Kai Doh Maru

Set in feudal Japan's Heian era, circa 889 A.D., where warring political factions seek to control the capital city of Kyo, the latest offering from the makers of Ghost in the Shell and Blood: The Last Vampire (VL-3/02) finds a young girl named Kintoki (who is disguised as a boy) being rescued and whisked away into the mountains after her uncle murders her parents. Saved, raised, and schooled by Raiko--captain of "The Four Knights" guarding the city--Kintoki (who is christened Kai Doh Maru by the local villagers) becomes adept at martial arts and is drafted into the guard at the age of 17, where she must fight gangsters led by the mysterious Shuten Dohji and Ohni Hime (linked to her past), while also struggling with her conflicting emotions for Raiko. Although the story sounds reasonably straightforward, the presentation is anything but as the filmmakers employ a maddeningly minimalist approach on both a narrative and technical level. Comprised of elliptical scenes (many of which are both short and pointless) separated by full fade-to-blacks, Kai Doh Maru begins in black and white, and gradually adds light pastels, with bursts of vibrant color reserved for the bloody finale. With the exception of the impressive fight sequences (which employ digital 3D modeling), the film is essentially a rather annoyingly cryptic, washed-out looking vanity project. Featuring both Japanese and English Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks with optional subtitles, the DVD also includes a nine-minute director/crew interview segment, 36 character designs, major character bios, and seven CG models. Optional. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)