When I think "samurai movie," I think of the American western-influenced films of Kurosawa like Yojimbo and Seven Samurai. But my search for similar movies has shown that a lot of people define "samurai movie" as any movie featuring samurai. So I was happy when I finally got around to watching the first of the Samurai trilogy films that it is, in fact, very much a Japanese western, full of sweeping vistas, iconic characters, small town life, violence, and a score that you could attach to a John Ford film. Only, as with the Kurosawa films, I like this better than I like most American westerns.
The movie features two friends who go to war and wind up on the run. They meet a couple of women, their fates diverge, the fiancé of one pines, and a priest intercedes. The plot is definitely Eastern, and at times feels wandering and disjointed, but it manages to just hold together.
While no match for Seven Samurai, this is a very pleasant, enjoyable film that makes me want to watch the rest of the series. Once that's done, I'll have to go back to the search for more Japanese westerns.
The movie features two friends who go to war and wind up on the run. They meet a couple of women, their fates diverge, the fiancé of one pines, and a priest intercedes. The plot is definitely Eastern, and at times feels wandering and disjointed, but it manages to just hold together.
While no match for Seven Samurai, this is a very pleasant, enjoyable film that makes me want to watch the rest of the series. Once that's done, I'll have to go back to the search for more Japanese westerns.