Very best movie i ever watch

Simply A Masterpiece

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The film was recommended by a martial arts fan, and in a sense it IS a MA film, but it is so much more.It is a tale of history; of legend; of star-crossed lovers; of ignorant politicians and rulers; of human nature; of sacrifice, of true love; and ultimately of the potential of the human spirit.Great cinematography, acting, direction.I don't know how I missed it when released but I have seen it once and I can honestly say I will never forget it.It is up to individual viewer to decide how much of the Shinobi legend is fact and how much is fiction. Whatever you decide, it will not prevent your enjoyment of the film.Recommended.

My wife and I decided to watch this after seeing a preview for it. A word of warning. As with many previews, you get the impression of an action film that was mostly combat. It would be a profound disappointment for anyone expecting that, as it has both plot and a rich historical and cultural background that is often lacking from action films.We had both seen and love "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and enjoyed "The House of Flying Daggers." This movie lies somewhere between the two, and should not disappoint if you let it stand on its own instead of judging it on the manga on which it is based. The cinematography and scenery is absolutely gorgeous, and rates at least four stars. The combat sequences are excellent, amazingly so given the moderate budget this film had. The film could not climb much above five stars if that was all it had. However, it also has a story, that is both solid and at times, clever. The story does not exactly translate into the neat category of "tragedy" (and of course "comedy") that Western literature often falls into. However, the world it occurs in is very different. This is the Japan at the end of the Sengoku period, when the Tokegawa Shogunate was established and began a reign of peace, stability, and stagnation that would last over 200 years.The Shinobi are mystical warriors who have thrived on the conflicts of the preceding centuries. They no longer fit in this world of peace, yet there is no simple way to deal with them. The movie revolves around this conflict, between the two conflicting Shinobi clans and the new Japan that has no place for them. From these basic ideas the plot of the movie flows, and it does it quite well. It helps to understand some of the basics of Japanese culture, from the reverence for the authority (the Shogun in this case as the representative of the Emperor though the Shogun is actually in charge - as I said, this is Japan) to the omnipresent, and sometimes suffocating, sense of obligation that pervaded the culture, and how Japan has had to deal with seismic cultural shifts many times in the past.There are not plot spoilers here, everything is explained fairly well during the first 20 or 30 minutes. The story is a love story, caught within a web of obligation, destiny, and fate that makes it doomed from the start. Kouga Gennosuke refuses to accept this, and heroically struggles against the obligations and tradition that require him to see his true love, Oboro, as the enemy since she is from the opposing clan. She is more fatalistic, and the film takes this love and sets against not just this conflict but the determination of the Shogunate that the Shinobi represent a threat to the new peace that has been established. To solve this "problem", the Shogunate decides to require the five strongest warriors from each clan to fight to the death, with the winning side determining the next Shogun.The movie takes off from there. There are numerous combats as Kouga Gennosuke tries to prevent, and when he is unable to do this, limit the carnage from the challenge. Of course, being feudal Japan, the machinations of those in charge are a backdrop that continues to add more and more complexity that is revealed as the remainder of the film progresses. If you are unfamiliar with the original anime, you are never quite sure if the two lovers will escape their fate. The ending caught us by surprise. It is neither "happy" nor "tragic" in the context of Japan and it's culture. Instead there is a unexpected twist as these warriors, rejected by the new era, give their people one last chance, with a sacrifice and surrender that is profound, and uncommon in Western cinema.

This movie tried to be Hero but failed miserably. Prob had 1 tenth the budget of a movie like Hero and didn't do much with it I thought. Fight scenes were boring and seemed rushed and thrown together. I shut it off after i started to get upset at it. I don't think i can watch movies like this after seeing masterpieces like Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Crouching Tiger and of course Curse of the Golden Flower. If you have seen any of those movies, don't bother with this, there's no point... Actually, this movie couldn't even wipe The Banquets butt. If I melt the DVD down maybe i can make something interesting out of it and give it a better purpose.

Since young, I'm thrilled by Kung Fu action flicks and looks like I will be continuously entertained by the big screen when studios keep producing films like this. The Japanese is a culture that is very deep rooted. As such, to escape, their minds have to venture way way beyond the logic and realism. Look through the genres of Japanese anime and fantasies - they are so extreme! I would not say that this movie belongs to the very extreme, but it is at the right level for grown up audience. It has all the right ingredients - beautiful settings and sceneries, romance (the Chinese style) and most of all out-of-the-world Kung Fu powers and actions.The story has a slow start. But as it progresses, the extraordinary skill of each fighter is revealed. You can't help but get glued to the screen for the next ninja to fight. The ending was sad but satisfying.