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The Hidden Blade

Play trailer Poster for The Hidden Blade R 2004 2h 12m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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84% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A lower-class samurai, named Katagiri, secretly loves Kie, a servant in his family's household. Eventually their perception of honor forces them to part, and he must turn his focus toward a disheartening task. His old friend, Yaichiro Hazama, has been fomenting rebellion against the government, and Katagiri must hunt him down and kill him.
The Hidden Blade

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A slow and steady samurai flick a la John Ford that brings emotions and psychology to an epic-scale adventure.

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Critics Reviews

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Jeff Shannon Seattle Times A tenacious survival tale in which passionate lovers are held apart by outmoded traditions. How they overcome obstacles to happiness is what makes the film so dramatically engaging. Rated: 3/4 Jul 14, 2006 Full Review Wesley Morris Boston Globe Yamada's enormously enjoyable The Hidden Blade is a movie that deftly balances the obligations of samurai history with love story. Rated: 3.5/4 Jul 14, 2006 Full Review Ruthe Stein San Francisco Chronicle Reminders of feudal Japan are mixed in with a prescient glimpse into the country's future. The samurai will not be part of it, and The Hidden Blade poignantly shows what is lost in the name of progress. Rated: 3/4 Jul 7, 2006 Full Review Louis Proyect rec.arts.movies.reviews Second installment in Yamada's samurai trilogy. Once again the hero is unlike the super-warriors of the genre, but far more interesting. Sep 7, 2008 Full Review Kam Williams Upstage Magazine A character-driven, martial arts adventure more concerned with motivations than karate moves. Rated: 2/4 Jul 7, 2007 Full Review David Noh Film Journal International Hidden Blade works, then, as that rare, intellectually stirring historical pageant, but also as a deeply emotional, satisfying samurai movie, one of the crown jewels of the genre. Mar 1, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jeremiah C Perhaps it is simply true that I connect more with this protagonist than the one in The Twilight Samurai, but I think this movie is the better film between the two. Of course, this one is excellent, but I found the conflict and plot much more complex in The Hidden Blade. And of course, as usual, Yamada Yoji applies his keen director’s eye to every shot. Every scene is stunning! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/25 Full Review Tony S Made with the same formula, this is a clear rethread of Twilight Samurai but without enticing juxtaposition of the main character's mentality to his duties to a dying system. Hence no real interesting dilemma. Despite being well made, well acted and shot. The singular problem is that it's just not Twilight Samurai. It resonates way less. Hidden Blade double downs on showcasing of the coming of new age to replace samurai. No longer lingering in the background, it's very much upfront. And also provides most of the comedy in the film. That CGI shot however was embarrassing. It couldn't have been impressive back then and most importantly it's completely unnecessary. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/03/21 Full Review Audience Member I could not decide which is better, this film or The Twilight Samurai. Both stories are amazing and deeply moving. These are not action movies, so if you are looking for cheap thrills, you won't find it here. Instead, they are very well written stories that were written with historical accuracy. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member The similarities to the love story in Twilight Samurai is there but the violent ending is awesome. Lovin this more than the Fujisawa's first film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member A truly beautiful film musing over the familiar Samurai themes of Honour, Courage, Loyalty and Justice. Not an action film, with the exception of a showdown, this film is a touching and beautiful story. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Audience Member Another Yoji Yamada masterpiece, which may fall short of The Twilight Samurai, but is a masterful film in it's own right. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Hidden Blade

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Cast & Crew

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Yôji Yamada

Director

Masatoshi Nagase

Munezo Katagiri

Takako Matsu

Kie

Hidetaka Yoshioka

Samon Shimada

Yukiyoshi Ozawa

Yaichiro Hazama

Tomoko Obata

Shino
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The Hidden Blade

On the set of the film "The Hidden Blade." A scene from the film "The Hidden Blade." A scene from the film "The Hidden Blade." The Hidden Blade (2004) The Hidden Blade (2004) The Hidden Blade (2004) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A lower-class samurai, named Katagiri, secretly loves Kie, a servant in his family's household. Eventually their perception of honor forces them to part, and he must turn his focus toward a disheartening task. His old friend, Yaichiro Hazama, has been fomenting rebellion against the government, and Katagiri must hunt him down and kill him.
Director
Yôji Yamada
Producer
Takeo Hisamatsu, Hiroshi Fukusawa, Ichirô Yamamoto
Screenwriter
Yôji Yamada, Yoshitaka Asama
Production Co
Shochiku Co. Ltd.
Rating
R (Some Violent Material)
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jun 23, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 19, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$38.1K
Runtime
2h 12m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital