Featured Audience Ratings

• Lady D

  
  A long winded love story, to which becomes more enjoyable during the second half. Boredeom set in occasionally which surprised me because I?ve heard such good things about this film.

• danny d

  
  fantastic film. winner of 12 japanese academy awards, this one has a great ending. i liked the film even better after a second viewing when i was able to invest more in the story. the second of yamada's samurai trilogy, all 3 are essentially perfect films.

• Bruce B

  
  This is an absolutely jaw-dropping brilliant film. This was from the 2005 Berlin International Film festival. And I will tell you at the start 5 Stars and its worth no less. A story of a Samurai, that mixes the traditions of a Samurai, along with the sword action, and Romance for you… More
  This is an absolutely jaw-dropping brilliant film. This was from the 2005 Berlin International Film festival. And I will tell you at the start 5 Stars and its worth no less. A story of a Samurai, that mixes the traditions of a Samurai, along with the sword action, and Romance for you ladies. All throughout the movie the background scenes are phenomenal Don't shy away from this. One can only hope that Munezo the Samurai (Played by Massatoshi Nagase) will do another movie. Maybe in the Zacochi way, a number of movies, but not TV Series type. Takako Matsu played Kie, who was Munezo Family's house maid, she play the part to the T. If I tell you the details of this movie it would only ruin your watching, Trust me when I say ladies its just not Swordplay and Samurai. You will enjoy the addition of the Life Long Romance, Enough Said, 5 stars.

• JY S

  
  Director Yoji Yamada has been writing and directing films since the 1960s, so it is no surprise at how much recognition <i>The Hidden Blade</i> receives in its home country of Japan.<p>Let me get this out of the way. At first glance this movie is deceiving. The… More
  Director Yoji Yamada has been writing and directing films since the 1960s, so it is no surprise at how much recognition <i>The Hidden Blade</i> receives in its home country of Japan.<p>Let me get this out of the way. At first glance this movie is deceiving. The title is actually an appropriate one with the way the film plays out, but at the same time it makes the film seem like it is all about Samurai and swords. This film is all about Samurai, but it isn't all about the swords. This is not an action adventure by any means.</p><p>A good portion of the first half seems unnecessary, but it all falls into place as the movie progresses. I will also say that it progresses 10 minutes past the 2 hour mark, but this slow pace does wonders for the story, which feels like a film from the 1980s or early 90s. It doesn't look like a film from 2004. You really get a chance to understand all the major characters and their relationships. Even with the serious story, Yamada finds the time to insert really small chunks of comedic scenes that are HILARIOUS. It doesn't feel out of place either.</p><p>The action. There is a small duel near the end of the film and that is it. The camerawork is great, but the swordplay, while realistic, is a little bland. Don't watch this if you are expecting Samurai swordplay.</p><p>The acting is as good as the story. Masatoshi Nagase carries the film and the beautiful actresses are pleasant to watch.</p><p><i>The Hidden Blade</i> is a bunch of great action sequences away from being a <i>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</i>, but this is worth the watch if you like good dramatic stories.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]In "The Hidden Blade", Munezo Katagiri(Masatoshi Nagase) is a low-caste samurai living in rural 19th century Japan whose father had committed harakiri some years before. His younger sister, Shino(Tomoko Tabata), is being courted by a good friend and… More
  [font=Century Gothic]In "The Hidden Blade", Munezo Katagiri(Masatoshi Nagase) is a low-caste samurai living in rural 19th century Japan whose father had committed harakiri some years before. His younger sister, Shino(Tomoko Tabata), is being courted by a good friend and fellow samurai, Samon(Hidetaka Yoshioka). Their maid, Kie(Takako Mitsu), will soon be married too...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Three years later, Munezo, still not married, comes across Kie in a shop and finds that the intervening years have not been kind to her after she married a merchant and is now often ill. A few months pass, and Munezo has learned that Kie has still not recovered and is, in fact, treated badly at her house. This time, he decides to take matters into his own hands...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"The Hidden Blade" is not a bad movie but it is too similar to Yoji Yamada's own superior "Twilight Samurai" to be considered much of a success on its own. This movie is simply not as engrossing as the previous film as it is very slow and predictable. However, there is some thought given to the conflict between Western influences(the training with artillery and new guns) and the tradition of the samurai. [/font]

• Fascade F

  
  It was hard...very hard to sit still through this Japanese movie based upon honor and the cherish of the concealed and almost lost art of love, between a samurai, and a house servant .... to top it off...a rival swordsman of the star of the show is bound by honor even though his… More
  It was hard...very hard to sit still through this Japanese movie based upon honor and the cherish of the concealed and almost lost art of love, between a samurai, and a house servant .... to top it off...a rival swordsman of the star of the show is bound by honor even though his rival is arrested and condemned for a gang affiliation not allowed in the mid 19th century Japan. It is an extremely slow moving but interesting portrayal of loyalty and the code of honor that people in that time era had to keep for order to be maintained.

• Panta O

  
  The epic tale of Munezo - a samurai being displaced in a rapidly changing Japan. After a failed political coup he is ordered to prove his innocence by finding &amp; killing his best friend samurai &amp; brilliant swordsman. Munezo enlists the help of their old teacher who… More
  The epic tale of Munezo - a samurai being displaced in a rapidly changing Japan. After a failed political coup he is ordered to prove his innocence by finding &amp; killing his best friend samurai &amp; brilliant swordsman. Munezo enlists the help of their old teacher who entrusts him with a secret technique. Second part of a Yôji Yamada's trilogy and it was so good that I now have to watch oter two parts as well...

• Lesley N

  
  Soap opera-ey

• William G

  
  A constantly interesting samurai drama.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings