Director: Kazuo Mori
Notable Cast: Shintaro
Katsu, Rentaro Mikuni, Hisaya Morishige, Etushi Takahashi, Naoko Otani, Osamu
Sakai, Renji Ishibashi
After a roller coaster series of entries in the last handful
of films, the Zatoichi franchise
needed a film to go back to its roots. A film that returned to the formula that
established what fans loved about them to begin with. This is what Zatoichi at Large represents. A
cleansing of the franchise from its oddities and a return to form. This is both
a blessing and a curse for the film. The previous few entries shied away from
this approach as it was becoming redundant and that redundancy shows its cracks
in the foundational writing for this 23rd film in the blind
swordsman series. However, Zatoichi at
Large is largely saved by a director that knows dynamics in the visuals and
a ferocious third act.So it's a mixed watch for fans.
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| A meeting of swords...before they are drawn. |
The first half of Zatoichi
at Large is about as formulaic as this franchise gets. Zatoichi has to
deliver a baby…again. Zatoichi has to help a woman in legal trouble with the
yakuza…again. Zatoichi meets up with a wandering swordsman who wants to fight
him…again. Zatoichi has to save the local festival...again. Zatoichi stumbles into a botched yakuza overthrow…again. We are now
23 entries into this series and the formula that used to be so enduring is getting
a little worn and tattered and Zatoichi
at Large does nothing with the writing to really add anything new to the
progress. No wonder the series started adding in guest characters and crazy
plot twists in the last few films because this script is mediocre at best. Even the
dialogue seems bland.
Luckily, director Kazuo Mori seems to understand that the
script is weak and does a ridiculously admirable job at keeping the movie a
visual feast since the writing and characters are all things we have seen
before in this series. His style still is a bit grittier and darker at times
(something that was seen in his previous two directorial outings for the series
Zatoichi and the Doomed Man and The Tale of Zatoichi Continues) and it’s
his use of lighting – particularly in the second half which takes place
predominately at night – and his slick camera movement that makes this film so
much fun to watch. Even though the film ends on a rather sudden and sharp note,
the swordsman duel is done with an artful manner that the franchise hasn’t
really seen before stylistically speaking. It’s definitely Mori that keeps Zatoichi at Large on par with the
strength of the rest of the series despite its foundational flaws.
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| Look at that light design! |
It also has to be mentioned that the final fight sequence,
once again something that has repeatedly popped up again and again as Zatoichi
must fight off hordes of yakuza fighters, is actually really well paced and
choreographed. Leading up to this, the film is rather action free,
instead focusing on some of Zatoichi’s “showcases of speed” to keep things
lively. However, it’s this third act that piles on a serious body count with
gore and a real visual knack to keep things tense and fluid. At one point,
Zatoichi is actually set on fire and proceeds to menacingly walk towards his
prey. Yes, I said ‘on fire.’ In full display of the camera. If there was any Zatoichi film that I could say was saved
by the last act, it’s Zatoichi at Large.
In the end, I can’t say that this 23rd entry is
going to be one that sticks with the viewer over time. Zatoichi at Large lacks any real depth to the story and the
characters are nothing worthy to be remembered outside of another strong
performance from Shintaro Katsu. However, for fans it’s going to be the
execution of the visuals and an insanely ferocious third act that is going to
save the film from being a complete stumbling block for the franchise as it
nears its conclusion. It’s enough to make the film fun and effective
entertainment. Which, in turn, is really all one can ask for from this series
at this point.
Written By Matt Reifschneider
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