DVD Samurai Warrior

1 Star

Tales of ancient times in China and Japan have proved the basis for some spectacular action epics in recent years. Enormous armies, vast landscapes and impressive swordplay combine to engaging effect. Samurai Warrior focuses not on these high profile wars, instead seeking to cover the story of those left behind, the peasants and farmers tending to the smaller surrounding villages.

"Samurai Warrior is one of those films that didn’t need to be made."

Samurai Warrior is set during Japan’s Warring States Period, when many powerful feudal lords took it upon themselves to pillage neighbouring lands whenever the opportunity arose. As steps towards unifying the whole country began, battles unfolded and many men left the smaller villages to fight in the larger territories. Among those left behind to tend to the farmlands were groups of hoodlum youths, referred to as ‘Evil Little Devils’, who, dreaming of supplanting their superiors, spent much of their time brawling and ‘stealing’ neighbouring villages through an elaborate capture the flag style game.

In the small rural village of Kinugasa, three teenage farmhands, Ryu, Gon and Yonesuke, sought to break the monotony of their agricultural chores by training themselves in the Japanese martial arts, particularly swordsmanship, and employing their burgeoning skills in mock raids on the villages of their rivals. But their superiority in the relatively harmless arena of adolescent warfare becomes threatened and things turn deadly when a young warrior, Jojima, returns from the real battlefield and attempts to exert his dominance over the three friends…

Director Kenichiro Nishiumi cut his teeth as an assistant director to one of the most prolific and, at times, controversial directors, Takashi Miike. Samurai Warrior represents Nishiumi’s first foray into producing a feature length live action film, although at little more than an hour in length, it is akin to a long TV episode. While the short run time makes the film an easy and quick watch, it somewhat undermines the opportunity to really get under the skin of the characters. By the end, we know basically who they are and what they are about, but this lack of substance removes any real feeling of peril when the action intensifies towards the end. Not caring for the characters means the stakes are low and whether or not the protagonists live or die matters little.

This lack of substance makes true judgement over the performances of the cast difficult. There are certainly some familiar faces in the form of Yuma Ishigaki (13 Assassins) and Suzosuke (Cyborg Girl), and while they embrace their respective roles enough to make themselves believable, their characters do not have the screen time to really build a presence or make a lasting impression. The storyline attempts to highlight innocence and coming of age for children or young teenagers, so having 18-year-old characters, who are ostensibly adults, is confusing. Their childish attitudes, mock samurai games and questionable decision making means that they act like children, so why not employ a younger cast? On numerous occasions, the leads appear to acknowledge a lesson learned, before forgetting all about it in the next scene and heading off to do exactly what the aforementioned lesson seemed to suggest they shouldn’t. As a result, both the plot and characters are left rather imbalanced.

The setting, supposedly ancient and war ravaged Japan, just looks far too clean and tidy.

The film is something of a strange beast; come the end, it feels more as if it represents the introduction to an ongoing saga – the pilot episode to a new TV series perhaps – rather than a complete plot in itself. Perhaps a sequel is to come, although it is doubtful that the film will inspire enough in the way of ardent support to provide a major market for a follow up. It would also raise question marks over why exactly this film was made on its own, given the story could very easily have been condensed into the introduction of a longer film. Indeed, this film is much like someone attempting to take the introduction of the original Spiderman film, which told the background story rather well, and stretch it into a full length feature in its own right.

The setting, supposedly ancient and war ravaged Japan, just looks far too clean and tidy. Throughout the film, the lack of engagement one feels with the surroundings, means seeing one of the characters check their digital watch part way through would hardly come as a surprise. The action sequences provide one of the only positive aspects of the film, with some acrobatics and quick swordplay, although with little reason to care about the leads and with blunt weapons unlikely to do lasting damage, even these fail to get the blood pumping.

Samurai Warrior is one of those films that didn’t need to be made. It may have the very basics of an entertaining story; however, it has done its best to hide these well. Too short to consider engrossing, a forgettable plot, irritating characters, and a fairly unbelievable setting combine to make this a tough film to recommend. Miss it and you won’t have missed out.