The Hidden Blade (2004) User Reviews

A cerebral tale of honour, duty and revenge in a time of change in feudal Japan

[joebloggscity · 9/10 · 8 January 2006]

I've always enjoyed Asian movies as they seem to deal with emotional issues far better than we do in the West. This film is a great illustration of this, set in 19th Century Japan centring on a samurai called Katagiri with a strand of tales which cover restricted love, friendship, honour and killing.

Duty and culture are the main issues for Katagari as he battles with them whilst they forbid him to live a happier life. The film though never treats these issues heavily but rather takes you on a journey for the viewer to understand the world they live in before making a rounded judgement. The beautiful rural setting for this film adds to the atmosphere, whilst the acting is understated but delightful befitting the reticent culture the main characters live within.

Regardless of the title, there is actually no real battling at all until the end, and even then it is carefully controlled so as not to make this appeal to fans of sword fighting movies. If anything, the battle is only there as a side on to the rest of the movie whose themes are far more important.

Overall, I would recommend this to everyone it is beautiful, interesting and a diversion from the usual fair we all watch on film and TV. You are unlikely to watch many other films as beautifully done as this one all year.

another masterpiece by director Yoji Yamada, that is both entertaining and insightful

[torva-anser · 9/10 · 26 April 2005]

A story set in the mid 1800s, during the final days of the Shoguns and the Samurais, Hidden Blade is an authentically Japanese film, appropriately spliced with intelligent comic reliefs, with a controlled release of dramatic, humanly, sword fights. With tight sequences and brilliant character development, the film progresses at a balanced pace, keeping the viewer attentive and concerned. A presentation of Samurai culture and Japanese political and social structure, Hidden Blade is yet another masterpiece by director Yoji Yamada, that is both entertaining and insightful.

Individuals vs. Society Beautifully Portrayed in the Closing Age of Samurai

[noralee · 8/10 · 12 July 2006]

"The Hidden Blade (Kakushi-ken: oni no tsume)" is filmed in a deceptively old-fashioned and leisurely style to make pointed observations of Japanese society, much as "Far From Heaven" did for the U.S.

Director/co-writer Yôji Yamada again adapts Shuuhei Fujisawa stories as he did so beautifully in "Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei)". Taking place just a few years before Hollywood's "The Last Samurai", this feels like a rebuke and response to that very Westernized interpretation of some of the same issues of how changes in military technology impacted feudalism and imperialism, as well as visually referencing many classic Japanese samurai films, but from a more individualized point of view then Kurosawa, Kobayashi or Inagaki

The first half of the film establishes the complicated domestic life and frustrating work of the struggling samurai (a solid and sympathetic Masatoshi Nagase, channeling Toshirô Mifune). The broadly comic scenes of fumbled rifles and cannon training recall similarities with the "Sharpe" TV series of the just a bit earlier Napoleonic wars. Particularly lovely are household hearth scenes of warmth between generations and between master and servants.

But this is not the idyllic village where Tom Cruise sojourned, as darker abuse is revealed and the samurai flaunts rigid social protocols to do right by those he cares for, especially the young maid "Kie" (Takako Matsu channeling the three little maids from "The Mikado" a bit too much). He is slow to reveal emotions or take action (the romance goes beyond Jane Austen in its cross-caste sidling and very slow resolution), suppressing vivid childhood memories we see very briefly in flashbacks in contrast to his voluble friend who rebels, including against traditional suicide.

The emphasis throughout the film is on generational conflict, as elders who are to be venerated are constantly shown to be fools or much worse -- old uncles complain about younger people (whose names they can't keep straight) using the new Western weapons, but place a higher priority on eating; a mother-in-law viciously mistreats her daughter-in-law to increase profits; a corrupt senior retainer (the feudal titles do not seem well-translated in the subtitles) lies and manipulates while enjoying geishas and complaining about his prostate problems. But a teacher derided as a "crazy old man" who can still best the young swordsman passes on more useful stealth techniques than the martinet drill sergeant who has inherited the honorific "sensei" with his British guns.

While as usual in such films, I simply cannot follow the Byzantine shogun politics even with a superfluous narration, as I've never studied Japanese political history, the second half ironically builds on the iconography of the genre with unusual sights and sounds. Macho conflicts are filmed voyeuristically, with sidling camera angles that indicate a passing from mano a mano duels to the anonymity of modern weapons, and thus justifying the use of the titular vengeance.

The exquisite cinematography and sound design create a special environment. With a look of faded epic cinematography like the passing of an age, we see snow falling on parasols, cherry blossoms on the path and rain fall on unrequited love. We hear them too, as the breezes, wind, crickets, birds, rain and the household sounds of tools and crackling fire punctuate long silences and dominate more than the conventionally soaring score that is used judiciously. But a prison and eventual bloody fights in a heavily symbolic fog are not minimalized.

The production design is much more elaborate in showing us traditional architecture than most such Japanese films.

I'm sure some of the social and historical commentary just goes by a Western audience unfamiliar with particulars, but the themes of individuals caught up in social proscriptions who rebel and seek love, respect, peace and, most of all, control over their lives is universal and very involving.

The real last samurai.

[winner55 · 10/10 · 10 May 2007]

Fans of the common chambara (swordfigfht) film will be disappointed - this is not an action film. Tartan films is making a mistake by loading its marketing of this film in America with hints that it might be. In fact, this film probably could better distributed by Criterion, since it is the equal of any of the Japanese dramas it handles.

