Ichi (2008)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lewis C

  
  Imagine if Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman had an adopted daughter that was also blind and that he taught his sword skills. Also imagine that he left her at goze house as he went out on his travels, and she grew up to be a skilled musician. That's basically Ichi, a satisfying spin… More
  Imagine if Zatoichi the Blind Swordsman had an adopted daughter that was also blind and that he taught his sword skills. Also imagine that he left her at goze house as he went out on his travels, and she grew up to be a skilled musician. That's basically Ichi, a satisfying spin on the long-running saga of the blind swordsman. The plot centers on Ichi's search for Zatoichi (who has been missing for quite some time), her tragic back-story, a feud between two yakuza gangs in an inn town, and a traveling warrior that eventually befriends Ichi. Haruka Ayase makes for a good (and absolutely gorgeous) Ichi, and plays her as soft-spoken, reserved and stoic while letting her determination, dangerousness, and lighter side break through when appropriate. Ayase is also great in the action scenes, which are pretty well done and bloody without crossing the line into gory. I liked Ichi. There's nothing groundbreaking about it, but I enjoyed the characters (even though the antagonists are unfortunately two dimensional) and the balance between fighting and character development/story is excellent. This isn't a pure action film by any means, it's fairly leisurely-paced outside of action scenes (Ichi doesn't play around with her enemies). There's more than enough here to make the story of the blind swordsman(woman) worth visiting again.

• xGary X

  
  A small town terrorized by a clan of bandits find their only hope of salvation in the shape of a wandering minstrel and a pacifist samurai who is unwilling to draw his sword. The mantle of Zatoichi is passed on to the blind swordsman's daughter who has become so bitter at her… More
  A small town terrorized by a clan of bandits find their only hope of salvation in the shape of a wandering minstrel and a pacifist samurai who is unwilling to draw his sword. The mantle of Zatoichi is passed on to the blind swordsman's daughter who has become so bitter at her condition and treatment in life that she has become indifferent to the suffering of others. Ichi may not be uber-original in its themes or plot but they are approached with enough sensitivity and maturity to create characters you not only root for when the blood starts spraying, but also care about. Our heroes are not the usual gung ho tough guys and are in their own way as damaged as each other, making for a much more interesting character dynamic than the usual hack and slasher. Having a female protagonist draws obvious comparisons with Azumi but it shares enough of the flavour of Yojimbo and The Twilight Samurai to make it feel a bit more adult, despite some rather over-ripe performances from the villains. Not as cerebral and artful as Beat Takeshi's reinvention but still a worthy addition to the long running franchise.

• Dean M

  
  It is a fairly traditional version of 2003's <i>Zatôichi</i>, though Haruka Ayase has a one-two punch of strong acting and good lucks. Dressed in rags, glowering, and compelling, Ayase is entirely convincing. The swordplay sequences are shot in mixed slow and regular… More
  It is a fairly traditional version of 2003's <i>Zatôichi</i>, though Haruka Ayase has a one-two punch of strong acting and good lucks. Dressed in rags, glowering, and compelling, Ayase is entirely convincing. The swordplay sequences are shot in mixed slow and regular motion, digital blood spurting everywhere. Despite the carnage, her blade is always clean, her fingernails perfectly manicured, and always looking breathtaking under the worst of situations. <i>Ichi</i>I is not, however, about realism; it's an adventure-romance, and anyone looking for complete accuracy will be disappointed.

• Justin Y

  
  Fresh off of <i>Vexille</i>, Fumihiko Sori tackles <i>Ichi</i>, which is another tale regarding the blind swordsman. In this case, however, it is a blind swords woman.<p>Don't be fooled into thinking this is an action adventure because it really… More
  Fresh off of <i>Vexille</i>, Fumihiko Sori tackles <i>Ichi</i>, which is another tale regarding the blind swordsman. In this case, however, it is a blind swords woman.<p>Don't be fooled into thinking this is an action adventure because it really isn't. This is all about the story and characters, and maybe it is a little too much story. I'm not saying that there is a lot going on because there isn't. What I'm saying is that there is maybe just a little too much dramatization on what little is given. The pacing is fairly slow and while this works well for character buildup, it doesn't benefit much else. The story as a whole is pretty weak and the the villain has not enough background either. The two heros, on the other hand, have enough going for them.</p><p>There is a decent amount of action, however they are all fairly short. This isn't surprising, since Japanese samurai swordplay is usually a one or two slasher before a kill. There is nothing really fancy to entertain the eye, however the blood is there and so is the camerawork. There are some Zack Snyder-ish slow motion scenes for one of the fights and it turns out great because it isn't overdone.</p><p>The beautiful Haruka Ayase pulls off a convincing blind swords woman, however her singing scenes are just mediocre. Shido Nakamura doesn't have much to work with, but he matches the villain nicely. Takao Osawa is the star of the show and his character is just as big and important as Ichi.</p><p><i>Ichi</i> is one samurai movie with flaws and disappointments, but it does have its positives, which makes for a more than decent film.