When The Last Sword Is Drawn

dudara

A film based at the end of the Samurai era, this was quite an award winner in China/Japan. I rented it out a few nights ago, and was quite pleased by it. It's about a smaurai, who leaves his clan and becomes a mercenary. This is contrary to the Samurai code of honour and causes amusement amongst his new colleagues. We see the end of the samurai era in this film, and this makes it quite sad and tragic.

the ending is far too drawn out and detracts from an otherwise very good film.

Anyone else seen it?

Karl Hungus

Surely it's "When The Last Sword Is Drawn"?

But yes, good film. I would agree that the ending is rather drawn out too.

BlitzKrieg

its

When the last sword is drawn.


i think.


and i didnt like it.

and i know everybody is going to go at me for this comment.

But its very classical hollywood in its filmmaking. every shot, every scene, the music, how the story was told (and as you pointed out, the very long ending) was all very by the book filmed and edited and it just felt very stale to me. (this is in no way a promotion of MTV shaky cams or bullet time bullsh*t).

I liked the two main characters, but in the end an easily forgetable film. so i give it 6/10.

Lochaber

I loved this film, thought it was one of the best films I'd seen this year.

ok, that particular scene was a bit drawn out to say the least however all in all I thought the film was something a bit different from the genre and quite refreshing.

dudara

You're right, the name is indeed "When the Last Sword is Drawn" and the post title has been corrected.

I enjoyed most of it, especially the quiet humour employed and the comic tragic honour of the main character. However, that last long drawn out scene was a real killer.

Lochaber

Just wondering, sorry if this is OT, but how does this film compare to The Twilight Samurai and The Last Samurai? I gather they are mostly set in the same time period but I haven't seen them.

Given that I did like WTLSID do you reckon they are worth a watch?

dudara

I actually like the Last Samurai when I saw it, even if it is a somewhat Hollywood-ised version of history. WTLSID is probably more realistic, but the Last Samurai is definitely worth a rent some night. it should even be in the cheap-rent section of Xtravision by now

Mickeroo

do xtra-vision have When the last sword is drawn?

Karl Hungus

The Twilight Samurai is a far superior film, definetly see it.

Lemming

I own the 'When the last sword is drawn' and I think it's a superb film, if somewhat drawn out at the end. The sword-play is accurate and very well coreographed and the film's accuracy regarding period specifics is refreshing from the likes of the Last Samurai, which whilst visually pretty was very much hollywood fare.

On a side note, it's interesting to note that whilst Tom Cruise was the poster boy for the Last Samurai here, in Japan it was Ken Watanabe who was top billing.

ixoy

Little bit disappointed with this one, to be honest. Definetely the drawn-out ending didn't help - all the endless goodbyes... For some reason the main thing that sticks with me from the movie are ninjas and eh.. giant balls of rice...

dudara

ixoy wrote:

and eh.. giant balls of rice...

so true..