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Goemon
The Robin Hood of Japan
I love
Ninja films, especially ones that originate from the land of the rising
sun which only adds more credibility these action orientated period
flicks. Goemon is set in 1582, where the Feudal system ruled supreme and Samurai
and ninja roamed the lands.
The
movie itself is like an Eastern version of Robin
Wood and the main character Goemon is played by Yosuke Eguchi, a master thief.
Unfortunately these lands are soon about to overrun with blood because the
warlord known as Nobunaga Oda has been assassinated by one of his
commanders, vying for his power. Oda was the one lord who was needed to
ensure that the country remained united but instead, his commander
Mitsuhide has unleashed more bloodshed on the lands which is where
Goemon gets caught up.
Unbeknown to Goemon
the main protagonist of the film, he steals an ancient box which
contained a secret pact responsible for the assassination attempt and if
this was made public, Mitsuhide's power base would soon collapse. From
there, Goemon becomes one of the most hunted men in Japan which is where
the action begins and also the blood. Without spoiling the movie, this is a must see
for movie for fans of Eastern Eye, especially those who love the Feudal
era of Japan and of course, those who love over the top and quite lethal
action scenes.
To compliment these acrobatic battles, the cinematography
is visually quite stunning and truly delivers you to 16th
century Japan. The authenticity of the locales, costumes and to an
extinct, the characterisation, especially with Goemon’s sense of honour
is a joy to watch and it’s quite easy to get carried away by it. With
action, drama and even romance, it's movies like this that make many
Western movies so hum-ho!
On
DVD, Goemon is presented in glorious widescreen with vibrant colours and
extremely sharp images. At times, especially with some of the more
outrageous characters, Goemon has this almost supernatural or superhero
type aspect to it. Imagine Batman meets the 300 and that’s what Goemon
is. Add in a great Dolby Digital 5.1 track and when you hear the swords
clash or the shurikens whiz by, it’s almost like being in the battle
displayed on the screen. Frigging cool! The special features are a
little lacking and only contain the making of Goemon (interesting) and
the original trailers.
In
conclusion Goemon is a very well made action movie that not only pays
homage to the era but sets up a unique story with some great
characterisation of all involved. Rather than some of the 2D action
movies of the past or those ridiculously crazy (not that this is a bad
thing) films like Frankenstein Girl vs. Vampire Girl, Goemon is a more a
grounded story and has a clearer picture of black versus white. Classic
stuff! |
