Mike Williams reviews newly released samurai movie Yamada Way of the Samurai. Follow him on twitter here and check out his blog, The Littlest Picture Show, here.
This new Blu-ray release from Cine Asia comes with the quote “The Last Samurai meets Ong Bak 2”, and I can confirm that certainly the former is true, as the set-up for the film is this: based on a true story of a Japanese samurai, Yamada Nagamasa, he is betrayed and left for dead by his compatriots but is rescued and nursed back to health by local Thai villagers, as he masters the art of Muay Boran (Thai boxing). As the story progresses, Yamada learns a new way of life as he ascends as royal bodyguard to King Naresuan The Great, until he must face in battle the Japanese warriors he once regarded as brothers.
The film feels typical in the context of a samurai movie: the training, familiar setting, ritualistic nature of war, honour and, obviously, the martial arts are all present in this generic film. It is these aspects that allow those familiar to the genre to engage right from the beginning, as the narrative tends to go through the motions somewhat as we stick closely to Yamada and his tale of betrayal, trust and adaptation.
Probably the most appealing parts are the training sequences and actual fights themselves. Choreography wise, they are slick and exciting to watch. Unfortunately the blood and gore aspect cheapens it slightly, as it exposes the lack of budget for its special effects with the copious amounts of the red stuff that sprays willy-nilly from enemy, yet if one doesn’t pay too close attention to this, then it won’t affect one’s enjoyment of the action on offer.
The story doesn’t always make sense, but manages to maintain a grasp of a general coherency in a film that lasts just under 100 minutes. Slow in parts, the acting is amicable, but it doesn’t quite live up recent successes such as 13 Assassins.
The extras include an interesting Masters of the Ring featurette documenting the techniques and skills in the training arena of Thai boxing. Apart from this, there are a few other things such as deleted scenes and theatrical trailers that make up the rest of the bonus material.
