La Guerre des espions

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!

Because I am a retired history teacher and lover of Japanese films, the plot to "Samurai Spy" is something I can understand--though it wasn't easy. However, most folks who are not Japanese will really struggle understanding the context--even with the tiny prologue to explain this. To make things a bit easier to understand, I'll summarize the context where the film begins: Before the Tokugawa Era, Japan was fragmented into many different kingdoms run by many different clans. In the late 1500s, several leaders of the Tokugawa clan schemed to gain power by forging alliances and fighting battles against the various other clans in Japan. Eventually, Ieyasu defeated the final holdout clans in 1600 at the Battle of Sekigahara and he became the first Shogun--the de facto leader of Japan (despite there still being an Emperor). However, a few years later, the Sanada clan tried, in a last gasp effort, to defy the power of the Tokugawa clan and was crushed in a final epic battle. Just following this battle is when this film begins.

Sasuke and Noriji both meet and are soon set upon by agents of the Tokugawa who try to kill Noriji. You assume Sasuke is working with the Sanada clan because he helps Noriji--though who is working with whom is difficult to determine--especially since Noriji is a man who will work for whoever pays him most. A bit later, Noriji is killed--presumably by the guy in white (whose headdress looks a bit like bunny ears). And, for the rest of the film, one guy after another tries to kill Sasuke--and folks around him start dropping like flies. Who is working for whom and what is all this about? See the film and find out for yourself.

I'll be honest. This was a very well made film and the action sequences, when they occurred, were very nicely done. However, the film is also VERY, VERY talky. Not a bad film but one that isn't as memorable as many of the other films I've seen about this time period.

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!

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.

If you're lucky enough to get a hold of the Criterion DVD, or perhaps another version with some accurate explanatory material, you will have the benefit of the brief explanatory comments in a recent taping made by the director, Masahiro Shinoda.

He felt that the era of the swashbuckling, self-serious samurai films, such as those of Kurosawa, had come to an end. He wanted to go into a new direction for samurai cinema, that of film noir. This is a political spy tale set in the early 17th century.

The fighting is very stylized, and really just serves as a physical representation of the intrigue, rather than drawing attention to itself. Kurosawa got into the game when the swordplay was rather choreographed, and made things much more realistic, with people stumbling around in the mud, tripping and slipping as they took wild swipes with their swords. Again, Shinoda wanted to go against the grain.

There are cool villains, especially Takatani, completely covered in white, including his hooded head, and he has a soft, menacing voice, too.

The hero, Sasuke, is troubled by war, and waxes philosophical on more than one occasion about the whole business of war and spying.

The music is cool with a jazzy capricious flute, very 60's cool. Shinoda talks a bit about that as well in the interview.

I did not understand the apparently new character in the very last shot, so if someone can shed some light on it, please send me a private message on here.