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Better Late Then Never

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

An amazing start for a movie set in old times. Even though time presented is calm and the movie is based on riots. Director has managed to add the thrill most of the western thrillers failed to engage. They best theme which this movie deals is to realize how far one can go to keep their loved ones safe and sound. No matter if it means pain for both sides. Another sub plot where the characters, who in start dislike each other, came to understand each other better then anyone else is depiction of true samurai's with different agenda's and principles. Both characters have been present as contrast of nature as one being humble and greedy while other narcissist and carefree. Grip over the story and the editing is remarkable. Many actors have performed to the reality. Production design is simple and impressive. Costumes are very gentle and about the era.

The last days of an era are a common motif in Japanese samurai movies. Apparently there is something regarded as especially tragic in that process, and many movies try to show that. So there is nothing very particular about this movie, in terms of theme. The appeal is mostly in the peculiar main character.The problem is, the movie tries for too much. In the first 50 minutes we are totally engaged by Yoshimura, by his tensions with the samurai group he has joined, the curiosity about his motives, and the prospect of the civil war engulfing their lives. It is a fine drama, with the required sword-fighting on top. Yoshimura is a great character.But the last hour is just incredibly overlong and sentimental. The story goes in the right direction, and the fate of the characters seem a natural development of what was set up. So why make it so long and melodramatic?I think the director thought of this movie as more than another drama/adventure samurai. He wanted an epic. It does not work that way. There are only enough characters and plot for the drama of one man and his friends, not of the entire Japan. Thematically, nothing was added because of the long second half. No great insight about humanity, just a bunch of tears, snow, flowing water, and redundant sad speeches. The very same themes and plot resolution could have been done in 20 minutes instead of 60, and the film could wrap up in a nice 100 minutes, losing nothing. What a shame. In aiming for greatness, what could be a great movie was spoiled. Maybe you could watch it on DVD and play everything after the battle in 2x speed...

I was drawn to this 2003 Japanese film for a variety of reasons. a) it's director Yôjirô Takita was responsible for one of my favourite films in recent years, Departures (Okuribito) b) It's been mentioned in the same breath as the quite stupendous "Twilight Samurai" (Tasogare Seibei) and c) I'm just a sucker for 19th Century end of the Shogunate/ Rise of the Emperor guff.All the ingredients are there in the set-up Yoshimura is a lower class Samurai who is struggling to support his wife and children. He abandons them in search of higher pay to support them and joins the notorious Shinsengumi clan. All the usual themes are here. The nature of honour; the conflict between family loyalty and clan loyalty; the passing of an era.Unfortunately the film is hamstrung by a number of problems. Firstly, there is a level of sentimentality which teeters into the mawkish at times. Secondly, the narrative is framed by a dual character flash-backs which are unconvincing, confusing and jarring. Thirdly, whilst the two lead characters are deliberately set as opposites the performances of the two leads teeter into the realms of Samurai TV soap pastiche. Indeed when you compare them to the Hiroyuki Sanada's poised and subtle performance in the melancholic and restrained Twilight Samurai they fall-down badly.Having said all that it's entertaining enough. Has some solid set-pieces and a suitably authentic feel. But that's just not enough. Ultimately, it's a major disappointment. The poster's great though.

Movies in general are never as tightly put together as a well read book, nor should they be because the images are what invoke our memories days later. Mibu Gishi Den is such a work and Kiichi Nakai, gives an award winning performance in the lead. You may remember him for his portrayal of Takeda Shingen in the year long NHK series. For this blue-blood actor, Nakai had to reach for this part, right down to the accent that brings home the country Nanbu Samurai. The beautiful northern Japan area that we get glimpses of in a few of the newer Japanese productions like Twilight Samurai. From Sendai to Karumai, the land and the women are fine enough to keep any combat engineer close to home. The old class system and the wrenching poverty that it kept in place rarely shows through in film. Today people can't relate to either one, here The Last Sword takes several looks at this through the friendships of the protagonist Yoshimura and his close "friend" the Taisho Ono who surely gets booted to the top of the class.Koichi Sato showed range as the reminiscent grandpa, as Best supporting actor his portrayal of Saito is grand enough to reprise in his work a year later in NHK's Shinsengumi (http://www.nhk.or.jp/taiga/) where he plays the antagonist co-leader Kamo Serizawa. Yuji Miyake has an "American Pie" father quality about him. Here he grows up to be the leader of the Morioka clan who supports the losing era. Actually there are no winners here in the era where the seeds of world globalization are planted. It is mostly American Civil war weapons that make the sword impotent. This movie captures a time when a different culture could be found over the next mountain. The real winners here, were the sweep it made at the Japanese Academy awards and the folks who see this film.