Ibun Sarutobi Sasuke

This movie is vary unlike most reviews you'd read on here on IMDb. It is a classic in it's self. Most reviews would tell you this movie is ridiculous, silly, cheesy, corny and has a stupid ending. NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE TRUE!!! The way the movie is laid out and filmed is worth the watching in itself. There's a lot of twists and turns so if your into that sort of thing this one is perfect for you (I am thats why I like this movie so much , but I just hope your good at reading subtitles because if you can't, this one will be REALLY hard to follow.) The acting is pretty good, not excellent but decent. The storyline is genius if you can follow it through till the end and get the meaning of the whole thing. There isn't that much sword fighting in this movie, but more ninja type fighting (shurikan, darts, ball & sickle type thing.) The soundtrack and cinematography compliment the twisting storyline excellently as well. Often, during some events we'll hear sort of a sobbing violin riff that is a nice compliment to the event being portrayed, a thing that is exclusive to this film at the time it was released. Character development for the main character isn't vary strong but we still bond with him, and by the end of the film I found myself cheering him on even though I don't have much background on him as a person. The villain is a cool ninja clad in all white (the guy on the cover of the criterion DVD) while the rest of the villains are some that one would never expect, something that makes this film great, is you never know who is who until the final moments of this film. With this being said, if your a fan of ninja films this is an essential! If your a fan of mind bobbling story lines with twists and turns and mysterious characters, this is an essential. If your a samurai fan, I would At least rent it, if not buy it. So thats about it, great film, 10/10, Masterpiece in its own regard, definitely recommend it!

Samurai Spy was the one film in Criterion's DVD box of four samurai films (called Rebel Samurai) that I had never before seen. While I would slightly recommend the film, it is a slow going motion picture with a lot of talk and intrigue.

I know very little about Japanese history, so some of the film's plot was lost on me, but basically the film is set during a period of cold war between the two groups that control Japan. Sasuke (Koji Takashasi) belongs to a clan that is neutral. Sasuke has been in battle before and the fighting has left him tired and numb. He no longer sees the point in battles. . . this will not stop him from killing a couple dozen people during the film's running time. On the road, Sasuke meets up with an old friend who is planning the defection of a high ranking spy of one of the ruling clans to its rival. This friend only cares about the money he will make, but does offer Sasuke a portion if he helps with defection. Sasuke refuses, yet does come to his friend's rescue during an ambush. Slowly, Sasuke finds himself drawn into the plot somewhat against his will.

Samurai Spy benefits greatly from Koji Takahasi's performance as a weary samurai tired of killing. In addition, the film also has some impressive moments. The deadliest villain dresses as a white ninja and is quick to show off his fighting prowess. The climatic fight between him and Sasuke is quick and startling. Director Masahiro Shinoda places a boy clutching a dead bird in the background of some of the scenes. I have no idea what the boy is supposed to represent, but the distraction is an asset. Finally, the film stages one excellent sustained action set piece where Sasuke has to rescue two prisoners.

In spite of these strengths, I could only get so interested in Samurai Spy. The plot incorporates a lot of elements. There is the initial defection plot, the persecution of Christians, a murder mystery element, a broken family subplot, two love interests, and two masterful swordsman rivals that Sasuke has to face. Shinoda (admittedly not one of my favorite Japanese directors) does only a fair job at balancing all of these elements. The ending should have meant more than it does considering all that happened leading up to it.

Samurai Spy is not a bad film. I certainly can't say I was bored with it, even with the slow pace. I don't think I would watch it a second time though. Others might like the film more than I did.

It has it all really... Crime, the theme of violence, an ambiguous but honest protagonist that borders cynicism (and somehow victim of circumstance), a complex plot with crosses and double-crosses, well-defined characters with sharp motives that are unclear to the viewer, moral ambiguity, expressionist low-key lighting, unbalanced frames, disruptive shots, and even an 'urban' feel (though in old Japan), voice-over and a femme fatale! Add ninja action and a political comment on cold war and its meaningless dehumanizing nature, and you get a smart, entertaining, beautiful, thought-provoking film.

Shinoda masters the visual medium to create something new, different. The viewer experiences the insecurity and anguish that good noir delivers (I guess that other reviewers could not manage this). And still there are sword-armed samurai in it!

