Well Deserved Praise

Sadly Over-hyped

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Fabulous movie with a great storyline.The main protagonist's character is very well-developed in the movie as it moves on. I expected to use this movie to help me sleep, and was I wrong big time.I was engrossed fully throughout the movie, and the ending regarding the hidden blade was splendid, I did not expect it at all.It's not an all action movie, it's more drama, but it was like watching through a window looking in to the life of a samurai and those around him, as they lived in their own time.Beautiful work of art ...

While "The Twilight Samurai" is touching and moving while being realistic, this movie has a bit of realism but has more to do with loyalty and virtue. Although this has more action than "The Twilight Samurai" the trailer can be misleading cause this movie is far from being a action packed movie. And like the previous movie it takes patience to enjoy although it's a movie that isn't for everyone. The pacing might be a bit slow but isn't too slow to the point it makes the audience lose their attention. While the previous movie had to do with family, this one has multiple themes combined into one but it works very well. And the portrayal is more realistic when it comes to samurais because it's not idealistic like it's portrayed in some movies. This movie has elements from the movie "The Last Samurai" in it, but goes in a more realistic direction since it isn't really idealistic. The romance elements is done pretty well and believable for most part. Despite the premise of this movie, it isn't action packed with a lot of sword fighting. So if your expecting that, you will be left disappointed but what it does accomplish is that it makes you believe that all the character in the movie is real and so is the plot. Thus it makes the whole experience engrossing and goes in a direction where it isn't really dry despite not having a lot of action for a movie that has samurais and the use of western weapons in it.7.3/10

Having recently worked through a dozen or so samurai films, including Kurosawa's generally brilliant offerings, my taste had become fairly attuned to the genre and although several were very good the style was beginning to wear thin. Until Hidden Blade. This is an exceptional film; original in story, characters and direction. The plot is quite simple: a samurai whose father's disgrace has reduced the family in status, lives with a maid and a servant. He is in love with the maid, and she with him, but the social conventions and their own decency prevent this from becoming anything more than a tender friendship. The samurai's sword school companion gets himself into trouble and finally their sword-brother relationship leads the plot to a climax. There are several fights, a background of western military training being given to the samurai in this area, but above all that is the compassion and decency of the samurai and his maid. There is not a wasted moment in the direction; the scenery is beautiful; the acting is very engaging; the story seems to move at a gentle pace but it's impossible to take your eyes off the screen - one of those truly well- made movies where the technical excellence is so understated that you know only that you're being swept along with the story. Highly, highly recommended.

A brilliant film about honor, virtue and revenge. This is not your typical Samurai film so don't expect lots of fighting scenes although there are some. For those interested in history this film offers an insight into how Japan modernized its army. The film shows how western guns were introduced to the Japanese and how the Samurai had to adapt. there is one amazing scene where the Japanese instructor tries to teach the Samurai soldiers how to run like the English. The Samurai run like ducks and the instructor shows them how to sprint. The film is very touching with great sets and costumes. There's so much cooking going on you crave for Japanese noodles. Most of all this is a love story with a happy end.