Makai tenshô

This awful sf-action movie almost ruined my passion for the Japanese culture. It's a strange mixture of lots of legends (or facts) making them all look bad. Good think it didn't start as "Helen of Troy": 'Forget what you know! this is what really happened'. No sensation, no thrill cause we all know samurai heroes get to the end, just a little satanic mist that fills up the cup. Didn't seem as a 'low budget' either. Clubbing scenes lack in motive. The fighters don't Dance, it's true (as in Crouching Tiger) but they don't seem decided to strike.

Don't waste your time with this movie really. Doesn't say anything and doesn't show anything.

if you're the person who likes watching the Japanese films with lots of fighting and absolutely no plot, this could be for you. There is plot, a very simple one. But ultimately its just one of those Japanese films about war.

So watch this movie if you don't care about plots, but rather for entertainment. I watched this movie because I am not a critic. I like to be entertained.

If you like boring movies with intelligent plots, why are even reading this.

Overall, an entertaining movie with good CG, simple plot, nice samurai fighting, and great nudity.

This is the story of a Christian martyr who is killed when the uprising he is leading is put down. Vowing vengeance he returns from the dead and with the help of other unhappy souls he tries to destroy the shogun responsible for his death. Opposing him is swordsman Jubei, who has to fight his way through the undead minions in order to stop the plot to bring chaos to the world. (The Jubei character was a real person and shows up in other Japanese tales) This is the second version of a historically based supernatural novel. The earlier film starred Sonny Chiba and was an action packed film that made very little sense but was fun to watch. Here we have a nice blend of action and plot, then again maybe its too much plot. While this is an excellent action film, though the larger implications of who some of the characters really are was lost on me since I'm not as well versed in Japanese history. This is a film that assumes you know the period that the film takes place since it brings many real people and places into play. Who ever put the DVD I saw together must have been aware of the need to be informed on Japanese history and customs so they included, as part of the subtitled track, helpful tidbits about terms and people and places. It helps in the short term but by half way into the film I was feeling a bit lost.

Still this is a very good movie. The action is spectacular, the opening castle assault is amazing, and the horror is scary, how the dead come back will probably creep you out. This is a well thought out and well made supernatural action film. I recommend it, with the understanding that you may feel a bit lost (Though that's not a reason to pass this by since it is a good film)

This film could have been astounding. As it is, individual scenes are still quite amazing to watch, but overall, this film falls far short of the greatness that it could have been. I'm not sure whether the fault is that of the director or script writer...but what I can say is that the cinematography along with some of the concepts are amazing. This film could have been so much more. The scene in the wheat field (or grass, or whatever it was) speaks to what this film could have been. That scene is involving and original, creating the mood that most of this movie aspires to, and I would say that scene alone is definitely worth the rental. However, unfortunately this movie is more visible for its shortcomings. What is an intriguing and original concept--Bhuddism vs. Christianity, of sorts, with the "resurrection" idea in Christianity allowing for a plot that I haven't scene before...falls short. The filmmakers don't take the play on Christianity that they could have, and the film, after a remarkable opening, wreaks of a PC mentality. Moreover, while individual scenes and the camera work are great, the characters and situations are hard to follow. I want to believe that is my Western sensibility and non-understanding of Japanese history, but this movie seems to me like a lot of Hollywood productions that look very pretty but fall short as far as story and continuity is concerned. It's still worth a watch...but I can't help feeling a deep sense of regret that this movie wasn't as great as it could have been.

The only thing this film lacks is a detailed explanation of things that are going on within the film. For those of you who have not seen it, Makai Tensho is a period fiction film about the Christian leader of Japan during the feudal era. They staged an uprising and were slaughtered. The film starts off at his death, and continues on with him being resurrected by the devil to bring Japan, and eventually the world, to it's knees. The only person who is able to defeat him just so happens to be the Legendary Yagyu Jubei.

Yousuke Kubozuka's character, the Christian leader, has the power to resurrect fallen warriors from the bodies of young women. While some of the ones he brought back were people I had never heard of, the most important one he did revive was Miyamoto Musashi.

That's where the film lost me. A lot of the stuff going on in the film just did not make sense. A lot of key plot points (ie. How Yagyu Jubei's woman guard was turned into a dormant demon, why Musashi was revived, how the hell he got the powers.) It just really brought down the movie, but it's saving grace were the awesome fight scenes, and the superb acting (Especially by Yousuke Kubozuka.)

While not the greatest samurai movie I've seen, and while not the best horror movie I've seen, it's still a fun movie to watch. Check it out.