La Guerre des espions

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.

Samurai Soy was made during the cold war and reflects both the paranoia and uncertainty of the time. It's a tale of spies being caught between sides. Having the appearance of being on one side, whilst fighting for the other, causes a lot of conflict and grief for the warriors. Perhaps the audience was supposed to be as confused as the spies, but it doesn't help so much when telling a story. Unlike the majority of samurai films, we get to see some awesome stealthy ninja action and throwing star carnage. The immense leaps and jumping made for a wealth of excitement. There were also some fantastic long shots which just aren't used for action sequences these days.

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.

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!

Muddled and extremely silly samurai film marred by artsy flourishes, goofy ninja outfits, martial-arts fantasy nonsense, and a stupid ending.

On the plus side, Shinoda has a good eye for composition, the production values are quite good, and it's got a meaty role for Seiji Miyaguchi (Kyuzo from SEVEN SAMURAI).

The most potentially interesting thing about the film is its treatment of the persecution of Christians in Tokugawa Japan. Unfortunately, it treats this aspect with the same superficiality that it treats the conflict between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Toyotomi clan (and the film starts with a basic historical error: the Toyotomi clan did not lose at Sekigahara; they didn't even fight there, although the battle did result in the end of Toyotomi hegemony over Japan).