The Blind Swordsman's Vengeance

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Christopher B While the story isn't anything new, this 13th film in the Zatoichi saga is brilliantly filmed and has some truly awe-inspiring battle scenes, in the latter half of the film especially. The sequences of Ichi on the bridge facing multiple foes as others pound drums to distract him and the showdown of Ichi and the other famous swordsman on the shoreline is wonderfully filmed and a true pleasure to watch. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/07/22 Full Review Audience Member Not to be confused with Zatoichi's Revenge (a much better film), this familiar story sees Zatoichi visiting a small town and seeing how Boss Gonzo rules with extortion. A blind biwu player convinces Zatoichi not to fight back, because it will encourage a young boy to do the same. There is also a subplot of a prostitute with a heart of gold who shares her earnings to make up for a friend, and her ex-boyfriend samurai is put on a collision path with Zatoichi in order to pay off her debts. The action is on the soft side, with distant cinematography that tries to be artistic, but ultimately fails. It doesn't showcase the good choreography and the story is cliche. This is not one of the better Zatoichi outings. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member This was another excellent samurai film, the 13th in the Zatoichi series. Apart from the great swordsplay and usual humour and touching moments, this one has an added emphasis on morality, as Zatoichi meets a blind priest who questions both that he kills and the kind of influence he's having on a young boy, Taichi, who idolizes him. It also has scenes of added vitality, when an evil gang decides to use thunder drums during their attack to wreak havoc on Zatoichi's hearing, and a mysterious samurai who is forced into battle with Zatoichi in order to save his true love from a life of prostitution. Heartily recommended, and I can't wait for the 14th film this evening! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Another strong entry in the series. Moments after Zato passes a stranger, the masseur finds a man bleeding to death as robbers search him for anything worth looting. From there the hero's destiny seems caught between the dead man's family and the stranger's love interest. A multi-layered tale of morality, vengeance, repercussions, and self-respect. And Zato gets upstaged by a blind priest! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Zatoichi's story takes a turn as it tries to concentrate on his character and spirituality, thanks to a priest. As interesting as it may seem, there's nothing special about the story. The only strength of the movie is some villain finally figured out Zatoichi's weakness, his hearing. And as expected, Zatoichi still remains undefeated. Though I noticed his speed has become slower than it used to be... Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Zatoichi gets a conscience--Soul searching!! Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Blind Swordsman's Vengeance

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