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Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

A typically intense – not to mention insane – example of a Japanese B-movie, that actually feels like an EPIC thanks to its non-stop action, carnage, chaos, and plenty more besides. The plot is one of those simplistic one sentence ideas you can just imagine some powerful executive in an office had "let's see a war fought between samurai soldiers and modern army officers!". The execution is splendid, gory, violent, and everything else that you could hope for. The time slip itself is hilarious, a plethora of cheap flashing lights and plenty other weirdness which set the time of production firmly within the 1970s.Once the action starts to beef up it doesn't let up at all, right until the climax. The last thirty-forty minutes depicts a war between modern and ancient soldiers and is as gratuitous, exciting and adrenaline-pumping as you could ever hope for. Top-notch choreography by martial arts legend Sonny Chiba and some outstanding makeup effects/costumes help add to the realism. Hard man hero Chiba also stars as Iba, the tough, power-hungry lieutenant who leads the modern day army, and his acting skills are as good as ever. I love the scene where he turns into a hard-ass at the end of the film, riding horses and kicking backside all over the shop. It's one of his best performance and I would put this up there with THE STREET FIGHTER as his two best movies. "Don't cry – fight!" is one of the many classic lines he gets to deliver at the film progresses.Those of a squeamish disposition note, this film is full of gory bullet hits and some damned explicit decapitations which seem to come out of nowhere! Gotta love those arrow hits, though, which are truly hilarious. Anyone who has seen a '70s Japanese samurai film will know the level of violence to expect from this one. The war itself is the best part of the film, a truly frenetic and often horrific experience showing the true terrors of warfare; the action and death is often enhanced by an experimental soundtrack in which moments of dead silence add to the viewing experience. Animal-lovers would also be well advised to look elsewhere as the film has dozens of violent horse falls, where the horse's legs are yanked out with wire leaving the horses crippled and likely to be sent to the knacker's yard. No wonder this was extensively cut – in an extremely bizarre way – for its 18 certificate UK release. Cut or not, this is an outrageous and dramatic movie which despite being downbeat offers up an amazing good time. Check it out!NB: Since I wrote this review, I've bought the DVD under the better title, G. I. SAMURAI. Seen in a widescreen print, with an extra thirty minutes added to the proceedings, I'm now convinced this is a masterpiece which belies its B-movie budget. The cost of kitting out the hundreds of Samurai warriors must have been huge and the authenticity is spot on throughout. The opening time-slip isn't too bad and in fact is the only moment in the whole film that the thing feels cheesy. Elsewhere the viewer runs the gamut of emotions from A-Z, from happiness, and outlandish joy, through to sadness, and downbeat misery. Suspense is top-notch throughout and great performances from an entire cast – especially the actor who plays the samurai commander ally. I love this film to bits.

I just finished watching the 139 min version (widescreen) with some friends and we were blown away. I won't bother repeating what others have said. What the filmmakers do with the concept is unexpected and fun. The huge battle is exhausting. Afterwards we were stunned to find there was still nearly 30 minutes left to go but that didn't keep us from being completely involved and entertained.There is one thing that nearly ruined it and that was the horrific music/songs. Blues, Country/Folk and Rock Ballads do not belong here and every time they are used we all broke out in laughter. It's hideous. You have been warned but the story and storytelling keeps you grounded.There are several outstanding moments that make you appreciate the talent behind the camera. There are many uses of silence as well as slow-motion photography that work beautifully. I really wish I could erase the music but alas.Seek this out. It's fun, it's different and it takes you to places you wouldn't expect and that's very refreshing.

"GI Samurai" sees Sonny Chiba and some other guys get transported back to civil war stricken feudal Japan for no particular reason, and much carnage ensues. It's a rather over the top essay of sword vs. machine gun that ultimately yields some interesting results.The plot essentially runs along the rails that you might expect from the title; initial fish-out-the-water antics ("what is this flying metal box?" etc etc), "aren't we better off here" discussions and ultimately a huge battle. The latter is proof that the film doesn't take itself seriously at all, the carnage taking up most of the second half as samurai army battles Chiba's platoon; a face off one would fully expect from the title but it still manages to overwhelm with its inventiveness and extravagance. It's certainly one of the most unique battle sequences of its time and doesn't drag despite its extended length.Chiba gives a gruff performance as Iba, initially a good leader but someone who finally finds himself questioning his own morals as the situation slowly has an effect on him. This is certainly one of his better vehicles from his terrific CV. By the final act the two worlds have had such an effect on each other you have to wonder if it was a bit of nihilism on the part of the writers, as they seem to be asking "weren't we better off back then?'. But this is maybe reading a bit much into was can generally be described as a hugely entertaining two hours of (almost) non stop action.

GI Samurai was a great movie. Fans of Sonny Chiba should love this movie as did I. Basically, its about this platoon that is sent back in time to feudal Japan. Sonny Chiba plays the platoon's captain. The platoon is forced to fight the samurai clans, its cool to see the army weaponry going up against spears & catapults. Forget plot, this movie doesn't need it, its chock full of war carnage & some unbelievable special effects. The film ultimately turns anti-war with an unexpected ending that will stay with you for days.