This is a real throwback to the grand tradition of Japanese film - Ozu, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi. Flawless cinematography, almost painful care for detail, strong back story, meditative commentary on political history, and a passionate cross-caste romance, much as that captured in the "Samurai" trilogy. Sensitive acting and elegant direction. a romantic soundtrack that never becomes overbearing. Really a film for the ages.

This is the film most people should be watching instead of the Tom Cruise farce "The Last Samurai". Indeed, sympathetic viewing of this film will at least make clear why many of us were outraged at the Cruise film - this has all the thoughtful reflection on the social tensions of that era that "The Last Samurai" lacked.

A fascinating demonstration that the Japanese well know their own history and need no reminders from Hollywood - and can depict that history with a sweep and vision easily as grand and as beautiful as anything Hollywood can produce.

The tale of a samurai who is reluctant to draw his sword

[wayward_sage · 8/10 · 15 January 2006]

I originally went to this film at the Palm Springs International Film Fest expecting lot of samurai action. What I did get was a thoughtful, well directed drama about a samurai who had never drawn his sword and was coming to terms with the changes in his country during the 1800's. The actors do a masterful job, and the main character really makes you feel the conflict in his heart.

There is very little swordplay in the film. Pretty much only in one scene toward the end. It plays out in a gut wrenching way for the main character. It took courage to tell the story of a Samurai who is reluctant to fight. The film deals with a very complex moral question: When is it okay to kill? The main character is put in a moral quandary when he's forced to do something that he is morally against. I felt director showed us a part of Japanese life that we're not used to seeing. The every day, domestic details of a honest, good samurai.

If you get the chance to see it, please do.

Not reaching the stupendous height as Twilight Samurai does, but still a splendid film on its own merits

[harry_tk_yung · 31 March 2005]

In May 2003, I posted a rather long report on Twilight Samurai, which was the very first IMDb comment posted on this exquisite film. Earlier this year, when I saw that another film by director Yamada Yoji is among the gala screenings in this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival, I was overjoyed. Yet I was realistic enough to recognize that the level of cinematic excellence in Twilight Samurai is almost impossible to repeat, let alone surpass. Having now seen "Hidden Blade, Devil's Claw", I know that I have been proved right. Hidden Blade is no Twilight Samurai. But I was not disappointed. Taken on its own merits, Hidden Blade is a marvelous film. And I must resist the temptation of comparing it with Twilight Samurai which has attained a height that few can scale.

Hidden Blade is constructed on the same two themes as in Twilight Samurai: a tender love story and the perils of being a samurai. In Hidden Blade, samurai Munezo (Masatoshi Nagase) has been in love with household maid Kie (Takako Matsu), maybe without being conscious of it himself, when she is married off according to custom to someone belonging to her own lowly caste. When the family she married to proves to be abusive, he brings her back to continue serving as his maid. The other story line involves a fellow swordsmanship student, who is even better than Munezo, becomes an escaped convict. Being a low-ranking samurai, albeit a good one, Munezo has no choice, when ordered by the clan, but to risk his life in trying to kill his former pal. I have simplified the synopsis considerably but I think it suffices to illustrate the similarity of the plot between Hidden Blade and Twilight Samurai.

Dashingly handsome Nagase does not have the depth of Sanada, nor teenage idol Matsu the indescribable charm and poise of Miyazawa. But here, I sinned on comparing again. Both Nagase and Matsu do splendidly in Hidden Blade, moving the audience with their simple sincerity. Although at times tending to be melodramatic, Hidden Blade has all the ingredients to make watching it a joyous experience: script, score, photography. It even has some pretty funny scenes which, depending on how you look at it, could be seen as highly entertaining or somewhat disjointing. And yes, there is a happy ending which looks almost like something coming out of Hollywood.

A word on the title, "Hidden Blade, Devil's Claw". Faced with the frightful challenge of the duel with his former pal, Munezo goes back to their teacher who gives him more guidance, as well as instructions on his deadly "hidden blade, devil's claw" technique which he has hitherto not taught either of them before. When Munezo finally wins the duel, his opponent, in his dying breath, asks if his has been defeated by the "hidden blade, devil's claw". To the audience's surprise, the answer is negative. But don't worry. We do eventually get to see the devil's claw in action and I, for one, find it quite satisfying. This little bit of suspense and mystery, which is also the title of the movie, adds considerable pleasure to watching this movie.

In a recent interview, director Yamada Yoji intimated that his samurai films are very different from those from Kurosawa. He talks about the Shochiku (the dominating Japanese movie company in the 50's and 60's) tradition of depicting family life, which is reflected in "Hidden Blade". Kurosawa's samurai films (e.g. Yojimbo), he pointed out, never touched upon the family. On the same subject, he also made an interesting observation that the tatami never appears in Kurosawa's films but makes extremely frequent appearance in Ozu's.

Japanese idea of love is very touching

[wisteria_pearl · 7/10 · 30 July 2005]

While this movie is set in a samurai period, it's definitely not all sword fights and battle. In fact, there is little to none (sorry all you samurai-anime fans!). But if you would like to get a very good insight into the ideals of Japanese romance and love, I recommend this. It may move slow for people who aren't too in to romance in general, but both men and women can enjoy the relationship that unfolds between the two main characters, with the political sub-plot and climatic fight scene blending in perfectly, and not overrunning the love story. I would also like to add that while younger audiences can enjoy this movie, the fight scene is a bit gory...

