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Blade of the Immortal lacks depth as a quest for redemption narrative, but makes for good (and very bloody) pulpy fun in Miike’s skillful hands.
In addition to being an adaption of the Japanese manga series written by Hiroaki Samura ( first published in 1993),Blade of the Immortalis the hundredth film directed by Takashi Miike . As one would have a bun in the oven from the cult Japanese film producer responsible for such movies asAudition , Ichi the Killer , and13 Assassins , Blade of the Immortalis an passing violent and stylish utilisation in musical style storytelling ; one that blends the original of the samurai genre with tropes ordinarily found in both easterly and westerly comic Word . The last film result may not represent Miike at his ok , but it does prove that the extremely fecund storyteller has yet to lose a step . Blade of the Immortallacks depth as a seeking for salvation tale , but makes for good ( and very bloody ) pulpy fun in Miike ’s skillful mitt .
Manji ( Takuya Kimura ) is an ill-famed samurai who is cursed with the ability to heal from any wound - essentially work him immortal - by an ancient being love as Yaobikuni ( Yôko Yamamoto ) , following a legendary battle that most costs Manji his life . Some fifty twelvemonth later , Manji is approached by a immature girlfriend named Rin Asano ( Hana Sugisaki ) , who need his help in seeking retaliation against a group of victor swordsman known as the Ittō - ryū - in particular , their leader Kagehisa Anotsu ( Sōta Fukushi ) , who kill Rin ’s father in combat and doomed her mother to an even benighted fate .
While Manji has little interest in helping Rin at first , he eventually takes her under his wing and assist her train , in increase to battling the members of Kagehisa ’s swordsmen clan himself . The Ittō - ryū are no ordinary fighters , however , and Manji soon comes to recognise that his unique big businessman alone wo n’t be enough to shoot down them . It thus come down to the alone warrior to encompass his newfound purpose in life , as he assay to make amends for the terrible events that localise him on his dark path to start with , all those year ago .
As refer earlier , Blade of the Immortalis part classic samurai adventure , but also part comic Koran fantasy . The adapted screenplay by Tetsuya Oishi , who also wrote two of the Nipponese language live - actionDeath Notemovie adaptations , faithfully streamline its manga source material into a substantial , if predictable , three - human activity redemption plot line for the Manji character . The " immortal " warrior and his journey ca n’t help but bring to mind Hugh Jackman ’s Wolverine and his own redemption seeking in this year’sLogan ; from the admirer ' shared trait ( non - aging warriors with incredible self - healing abilities ) , to the fact that both film pair their antihero with a figurative or semi - real youthful girl . leaf blade of the ImmortallacksLogan ’s thematic and narrative substance , but does touch upon interesting question about mortality , the meaning of life without death , and the ethics of killing for vengeance .
WhatBlade of the Immortallacks in originality and deep meaning , it make up for in full term of diaphanous craftsmanship . Working with his13 Assassinscinematographer Nobuyasu Kita and production designer Toshiyuki Matsumiya ( Sakurada Gate Incident ) , Miike give birth a samurai epic rich in painterly imagination and striking composing here . The music director further demonstrate his mastery of action filmmaking here too , bringingBlade of the Immortal ’s many blade struggle to life through top - notch conflict stage dancing and clear , non - frantic camerawork that capture ever strike and blow . While the celluloid takes reward of Manji ’s unbelievable heal powers to interject some dark humour into the legal proceeding , it also goes overboard with the sheer amount of gore that its agonist can both endure and dish out . As ghastly asBlade of the Immortal ’s military action sequences are , they are n’t every bit thrilling , for the same reason .
Much of the characterization inBlade of the Immortalcomes through the film ’s one - on - one showdowns ; scenes that pit Manji - whose rough and tumble trend is reflective of his personality - against a diverseness of foes with different fighting method and techniques . Most of the members of the Ittō - ryū are entertainingly wicked , but are n’t flesh out beyond what their brief coming into court allow for . The same could be tell for the part Shira ( Hayato Ichihara ) , a penis of another swordsmen group ( Mugai - ryū ) who at first presents himself as an ally to Manji and Rin , but ultimately can not shroud the truth about his vile nature . The film has more success with its portrayal of swelled villain Kagehisa , who never loses his sense of hushed threat , even as the film gradually presents him in a more sympathetic sparkle over the course of action of its runtime .
Kimura and Sugisaki are both equally good in their various roles as Manji and Rin here , with their human relationship serving asBlade of the Immortal ’s beating heart . The dynamic between the fictional character is n’t all that unique - with Manji as the disillusioned warrior and wise man who infer the truthful price of retaliation in path that his tempestuous mentee Rin can not - but it allows for some funny and emotionally meaningful exchanges between the pair , all the same . steel of the Immortalworks as a self - contained tale about the pair and their escapade together , but their chemistry is impregnable enough to suggest that they could convey another installment on their articulatio humeri ( should one ever pass off ) .
Blade of the Immortalcommemorates a major milestone in Miike ’s filmmaking vocation by serving up all the bloody havoc , carefully orchestrated action , and firm genre entertainment that fans of the filmmaker have come up to expect from him over the years . The film blends mirthful book elements and samurai picture show tropes in an interesting fashion , but fails to break young ground for either of those genres . Blade of the Immortallikewise fall short of the artistic heights that Miike has scaled before with his more matured features in the past , most notably13 Assassins . It ’s an pleasurable romp nonetheless - one that fan of samurai epics in general may need to check out at some pointedness . Here ’s to the next one hundred Miike picture !
TRAILER
Blade of the Immortalis now playing in select U.S. theaters and becomes available on VOD starting Wednesday , November 8 . It is 141 minutes foresighted and is Rated R for blinking violence and carnage throughout .
Blade of the Immortal is a Japanese samurai flick directed byTakashi Miike , base on the manga series by Hiroaki Samura . The film follows Manji , a extremely skilled swordsman , who is beshrew with immortality after a warrior conical buoy , Yaobikuni , gives him an philosophers' stone that forestall him from die out . With his newfound immortal animation , Manji sets out on a quest for revenge against the samurai who killed his sis .
Takuya Kimura in Blade of the Immortal
Sōta Fukushi in Blade of the Immortal
Takuya Kimura and Hana Sugisaki in Blade of the Immortal
Blade of the Immortal is a Japanese samurai film directed byTakashi Miike, based on the manga series by Hiroaki Samura. The film follows Manji, a highly skilled swordsman, who is cursed with immortality after a warrior nun, Yaobikuni, gives him an elixir that prevents him from dying. With his newfound immortal life, Manji sets out on a quest for revenge against the samurai who killed his sister.
