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The Sword of Doom - Criterion Collection Director: Kihachi Okamoto Number of Items: 1 Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Widescreen Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Running Time: 121 minutes Studio: Criterion Collection Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2005-03-15 Buy from Amazon |
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From Amazon.com Boasting some of the most impressive swordplay in the history of samurai epics, Sword of Doom is a visceral masterpiece of violent style and powerful substance. Illustrating the timeless adage that "an evil soul wields an evil sword," this highly stylized classic is driven by the fierce and fearsome performance of Tatsuya Nakadai as Ryunosuke, a sociopathic samurai whose soul--and sword--are vicious instruments of evil. Having mastered a highly unconventional style of fencing, Ryunosuke welcomes an exhibition match at a fencing school run by master swordsman Shimada (Toshirô Mifune, in a small but pivotal role), where he kills his opponent after promising not to. Flagrantly violating all codes of honor, Ryunosuke eventually finds himself challenged from all sides; even his own henchmen rally against him, and director Kihachi Okamoto stages confrontations that are as beautiful as they are graphically violent. As Ryunosuke descends into pure, bloodthirsty insanity, Sword of Doom ends with a freeze-frame that's unforgettably intense. --Jeff Shannon From Description Wandering samurai Ryunosuke lives his life in a maelstrom of violence. A gifted swordsman—plying his trade during the turbulent final days of Shogunate rule—he kills without remorse, without mercy. |
 "Mesmerizing but not really satisfying"Sword of Doom stands out as one of the few films in which the protagonist is a villian and the antagonists are the "good guys" that we're accustomed to following and cheering for. It's an uncomfortable feeling; indeed, you're never comfortable (or supposed to be) when watching this film. Nakadai is haunting as the protagonist. You may think that you know what to expect, but this isn't your garden-variety psychotic madman that Hollywood loves to include in film after film, like a bad stereotype. Nakadai (except for at the very end) never makes an outburst or a sudden, unexpected move. It's this "quality" that makes him more accessible to viewers. Your typical madman is someone you want to keep your distance from, for you never know what he'll do, but Nakadai's calmness invites you to lean forward and study him closely. There are a few scenes where he is depressed on the floor of his shack and you could swear that you'd be able to lean in an inch from his face and look him over without him caring or flinching. He's yet a cold-blooded killer, making for a seemingly interesting contradiction. He kills those in his way when he is out, then lays on the floor and gets drunk on sake when he's at home. Is it a lamenting of how things are and have to be or could it possibly be guilt? Sword of Doom is very well acted, has beautiful photography and has an engaging plot. It could've become a great film if it were not for the ending. As others have mentioned, all plot lines are left dangling--nothing is resolved--possibly because they were meant to be resolved in a sequel. This makes for an unsatisfying experience, especially if plot resolution is important to your enjoyment of films (as it is for most of us). You must, instead, appreciate the finer elements of the movie, such as the performances, the art and the tragedy. If you're prepared for this, Sword of Doom is a mesmerizing film that should be checked out.  "Dark and depressing for no apparent reason"Overall, this movie fails to move the viewer. Tatsuya Nakadai gives a great performance as the pointlessly cruel Samurai who embarks on a course of self-destruction following a vile past of evil. The movie has a very forgettable appearance by Toshiro Mifune as a fencing teacher and seems to build up to a final confrontation with his student that never happens. Your time will be better spent watching Kobayashi's Harakiri or Samurai Rebellion if you like more serious drama or Kurosawa's Yojimbo or Hidden Fortress if you like adventure.  "A brilliant, unsettling film "After having seen countless samurai films, from Seven Samurai to Sword of Vengeance, the original Zatoichi movies to Sleepy Eyes of Death, I watched this movie thinking I knew what I'd see -- but I was completely unprepared for this chilling movie. From the first scene when Tsukue Ryunosuke (played, in a remarkable performance, by Nakadai Tatsuya) kills an old man, I was spellbound. He is an evil man, without question, a self-centered villain...or so I initially thought. It's only by the depth with which the character is drawn and the flawless acting with which he is portrayed, that we can feel any emotion other than disgust for him. I absolutely hated him for the first 45 minutes of this film, I was so caught up in it that I was desperately waiting to see the arrival of the character that would beat him (the kind of character we all know from the other samurai films, the noble hero who would avenge the...etc., etc.). Then I began to watch him more closely, and I started to find myself fascinated by his behavior -- I still despised him, but I felt drawn to understand why he was like this and where the penchant for savage violence emanated from. This is the first time the villian of a samurai movie was given center stage and it's absolutely compelling. A second viewing revealed more layers of Ryunosuke. I viewed his actions in the beginning of the movie (the events that originally made him so hated) with a clearer eye. I disagree with calling him an anti-hero -- I don't think that's what the film-makers were going for. Instead, I feel they were trying to portray a man on the outside, neither true hero nor villian nor even someone in between, but a man who stood on the outside of everything. There's a scene, one of the few where he loses his composure, when he becomes upset over being called an outcast -- I think this brief scene, more than any other, defines the entire film. Beyond even that, this film has real surprises -- there are things that happen (which I wouldn't dream of giving away) that will shock you, twists and turns that will leave you stunned not so much because of their revelations but because you really don't see them coming. I don't want to describe anything in too much detail because I don't want to ruin even a second of this incredible movie for anyone. Finally, there is Mifune Toshiro -- what an unbelievable presence. When he appears it's a welcome respite from the madness and savagery -- like an open window in a smoke-filled room. He really deserves to be mentioned in every greatest actor list compiled (although I'm sure anyone reading reviews of this movie already knows that). This movie has stayed with me for days now, I keep turning it over in my mind, replaying scenes and thinking about the characters. It's a one-of-a-kind movie, and I hope everyone with even an iota of interest in Japanese films takes a look at it. You won't be disappointed. "Story-driven violence."And a lot of it. I saw this first when this was new (1966) had vividly and accurately remembered some of the scenes, specifically the first and last, when I saw it again a few years ago. It does stay with you. There are several good human characters in the film, but don't expect Sanjuro. "Beautifully Shot Japanese Classic"In 1965, Japan was way ahead of its time in both film content and scene selection... The character development and acting is still top-notch. There is not much more to say about this movie (the other reviews are really exhaustive!!)... I feel almost anyone can watch and enjoy such a movie, from film students to avid movie-goers- all will find a classic work worthy of reflection. |