Wonderful return to the themes of Tasogare seibei

[jaakkochan · 9/10 · 24 February 2005]

I was watching this film in plane while returning from Japan. I noticed there is Yoji Yamadas' latest film showing, so naturally I went off watching it. The film has very beautiful sceneries and the music and atmosphere is really nice. The camera-work is usual style of Yoji Yamada. It hides more than shows. Acting is good, especially Masatoshi Nagase (Stereo Future) acts surprisingly well as a strong minded, modest samurai. I was personally surprised the choice of Takako Matsu. But since she has proved herself in her earlier films such as Shigatsu Monogatari, I knew to expect a good result from her. The plot follows pretty much the same line with Tasogare Seibei and it doesn't offer much surprise. Yet, I rate this movie 9, since it has the wonderful style of Yoji Yamada. It is a great samurai movie, and Masatoshi Nagase fans will not be disappointed.

A Samurai rescues a maid from her husband's family and prepares to fight a rebel using the dark technique ¨Hidden Blade¨

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 12 November 2018]

Prestigious recounting marked by evocative production design , unflinching plot , intense drama and fatalistic atmosphere . It is an incredibly detailed vision in its own right . Yôji Yamada masterful retelling of Samurai films transports the tale to XIX Japan and the world of Samurai . It stars a19th Century samurai , held in low esteem due to an action by his late father who committed suicide by seppuku . Well set , as it takes place during the time of change of the mid-19th Century ; as it is set in the fictional Unasaka domain . It resembles the real area of Yamagata prefecture which is in the Northern part of Japan , there Yaichiro (Yukiyoshi Ozawa ) is said goodbye by his fellow samurai Friends Munezô ( Katagiri Masatoshi Nagase) and Samon Shimada (Hidetaka Yoshioka) , as he leaves their clan on the northwest coast of Japan to take a fundamental rank within the shogunate in far away Edo . Munezo has lived modestly with his mummy and sister Shino after his dad was forced into suicide after being caught in a failed political intrigue as well as the failure of a bridge Project . Meanwhile , Kie (Takako Matsu) , a farm girl serves them as a maid at their home . As time passes, Munezo's sister marries Samon, his mother passes away , Kie is married into a merchant family, and he is required to learn use western weapons from an official sent from Edo. Learning that Kie is ill due to mistreating and abuse , Munezo rescues her . But Munezo is a bachelor man and is really criticized for her serving at his home , then Munezo sends her back to her father's farm. Shortly after , an official called Yaichiro falling in disgrace and imprisoned in solitary confinement . Later on , Yaichiro breaks out , Munezo is assigned an unfortunate mission : to kill Yaichiro , as he seeks the help of his old teacher , the sword master Kansai Toda. Swordsman Toda now teaches him a new technique to use , as Munezo prepares to take on Yaichiro who has taken hostages .

The impressive flick blends moving drama , violent fights , emotion , a love story and results to be pretty entertaining , as well as thought provoking, and in which a Samurai must resolve his history with a maid and with his close friend .Dealing with thoughtful themes as impossiblity marriage due to different castes , fidelity , Modern Times with use of methods of warfare such as the utilization of artillery and firearms and mutual affection and respect among people . The film confirmed Yôji Yamada's greatest strength and his innovative handling of the popular Samurai genre and this interesting story was created by the novelist Shuhei Fujisawa . The movie title comes from a Samurai master , an expert swordsman who entrusted the secret of the "Hidden Blade" to starring Munezô Katagiri/Nagase . It is incredibly detailed vision in its own right , as the Deep impact of the action and combats on this provoking Samurai film , whose main representation was ¨Seven samurai¨ by Akira Kurosawa , it opened the floodgates for the huge numbers of samurai films that made fortunes for their producers in the sixties and early seventies . Dramatically staged sword-plays occur on and off throughout the plot . Enough budgeted production , with appropriate setting , lots of mood , and sad atmosphere . Masatoshi Nagase gives an extraordinary acting as the upright lord who receives a difficult mission , as he is ordered to prove his innocence from complicity by killing his old friend . It contains stunning fight scenes , fine performances, adequate sets , exciting drama in which all of the fire , ambition, and doom of the Samurai films come brilliantly to life .

The motion picture was well directed by Yôji Yamada , though slow-moving . He is a good craftsman who in 1969 launched the popular "Tora-san" series, the world's longest theatrical film series. "The Twilight Samurai" (2002) marks his 77th film as well as his 41th year as a director since his first film in 1961: Nikai no Tanin (Stranger Upstairs). This movie is the second installment to director Yôji Yamada Samurai trilogy. 'The Twilight Samurai' being the first, 'Love and honor' being the third.

The secret of the Hidden Blade

[Zmajina · 9/10 · 3 February 2007]

Other reviewers said all that needs to be said about the qualities of this wonderful film. I will just cover a plot detail which can easily be overlooked, but which reveals just how intelligent the story really is. That detail is the "hidden blade" itself.