Maybe because the bar in 1960's samurai cinema was set in unprecedented highs after the works of Masaki Kobayashi, Kihachi Okamoto and Hideo Gosha among others, maybe because the title is slightly misleading and this is not an out and out chambara, or maybe because it's just not such a good film, Samurai Spy left me with a bitter aftertaste.

Set in 16th century Japan, 14 years after the defining battle of Sekigahara where the Tokugawas solidied their power over the Toyotomis (and the country was about to enter a 400 year period of Tokugawa rule), Samurai Spy attempts to tell a labyrinthine story of espionage and double-crossing. In its centre of political intrigue are two rival spy networks working for the two factions, Tokugawas and Toyotomis. The convoluted plot should come as no surprise to chambara aficionados; it is after all a staple in a good number of genre films. However whereas another very convoluted film like Samurai Assassin at least has a central figure one can relate to (likeable or not, doesn't matter) and thus follow the maze-like plot through his plights and triumphs, Samurai Spy has little concern with character development. Sasuki is a pretty bland character to spend so much time in his company. It's no surprise then that the screen is on fire whenever Tetsuro Tamba appears. As the white-clad rival ninja leader, Tamba treads the ground between baddie, hero and just-another-pawn with charm and conviction. Plus he's badass as hell.

Masahiro Shinoda is one of Japan's great directors and although the story let me down, the movie is very well shot and lit. Solid DP work helped by Criterion's pristine print. His frenzied tracking shots following ninjas are a nice touch as are the several slow-motion shots that are pivotal in many of the action scenes. Speaking of action, this is more of a ninja film than a samurai one. Not that swordfights are completely absent, but they are interspersed with shurikens, flying daggers and other ninja tricks. Fans of 80's cheese looking for Sho Koshugi's forefather might wanna look elsewhere though. This is not played for laughs.

Samurai Spy could be a lot better. It's not without its merits but as it is, I'd recommend it to completists only and chambara fans that would like a different take on their katana action. I hope you like it more than me.

Samurai Spy, despite the generic title, is a solid piece of ninja/samurai espionage and suspense. The plot changes at a brisk pace, there are no slow moments, and the tale is accompanied by inventive music and gorgeous scenery. The story revolves around Sasuke Sarutobi, an agent for the prominent Sanada clan, one which has not publicly allied with either one of the feuding Toyotomi or Tokugawa families during early 17th century Japan. Through his friendship with a day-dreaming (and careless) fellow agent, he becomes linked to a dangerous conspiracy involving the feuding espionage directors of both feuding families.

I was initially going to downgrade the movie based on some clumsy fighting scenes, but some of the stylized action later in the film makes up for it. My main concern was the ridiculously slow and monotonous movements of the protagonist, Sarutobi Sasuke! So many people are killed by the same "daijodan", overhead sword strike -- and in slow motion! Ha, it's not quite up to par with other films from this period, i.e. Sword of the Beast, Sword of Doom, Sanjuro, Samurai Assassin, Samurai Rebellion, etc.

But don't be mistaken. It makes up for the lack of explosive early action with great espionage scenes, fantastic long-range cinematography and zooms, some serious tension in the final few battles, and -- as I mentioned before -- some good stylized ninja action. And there is a decent amount of action, too. It isn't necessarily dull or unbelievable.

The real meat of this piece comes from the plot twists, character development and social/political commentary. As the summary on the back of the Criterion box says, "no one is who they seem to be". The variety of characters, similarity of syllables among the names and historical setting might make this confusing for some folks who aren't "Otaku" (Japan-o-philes) but this is part of the immersion. As another user mentioned, the viewer is hanging onto the plot twists by a hair, much like the protagonist. But I was never TOO confused and found the plot to be ultimately rewarding. Trust me, it's nowhere near as complicated as Kinji Fukasaku's "Shogun's Samurai" (Yagyu Clan Conspiracy). That one requires some aspirin.

The story also has some hefty commentary on (or parallels to) the roles of espionage agents during the Cold War and their blatant disregard for human life in the constant quest for political self-profit. The ninjas here are generally depicted as stoic agents, emotionless tools of their superiors' quest for power. Their presence and deaths do leave some kind of poignant statement in being presented this way (or maybe it's just me?). Director Masahiro Shinoda says something related on the DVD interview: there's something poignant and more life-like to seeing a person die in battle. As though the person who lives, splattered by the other's blood, is actually somehow the loser.

Interesting stuff, with deeper thoughts than you might expect behind a political/ninja facade.