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Zatoichi(座頭市)

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Japan · 2003
Rated R · 1h 56m
Director Takeshi Kitano
Starring Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano, Michiyo Ookusu, Gadarukanaru Taka
Genre Adventure, Drama, Action

Zatoichi, a blind nomad, is secretly a master swordsman gifted with a lightning-fast draw and breathtaking precision. After chartering dangerous territory, Zatoichi encounters a pair of geishas--as dangerous as they are beautiful--who plan to avenge their parents' murder. As the paths of these and other colorful characters intertwine, the stage is set for a riveting showdown.

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What are critics saying?

80

L.A. Weekly by

Although Zatoichi may disappoint some Kitano purists, who might think it a vanity piece or submission to popular taste -- he's even begun moving his camera -- its pyrotechnics are still audacious and breathtaking.

80

The New York Times by Dana Stevens

Like many musicals, The Blind Swordsman works better in individual scenes than as a whole. Mr. Kitano is not the most disciplined storyteller, and the plot meanders along tangents and stumbles into flashbacks, losing momentum for long stretches in the middle.

80

Variety by David Rooney

Over-plotted and at times incoherent but never dull, this is a stylishly designed, highly entertaining bloodbath full of offbeat comedy and inspired musical moments.

70

Village Voice by J. Hoberman

A reasonably good Kurosawa pastiche. But overburdened with convoluted flashbacks and interpolated gags, and generally lacking a dynamic sense of cutting, the movie doesn't possess the master's sardonic brio.

75

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Liam Lacey

It feels like one long non-sequitur -- like closing a Charles Bronson film with a disco medley -- but there's an emotional consistency to Kitano's boisterous celebration of movement.

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