When the duel ends, the dying Hazama is pained by two things: that our hero Katagiri did not condescend to use the secret technique of the Hidden Blade against him; and that their master taught the technique to the inferior pupil. In fact, it is confirmed twice during the film - first by Katagiri and then by Hazama - that Hazama would have won their mock duels in the past if they had fought with real blades. Hazama was the better swordsman of the two, but he wasn't allowed to learn the Hidden Blade. Why?

We see the Hidden Blade at the end of the film, when Katagiri uses it against his superior, who was a scoundrel. We understand that the Hidden Blade is not a fighting technique, but a murdering technique. It cannot honorably be used against a samurai in a fight. That explains why he didn't use it against Hazama.

OK, but why didn't their master teach Hazama the Hidden Blade? The answer is simple: that technique has nothing to do with who is a better swordsman. Since it is so deadly, it can be taught only to a person who will not abuse it, a person of integrity. And Hazama was never such a person.

In this way, the ending cleverly ties all the loose ends of this great film.

Not a action packed samurai movie like the trailer make it seem, but has a good plot that is character and society driven

[KineticSeoul · 7/10 · 16 May 2011]

While "The Twilight Samurai" is touching and moving while being realistic, this movie has a bit of realism but has more to do with loyalty and virtue. Although this has more action than "The Twilight Samurai" the trailer can be misleading cause this movie is far from being a action packed movie. And like the previous movie it takes patience to enjoy although it's a movie that isn't for everyone. The pacing might be a bit slow but isn't too slow to the point it makes the audience lose their attention. While the previous movie had to do with family, this one has multiple themes combined into one but it works very well. And the portrayal is more realistic when it comes to samurais because it's not idealistic like it's portrayed in some movies. This movie has elements from the movie "The Last Samurai" in it, but goes in a more realistic direction since it isn't really idealistic. The romance elements is done pretty well and believable for most part. Despite the premise of this movie, it isn't action packed with a lot of sword fighting. So if your expecting that, you will be left disappointed but what it does accomplish is that it makes you believe that all the character in the movie is real and so is the plot. Thus it makes the whole experience engrossing and goes in a direction where it isn't really dry despite not having a lot of action for a movie that has samurais and the use of western weapons in it.

7.3/10

Great movie!!!

[Muviegirl · 10/10 · 18 May 2006]

I had to see this movie because I am a huge fan of director Yoji Yamada. The man puts out amazing films!!! For example, his previous film, Twilight Samurai, was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2003 Academy Awards, and it was awesome!! I don't know if Hidden Blade is as great as Twilight, but on its own it still is a great movie, and should be seen by anyone who likes epic films! Here's what it's about: There is this samurai (honest and low ranking) who is trapped in a state of both personal and professional imbalance. For example, he is secretly in love with his family's maid, and despite the fact that he knows the relationship is impossible, he begins an uneasy courtship with the woman. Then there are his professional issues. He has always been raised to respect the traditions from the past, but suddenly, circumstances have forced him to master a new art; the western art of artillery. Can you imagine? A samurai from the East trained to master the arts of the West? Awesome! And then, to top it all off, he is ordered to find and kill a former friend, who he knows is so dangerous that his skills with both the sword and the gun will not be enough. So, he enlists the help of his old teacher, who entrusts him with --- the secret of The Hidden Blade. Great acting, great story, great movie!!! A must see in my book!

Nice drama about love and honor

[Seraphion · 6/10 · 15 January 2015]

The story nicely entwines two main plots that are unraveling in Munezo's life together. The the plot shift is also nice to see; opens with the honor plot then focus on the love plot and then focus to the honor plot and closes with the love plot. Yet I think that the side plot of the western modernization on the clan's military doesn't really have any significant thing and looks only as a waste of duration time. The character building is very nice, especially on Munezo and Kie, and even also on Hanzama. I like the acting overall, which is a good work for me. Masatoshi Nagase played the movie's focus character very well, encompassing all the needed emotions just enough to keep the samurai pride in them. Takako Matsu also played well enough as the servant. This movie is quite entertaining although I think the duration can be shortened a little bit to excluding all those unimportant parts.

An engaging story built on commentary Japanese traditions and forward motion

[bob the moo · 11 September 2008]

Munezo is a samurai who serves closely with friends and peers Samon and Yaichiro. When Yaichiro goes far overseas to serve for the clan, Munezo is left with Samon, who becomes closer as he marries Munezo's sister Shino, leaving him at home with his aged mother and maid Kie. The years go by and when his mother dies, Munezo struggles with his studies of new Western weaponry and battle techniques and misses Kie – who has long since married into a merchant family befitting someone of her caste. A man of tradition and respect – Munezo is forced to act against inherited wisdom and practice when he learns of Kie's mistreatment and also of the dishonourable imprisonment of Yaichiro.

