L'été du samouraï

Well photographed, well paced, an excellent cast – could have been a very good movie, but unfortunately the script is downright silly in places. The story lacks credibility, which spoils the fun a bit. In my view, the movie is still above average due to its abovementioned qualities and its director's creativity in putting the pieces of the (crime) puzzle together.

A samurai comes to Hamburg, Germany, to find a bunch of rogues who have desecrated a shrine in Japan. The villains hire a ninja warrior to kill him. Don't be misled, this is not an action movie, and Chuck Norris is way out of sight. Director Blumenberg takes the time required to explain the characters and their motives, he skilfully puts Japan and Germany to good use for visual contrast, Japan becoming a symbol for the mysterious, the unknown, the incomprehensible. Great actors like Wojciech Pszoniak from Poland (you may remember him from `Danton' or "To Kill A Priest") save the day. Enjoyable!