This follow-up to the excellent SWORD OF VENGEANCE is everything a sequel should be: it's better than the original, taking themes and running with them, and as a whole more expansive and elaborate than the first film. To be honest, I often find origin stories quite tiresome, as it can take ages to set up story lines. Here, we already know what's going on, and are thrust into the thick of the action right away! This one's definitely more focused on action, with endless battle sequences and none of the slow spots that the original had. I loved it to bits. It retains the style of the first movie but goes more overboard on the gore sequences, with all manner of grisliness – especially at the eye-popping climax, one of the goriest fight sequences I've ever watched!
Although the action-focused plot is slimmer than in the first film, the central characters are explored at more depth. Wakayama becomes ever more remarkable, a relentless assassin who can survive pretty much anything that's thrown at him – sometimes literally – and Tomikawa is scene-stealing as the infant the whole audience must love by now. In fact, he's quickly becoming, in my eyes, the greatest child character ever put on film – the scene with the water is endearing beyond belief. The supporting cast is pretty iconic, with a ruthless female fighter who becomes gradually attached to the killer twosome, and a trio of imposing 'gods of death' who cut quite the figure with their huge helmets and outlandish weaponry.
There are so many great bits in this short film that it's hard to remember them all. A highlight for me is when Ogami must contend with a clan of female assassins, who come at him in a series of spectacular ambushes. Then there's the fight in the forest, in which Daigoro reveals his own propensity for violence for the first time, and the bit on the ship. All of these (admittedly great) moments are eclipsed by the quite brilliant climax, with a desert backdrop, in which the blood flows like never before – and I'm talking literally! After I finished watching, I knew straight away that this was a film I'd taken to heart, and one I'm going to enjoy watching over and over. It may well be the most entertaining samurai film ever made!
Although the action-focused plot is slimmer than in the first film, the central characters are explored at more depth. Wakayama becomes ever more remarkable, a relentless assassin who can survive pretty much anything that's thrown at him – sometimes literally – and Tomikawa is scene-stealing as the infant the whole audience must love by now. In fact, he's quickly becoming, in my eyes, the greatest child character ever put on film – the scene with the water is endearing beyond belief. The supporting cast is pretty iconic, with a ruthless female fighter who becomes gradually attached to the killer twosome, and a trio of imposing 'gods of death' who cut quite the figure with their huge helmets and outlandish weaponry.
There are so many great bits in this short film that it's hard to remember them all. A highlight for me is when Ogami must contend with a clan of female assassins, who come at him in a series of spectacular ambushes. Then there's the fight in the forest, in which Daigoro reveals his own propensity for violence for the first time, and the bit on the ship. All of these (admittedly great) moments are eclipsed by the quite brilliant climax, with a desert backdrop, in which the blood flows like never before – and I'm talking literally! After I finished watching, I knew straight away that this was a film I'd taken to heart, and one I'm going to enjoy watching over and over. It may well be the most entertaining samurai film ever made!