Some have warned caution of this film to those expecting an action film and they are right to do so, but to me the opposite applied. Screened late at night on BBC4, I recorded this film thinking it sounded interesting but could easily be a very dry film full of its own importance and depth, delivered with long shots for the sake of, stilted dialogue and every single bit of it screaming "restrained!" like the audience is an idiot. Suffice to say, I have been hurt before when it comes to such films! I needn't have worried though because The Hidden Blade manages to be about the restrained traditions of feudal Japan without making the telling or the film be dry and withdrawn into itself. Nor does the film labour the point in the way some similar works have, indeed it does give the audience food for thought in regards the pros/cons of both tradition and progress – neither of which is an entirely good or bad thing but has bits of both. To me this made it more worthy of my respect and interest but what made it so engaging was the amount of ground it covered. I am surprised to read that some found this film "boring" because to me the narrative is surprisingly packed with threads that cover friendship, relationships, loyalty and tradition across many aspects – all of which work really well. OK, I will give you that the final ten minutes could have been done with a bit more certainty but even this was only a minor thing because mostly there is plenty to watch. What surprised me most about it was that it did also have a good vein of humour running through it, my favourite moment of which was the men trying to catch a chicken with a basket – great little throwaway gag.

The script is the starting point for it as it builds conflicted characters with as much attention to them as to the world they inhabit. The visual construction of the film matches this as it feels very much in the period and I was quite surprised to find it was made as recently as it was because of how of its time it felt. The cast come good mostly even though I didn't think anyone really nailed it or dominated proceedings. Nagase is a strong actor with almost what the character needs in terms of expression and inner thought processes. He was not quite as distinctive as I would have liked the odd time but mostly he is a firm lead. Matsu overplays the "sweet little maid" role just a tad but the script is strong enough to make it work regardless and she does come over as charming and a character we care deeply for. The supporting cast around these are mostly good with turns from Ozawa (not given enough time though), Ogata, Yoshioka and Tabata among others.

The Hidden Blade may not be what you think it is going to be but, whether you assume it is action-packed or dry as a bone, it doesn't matter because the film performs really well at what it sets out to do. The plot builds the world and characters really vividly, providing thoughts on progress and tradition while also laying out both in terms of the relationships, positions and lifestyles of the main characters. It has humour, sadness and intelligence all delivered with professional direction and atmospheric design and cinematography. It is well worth seeing and rewarding with only a little patience required.

A Nutshell Review: The Hidden Blade

[DICK STEEL · 8/10 · 16 April 2005]

The Hidden Blade The Hidden Blade refers to a dreaded samurai sword skill, which you will see only towards the end of the film. Folks, who like me initially thought that this is one of the usual samurai slugfest, may be disappointed that it's not. But like mentioned in the movie, killing is only a last resort, and even samurais themselves are fearful of death in duels.

But hey, don't jump the gun (pun not intended) just yet. This film has a story to tell, and a poignant one at that. Simply put, it tells of a story about a small town samurai whose village is caught in the transition period of Japan's modernization and introduction of western arms (guns and cannons) and fighting tactics. While struggling to understand the rapid changes taking place in the nation, he has to deal with relationships of the heart with his family's maid, whom he adores but afraid to own up to, and the dilemma of being ordered into a duel with one of this long time friends, whom has gone off the right track.

This film explores many themes, one of which is the samurai code of honour, where committing suicide via disembowelment (hara-kiri) is widely accepted as a practice of maintaining that honour. We also see the bastardization of this honour, of corruption, which brings to mind George Orwell's Animal Farm, where some animals are created more equal than others. The protagonist samurai Munezo often put his head on the line while maintaining that code, even when all else around (including his superiors) put pressure on him into making compromises. How many of us will rigidly uphold our values and principles when faced with adversity? Or will we bow to that pressure and be apologetic for it?

We are also shown the caste system in feudal Japan, which proved to be a stumbling block between the relationship of Munezo and his family maid Kie. The village clan frowned upon and gossips about Munezo's rescue of Kie from her abusive marriage. While the motive may seem justifiable, we all know Munezo's real reason - that he loves her and cannot bear to see her being abused, and ultimately losing her life. Both know that with the caste system, they can never be together. Or can they?

The caste system doesn't only apply to relationships of the heart. Even within samurais, this system applies. Munezo is a small samurai in a small village, and is given little respect by samurais belonging to larger clans and cities. Think of it like the army, where foot soldiers have to "Yes Sir" every officer's instructions - even when it means given the order to kill an old friend who has gone fugitive. Munezo again struggles with this, but knows that as long as he's a samurai, orders are to be obeyed.

Change and modernization is central to the story. And in this film, there are numerous hilarious moments as the samurais in training as a modern army come to grips with strange rituals like foot drills, the handling of modern weaponry, and even the way they run. It's something like Tom Cruise's Last Samurai, only that the training's more comical here, and subtly highlights the dangers losing of one's cultural values when the world moves rapidly in change.

And finally, for those really waiting for a slugfest, there are 2 fight scenes in the entire movie. One is when Munezo seeks his old master for new guidance, and is being taught a new skill / trick. The other is when Munezo meets his longtime friend for a final showdown. Do not expect "wuxia" styled swordfights. Think Star Wars: A New Hope, the duel between Darth Vader and Obi-wan Kenobi. The duel happens with measured strokes and strategy, rather than fast paced action everyone's used to these days.

But again, the emphasis here is not on violence. It's a simple tale with powerful themes, and you will applaud when The Hidden Blade is finally used, justly.

Another sad samurai in a noble bind

[Chris Knipp · 8/10 · 2 July 2006]

Munezo Kitagiri (Masatoshi Nagase) is another of Yoji Yamada's twilight samurais, a sad-faced, much of the time useless, man. When he finds happiness at the end, it's through a kind of lonely exile. It's only when Hidden Blade (Kakushi-ken oni no tsume) is two-thirds over that there's some serious swordplay; but like a dish served after a long fast, this death struggle, even though it's aborted, feels delicious.

