This tale about the decline of the samurai during the imperial restoration of the 19th century may superficially resemble the Tom Cruise vehicle The Last Samurai, but what distinguishes Yoji Yamada's film is its stress on domestic matters rather than the broader political context, making it more of a delicate character study than an historical epic. The hero (Hiroyuki Sanada) is a low-level attendant to a feudal clan: a widower--with two small children and an aging, mentally-impaired mother--whose main concern is providing for his family. But when the abusive ex-husband of his best friend's sister threatens her, he reveals a surprising level of skill at swordsmanship, and soon the clan leaders enlist him to confront a disgraced official who's resisting an order to commit suicide. The Twilight Samurai moves very deliberately, sometimes sacrifices subtlety for immediate effect, and isn't always choreographed/edited well enough to keep the action clear (moreover, the epilogue is overly sentimental, and a sappy song slapped over the final credits breaks the mood). But for the most part the picture is an affecting, lovingly-produced look at a principled man struggling to be true to tradition in a time of change. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include brief text bios and interviews with director Yoji Yamada (11 min., with overlaid English narration), and star Hiroyuki Sanada (17 min., in English), and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for a powerful foreign film.] (F. Swietek)
The Twilight Samurai
Empire, 129 min., in Japanese w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $26.98, Dec. 28 Volume 19, Issue 6
The Twilight Samurai
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