ThiefHott Too much of everything

Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

njmollo Reading the reviews here, I thought I had missed something special. So I made the effort to see When The Last Sword is Draw (2003) and I found it quite disturbing.I found myself asking:Has old age make-up not improved a little since Little Big Man (1970) by Arthur Penn?Has the Samurai film not evolved since the classic Yojimbo (1961), Sanjuro (1962) by Akira Kurosawa or Samurai Rebellion (1967) by Masaki Kobayashi? Has performance in acting not evolved since the advent of sound? Apart from a few poor CGI shots this film is excruciatingly dated. The acting is very suspect. One lead actor is exceptionally hammy, ripping up the scenery at every opportunity, while the other seems out of his depth. The latter is based slightly on the brooding Samurai, that Toshiro Mufune made famous, but he has only has one awkward and sulky expression.The story is a melodramatic and sentimental nonsense. The musical score is very Hollywood and makes a valiant effort at pulling at your heart strings. The cinematography and framing is listless. The battle scenes are of the standard of a cheap TV movie.The fight scenes are pathetic. At one point our lead actor clearly kills a victim by stabbing the space between the mans arm and midriff. Page one for a samurai film; make the kills look realistic!This film feels like it was put together by amateurs that have not learnt from classic films that have proceeded it.

Ethan Race Now as a big fan of Japanese cinema I wanted to acquaint myself more closely with the modern Jidaigeki (samurai period drama), I watched the 'Hidden Blade' and thought that was remarkably good, the 'Twilight Samurai' was also quite good, and I saw this film and I thought I would give it a try.I was expecting something Japanese... not a Hollywood film dressed in samurai clothing, this film is God awfully sentimental in the true Hollywood sense of the word. It seriously didn't seem like I was watching a Japanese film, Japan whose greatest characteristics of cinema are dignity, reserve and minimalism. Even in the most mainstream of Japan's modern films they never fall into real cringe-making melodrama, like this film does. Even other modern Jidaigeki's that have obviously been influenced by American cinema such as 'Azuma' could be said to me more 'involving'.The directing is tiresome, the characters are utterly unconvincing and the film overall could have been half the length, it verges on serious tedium. It pains to me to say such things about any Japanese film, but I don't want anyone to fall into the trap of embarking on this film, and then having to stick all the way through it.Sorry again, but its 4 out of 10 at the most.

ssto I cried for the last 45 minutes of the film.... I am a grown up man, but the tears wouldn't stopJust wanted to share this with you, before you watch this movieIf you want to watch sword fights, mighty battle scenes - there is something in this movie for you, too, but above all it is about love and duty. It is so strange how "Mibu gishi den" starts with artful swordsmanship and then at one point we get deeper into the souls of the main characters and from then on, although there will be many fierce battle scenes its all about the emotions and the battle within, the fire that drives the hearts to their destinyThe movie is shot well - we don't get to see much of a scenery, but it kind of got me closer to the characters, kept me following the story line, which is developed so well - I love stories where not all the action is focused on the main character, but now and then there are hints of the feelings and emotions of some of the lesser important characters too, almost invisible, but if you pay attention it pays back wellI guess, now that I recapitulate on the movie I can write a lot more about it, but - just watch it. It is a very good, I would say - important movie. After all the Chinese clichéd movies that followed "Tiger And Dragon", this Japanese movie is a beautiful gem, that everyone should enjoy10 out of 10peace and love

UberNoodle I saw this film a while ago, and thought that I should comment on it, now that it appears to have been "discovered" outside Japan.Many have critised Mibu Gishiden (When the Last Sword is Drawn), but I think that seeing the film from the POV of Japanese people might change their opinions.The film is very melodramatic, and manipulative, and perhaps if I didn't live in Kyoto, and work next to Mibu Temple (Yes, where the Shinsengumi (the Mibu ro) often were), I would also be more dismissive of this film. But I have seen Kyoto's fascination for the tragedy of the Shinsengumi, and their futile battle against an unstoppable chain of events. I have seen walked past pachinko palours where battles were fought, and ate in restaurants where people were killed, and sword marks still remain in beams of wood. I have ridden the subway, just a metre away from a crazy fan that only went outside when dressed and fully armed in true Shinsengumi fashion.Perhaps without all of this, I would have dismissed the film in favour of Yoji Yamada's films at the time, and also WTLSID is overly overdrawn. But it is the insight into history, and the exploration into the passions and lives of these historical characters that really makes the film memorable. See it if you can.