Kitagiri lives in the shadow of his father's disgrace, and creates his own disgrace when he steals a married woman of peasant origins from her husband. The pretty young Kie (Takao Matsu) once worked in his mother's household, and (this is a soft-hearted tale) Kie and Kitagiri have always been sweet on each other. When he finds out several years later that she's not only unhappy with her merchant husband but now ill and left to waste away in her bed there by her wicked stepmother, Kitagiri simply puts Kie on his back and takes her home. Kie returns to health and thrives in her old surroundings – and the merchant family lodges no protest -- but as a samurai Kitagiri can't really marry Kie and so must reluctantly order her to return to her parents.

Kitagiri can't seem to get anything right. His uncle criticizes him for capitulating to modern ways because his clan is being clumsily trained to use rifles and canons – scenes of which we see periodically.

In the opening scene we've seen Kitagiri and his close friend Samon Shimada (Hidetaka Yoshioka) bid farewell to Yaichiro Hazama (Yukiyoshi Ozawa), a fellow samurai who's been posted to Edo. Shimada's wedding is an occasion for elders to criticize Kitagiri, and also a sign that Kitagiri is falling behind by not marrying himself. Both Shimada and Kitagiri are "backwater samurai" as the somewhat prissy sensei sent to train their clan gunsmanship puts it, while Hazama in contrast exemplifies sophistication and success, and he's a true samurai, the best swordsman of his clan. The training in marching and rifles is occasion for much buffoonery. Hidden Blade modulates delicately from romance to comedy to solemn drama to adventure story, and back again.

Fortunes can shift rapidly in the feudal world and at the end of the story the successful, much favored Hazama – though he has a beautiful, elegant wife (Reiko Takashima) prepared to do anything for him – has led a rebellion against the Shogunate and thereby become an escaped criminal, and the chief retainer, Shogen Hori (Ken Ogata), orders Kitagiri to perform his final, no-win battle: to challenge Hazama to a swordfight which he cannot lose.

If Kitagiri wins the battle he will be killing an old friend. If he loses, he will have failed his clan and added more disgrace to his name.

Hazama's wife comes to Kitagiri the night before and begs him to let Hazama escape into the mountains; and when Kitagiri can't agree to that, she promises to appeal to the chief retainer.

I don't think as some do that this is less effective than Twilight Samurai. It may move along in fits and starts but it lacks the latter's longeurs. Hidden Blade's final swordfight isn't as elaborate or excruciating and suspenseful as Twilight Samurai's, but it has the virtue of not being so drawn out. It seems odd that Kitagiri ends up seeking revenge against his chief retainer, even though the man has undoubtedly done something highly improper. Sensibly, he renounces his samurai status. The ending is quite sentimental, but one can't fault the movie for being sweet. A samurai would never do what Kitagiri does at the end, but he is no longer a samurai.

Yamada has his limitations, but he's also found ways of breathing life back into the samurai genre; he's not so much rehabilitated it as reconceived it, by seeing the samurai in more specific social and historical terms. Nagase as Kitagiri has a kind of ascetic antihero nobility and Ozawa as Hazama looks as dashing as Johnny Depp in his pirate mode, but with staring eyes and matted hair instead of a grin and eyeliner. Hazama is magnificent, almost like a Japanese folklore demon; and when he gets his hand blown off, it's obvious the modern age has come to destroy our heroes and upstage our villains.

Good samurai story

[dromasca · 7/10 · 15 September 2007]

'The Hidden Blade' does not reach the picks of beauty and does not fascinate like other samurai films, but is a solid, well filmed and well told story worth watching. The period when the action happens is the same one where 'The Last Samurai' is located, the time when Japan underwent rapid transformation and opening to the Western culture and way of life, but the angle is the one of the traditional samurai world. Like in the more famous movie the centuries old code of honor of the samurais enters in conflict with the rapid pace of change of the society around, but this conflict takes a secondary role here.

It is actually the old code of honor that motivates Munezo, the principal character and which prevents him to consume his love to the servant Kie who belongs to another social class, and leads him into a life and death fight with his old friend who revolted against the stagnating system. The moral value of the code prevails and saves eventually the heroes in a kind of happy end, not unexpected, but yet well desired by audiences who identified with the heroes.

The film is well acted and uses less the high tomes and interjections that sometimes discourage the Western audiences watching Japanese movies. The cinematography is consistent in approach and dominated by balanced nuances of brown and yellow. Without daring too much 'The Hidden Blade' is a well told story and should not be avoided by fans of Japanese films, or even as plain entertainment.

Slow and deliberate--and quite beautiful.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 19 August 2012]

"The Hidden Blade" isn't necessarily that unusual. Lots of Japanese movies are set in the early years of the Meiji era--just after the country was opened up to foreign trade around the year 1860. It was a truly revolutionary period and this isn't surprising. And, there are lots of films that show the corruption of the Shoguns and local bosses that call into question the morality of the Code of Bushido. So in this sense the movie is not all that unique. However, it is handled so beautifully and deliberately that I was very, very impressed by the film.

The film concerns a samurai named Munezô Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase). He's a good man who seems out of place. He doesn't see himself as superior to the lower classes and actually loves a woman from the lower caste. However, being a good samurai, he doesn't act upon this love--it simply wouldn't be allowed. This bothers him but he follows the unwritten rules of society. However, when he sees his leaders behaving in very dishonorable ways, he is stuck. While he agrees to kill a rogue samurai (who was his friend), the motives of his family's leaders disgust him. How will he handle this and his love for a woman who he cannot marry? See this lovely film and find out.

"The Hidden Blade" has a lot going for it. It isn't just some action film (in fact, there is an amazingly small amount of action), but it's both a love story and a film about moral dilemmas. What I liked about this most was the wonderful pacing, direction and music--it all worked together wonderfully and is a film that really, really impressed me. Beautiful and well worth seeing.

Beautifully made Japanese historical drama

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 14 November 2011]

An understated Japanese historical drama that explores themes of honour, respect, the inevitably of death and the social caste system in the 19th century. THE HIDDEN BLADE, despite the title, is in no way an action film; there's a single swordfight at the climax (and very good it is too) but until that point this is a human drama through and through.

The movie is beautifully shot and extremely artistic. Whole scenes and single frames are captured with precision and skill. The characters are subdued and subtle and yet bring life to the screen; the actors are to be commended for giving such precise performances, particularly in the case of Masatoshi Nagase. There's romance here, and plenty of intensity despite the sedate pacing. THE HIDDEN BLADE makes a perfect companion to the similarly-themed TWILIGHT SAMURAI and deserves just as much commendation.

When the concern is self-serving "honor," then how easy it is for others to justify having you kill a friend

[Terrell-4 · 8/10 · 3 February 2009]

With Yoji Yamada's The Hidden Blade, set in the early 1860s, the age of the samurai was passing; the age of moviedom's bastardization of the samurai was sometime in the future. The Hidden Blade is one of three movies Yamada made based on stories by Shuhei Fujisawa. They all deal with the end of the rigid social caste system of the Tokugawa era, the cracks and corruption in the samurai code, and the effects of this on some of those in the samurai class whom we come to know. These movies aren't flash and slash epics or just cheap entertainment. The films in many ways are quiet, even when there is violence. Sadness and difficult choices are pervasive. The films, in other words, are wonderful. For the record, the three films are The Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei) (2002), The Hidden Blade (Kakushi Ken Oni no Tsume) (2004) and Love and Honor (Bushi no Ichibun) (2006).

The Hidden Blade is the story of Munezo Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase), a poor samurai who does his duty to his clan in a small village in the north of Japan. His father was forced to commit hari kiri unjustly, but the father submitted because obeying the lord was the core of his life. A friend of Katagiri's, Yaichiro Hazama, who earlier went to Edo, has been implicated in a treason plot against the shogun. Hazama is sent back to the village for imprisonment. At the same time, Katagiri's sister has married a good friend, his mother has died, and he has found a merchant husband for the family's maid, a young woman named Kie (Takako Matsu), the daughter of a farmer who had been trained in many skills by Katagiri's mother. We can tell there is affection and respect between the two, but the idea of marriage is never recognized because of the rigid separation of the four castes. Katagiri rescues Kie from the cruel marriage but cannot keep her with him. He returns her to her farmer father.

When Hazama escapes, Katagiri is ordered to go to Hazama, one of his best friends, and kill him in a duel. Hazama is a fine swordsman. Katagiri is almost as good. Katagiri learns his clan's senior adviser is venal and dishonest. Katagiri must obey, but afterwards, in disgust, takes his own actions. At last he secures his future, whatever that might be...but it won't be as a samurai.

If this all sounds mundane, it is and it isn't. In slightly more than two hours, Yamada lets us see these people's lives, everything from the rigid strictures of behavior and outward respect to how a servant washes clothes, from how to cut firewood to what a prisoner basket is, from what a poor samurai's house is like or a merchant's fabric shop to what it takes to train barely educated bumpkin samurai in gunnery and marching. It's all fascinating, more so because these are all more-or-less ordinary people in a system of rigid class inequities, where people have few if any options. Yet if Munezo Katagiri's story is told deliberately, it is never slow. Yes, we have a great (and not flashy) sword fight toward the end of the movie, and a fast and satisfying act of deadly justice to witness. The heart, however, of the movie's tension comes from Karagiri's struggle to obey the old rules while realizing how unjust and corrupt they can be. Masatoshi Nagase gives a marvelous performance...thoughtful, serious, underplayed. The movie ends with a mutual expression of love and commitment between Katagiri and Kie that is delightful and touching.

One of the fascinating aspects of Japan is how rigidly enforced and how accepted the social order was, and then how quickly and, in some cases, how ruthlessly it began to crumble. The samurai class, above the other three classes, was made up of warriors without wars. They sank into near irrelevance except for their privileges and social status. The merchant class, lowest of the classes, rose to power because they produced nothing of value, in the Buddhist sense, just money. Money proved more powerful than swords. By the end of The Hidden Blade it's clear that disciplined peasants bearing expensive firearms can take care of any charging, sword-bearing samurai they might encounter.

