Rj M
One of my favorite samurai battle film.
The infamous takeda and Kagetora (Uesugi) historical battle at the kawanakajima plain.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/27/23
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Audience Member
Beautiful film. Just the color of the battle scenes makes it special. Pre Tokugawa semi-historical yarn very nice. Battle choreography impecable so beautifully shot it could provoke aesthetic arrest.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This historical film about two Japanese warlords fighting for supremacy is fairly straightforward, and has much of the qualities of an Akira Kurosawa film, but without any of the things that could have made it great. The narrative takes quite a few liberties when it comes to history, though given the pacing, it doesn't exactly accomplish much. Right at the beginning, the film tells you that Kagetora is the righteous warlord seeking only to protect his land, and that Shingen is an ambitious warlord seeking to take over the land, but the characters seem to contradict this a lot. It's harder to sympathize with the people who are supposed to be the good guys when the good guys act somehow more brutish the supposed enemies. The performances are competent, but they aren't very compelling, which is unfortunate because it means a lot of wasted potential. On the plus side, the film has neat visuals and a good soundtrack. Also, the action scenes are somewhat well choreographed, but there's not much to say. It's a film that could have reached epic heights, but it ultimately fumbles about too much to make a lasting impression.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
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Audience Member
I saw this about 20 years ago and still remember how visually stunning it was.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
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Audience Member
This is the conclusion to Oliver Stones Vietnam films.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/19/23
Full Review
jamie t
Disappointing story of the medieval Japanese warlords Takeda and Kagetora, who clash over Kagetora's province, but who ultimately develop a respect for each other and agree to disagree. The core story is a fine one, but the introductory text promises that the battles of Takeda and Kagetora became legendary in "Heaven and Earth"...when in fact they have but one full-on battle and a few skirmishes, although, to be fair, the final battle is quite impressive. The story is hazily developed, and, in the American version at least, a narrator is required to patch the holes in the story with lengthy monologues. Most frustrating is the final narration, which hastily ties up the plot in lieu of a satisfying resolution. The characterizations of Takeda and Kagetora are interesting, however, with Takeda shown as more militaristic and "earthy", while Kagetora is more spiritual and "heavenly"--a possible subtle source for the title. Takaaki Enoki, as Kagetora, and Masahiko Tsugawa, as Takeda, both provide fine work, but the rest of the cast is fairly flat, in fairly flat roles. Production values are excellent, as the film was a massive effort, costing some $40 million and requiring some 800 horses and 3,000 extras; however, it appears that less money could be allotted to the music. The score is terrible, sounding like a cheap electronic ensemble more appropriate for background music at a second-rate restaurant, or at least a cheap TV show. It's also very late 80s, and dates the film badly. NOTE: Much of the film was actually shot in Canada, as Japan had become too thoroughly industrialized by 1990; it never shows, however.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
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