 'Rebellion' where suddenly all the samurai overthrow the lord, but, it never happens. the rebellion is a small and personal one of just three people of one household as everyone, including there own family members seem intent on splitting them apart. That is where the films strength lies, the first hours and a quarter, and disappointingly, when the action comes it's full of frankly rubbish dialogue and clichéd scenes.
It's a slow film, nothing is rushed, and the setting is very pleasant. The ways of the Japanese culture of those times is interesting to watch , how they are all polite and stuff, however there are points where it just goes beyond belief. That's as much a criticism of the story as it is of the formal tone of the film. In the end that is the very reason it loses it's realism, as the father gives some corny dialogue towards the end it's hard to not compare it with something like Rambo or even He-man where we the audience are being preached at rather than being told a story. It's a shame they even departed from the 'courtroom drama' type vibe of the first half if they couldn't bring it to a satisfying violent conclusion. In the end I felt a little depressed and a little disappointed, but still, it's 'ye olde japan' and its got samurai and the first half is pretty damn good so it's worth a watch if you're interested in that time and place.
It's a slow film, nothing is rushed, and the setting is very pleasant. The ways of the Japanese culture of those times is interesting to watch , how they are all polite and stuff, however there are points where it just goes beyond belief. That's as much a criticism of the story as it is of the formal tone of the film. In the end that is the very reason it loses it's realism, as the father gives some corny dialogue towards the end it's hard to not compare it with something like Rambo or even He-man where we the audience are being preached at rather than being told a story. It's a shame they even departed from the 'courtroom drama' type vibe of the first half if they couldn't bring it to a satisfying violent conclusion. In the end I felt a little depressed and a little disappointed, but still, it's 'ye olde japan' and its got samurai and the first half is pretty damn good so it's worth a watch if you're interested in that time and place.