Not a movie for Samurai action junkies

[roland-104 · 6/10 · 1 June 2006]

This is a long and, frankly, not very interesting Samurai film, set in the mid-19th century. Shogen Hori (Ken Ogata), the Chief Retainer, is a crafty, self indulgent type who takes advantage of people at every turn. Yaichiro Hazama (Yukiyoshi Ozawa), a Samurai retained by Hori, leaves to join a Shogenate in Edo. But he returns in disgrace, having been mixed up in an aborted palace coup in Edo. Hazama is imprisoned, but then escapes.

The central protagonist, another Samurai, Munezo Katagiri (Masatoshi Nagase), is then required by Hori to prove he was not in league with Hazama by killing him. When they practiced long ago, Hazama was the better swordsman of the two. But this time Katagiri buffs up his skills with his old master teacher, who gives him a couple of new tricks to use.

The whole business is complicated, and Mr. Nagase doesn't seem to have the chops to sustain his central role in a manner that compels interest. He's not the fascinating character that was played by Hiroyuki Sanada in Yôji Yamada's earlier film, "Twilight Samurai." As in that film, "Hidden Blade" observes a lot about marriage and domestic life of the Samurais but offers very little combat, and that only at the end, so Samurai action junkies are forewarned that this might not be the movie for you. My grade: low B 6.5/10.

A very thoughtful, candid, and artistic historical glimpse into Japanese life

[irishsounds · 10/10 · 6 January 2008]

This is a very enchanting and sensitive drama, beautifully filmed, which gives us westerners a very different peek into Japanese life in the late 1800's. The plot is well outlined by others on this site, so no need for me to go into it, other than to say that it takes a very different angle of view to every other Japanese historical film that I have seen to date. The characters are very like some of my friends and neighbours - totally real, and very believable. Many historical Japanese films have the characters shouting harshly at one another throughout the movie. This one is very different. These Japanese actually speak like real people!!!! The swordplay is real and not the stuff of Jeddi Knights! The film has that genuine "handmade" stamp and a "homemade" and wholesome flavour - and not that of some franchise.

This movie is a keeper, one to be enjoyed many times over and its subtleties savoured again and again. Very fine acting, excellent direction and beautiful cinematography - watch it for just the craftsmanship if for nothing else! I highly recommend this film.

A Beautifully Made Film

[petsteph1 · 10/10 · 9 June 2010]

Having recently worked through a dozen or so samurai films, including Kurosawa's generally brilliant offerings, my taste had become fairly attuned to the genre and although several were very good the style was beginning to wear thin. Until Hidden Blade. This is an exceptional film; original in story, characters and direction. The plot is quite simple: a samurai whose father's disgrace has reduced the family in status, lives with a maid and a servant. He is in love with the maid, and she with him, but the social conventions and their own decency prevent this from becoming anything more than a tender friendship. The samurai's sword school companion gets himself into trouble and finally their sword-brother relationship leads the plot to a climax. There are several fights, a background of western military training being given to the samurai in this area, but above all that is the compassion and decency of the samurai and his maid. There is not a wasted moment in the direction; the scenery is beautiful; the acting is very engaging; the story seems to move at a gentle pace but it's impossible to take your eyes off the screen - one of those truly well- made movies where the technical excellence is so understated that you know only that you're being swept along with the story. Highly, highly recommended.

A samurai in a time of change

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 8 March 2012]

One might be forgiven for thinking for thinking a film about a samurai would be full of swordplay and bloodshed; that isn't the case here though. The protagonist Katagiri is a samurai in the nineteenth century when Japan is opening up to new technology and the samurai are having to learn for to use rifles rather than the swords they have traditionally used. Some time after seeing his friend Hamaza depart for Edo Katagiri learns that his former servant Kie is being mistreated by her husband's family so he brings her back to his house where she returns to good health; it is clear that they have feelings for each other but they are of different social classes so marriage is out of the question. After a while people start to talk and he has to send her back to her parents; around this time his old friend Hamaza returns as a prisoner accused of plotting against his superiors. When he escapes Katagiri is told that he must either fight and kill Hamaza or he will be considered an accomplice.

While this wasn't quite the film I'd been expecting I enjoyed it none the less, largely because it depicted a period of Japanese history that I knew nothing about. The story was interesting with a good cast of characters and while there wasn't much action the fight scene was pretty good. Surprisingly there were quite a few laughs too; just about any time the samurai were receiving training from their instructor from Edo some laughs were to be had. Some viewers may find the upbeat ending a little bit cliché but I for one was rather pleased with it. Away from the story itself I must comment on the look of the film; everything looked great whether it was the houses, the scenery or just a shot of the cherry blossom that is a feature of so much Japanese culture. I'd certainly recommend this to people wanting to see a film about this period in Japanese history without being full of bloody swordplay.

A beautiful reworking of a classic samurai story

[hereontheoutside · 8/10 · 27 June 2007]

This film is easily one of the best samurai films to emerge since Kurosawa's 'Ran' in 85. The thin color palette, graceful use of mise-en-scene, dense landscapes (the winter ones are especial beautiful) are resonate in the tone of 60-70s samurai masters like Okamoto. But the story, though traditional, resonates with more modern concerns. It's more a reflection on the past to try to understand the present. The beginning presents the main character as a lower class samurai struggling to adapt to the changing landscapes of Japan. Trying to read English and Dutch and failing to learn how to use firearms and other Western military devices and tactics. It's an intense samurai film in the style of Japanese classics, but dense with application to the modern world struggles. An alternative view of the samurai film that's worth a couple of hours.