Blade Of The Immortal (2017; Mugen no jūnin) is a two and a half hour samurai action epic with supernatural undertones and ghoulish flashes of humour and violence befitting the reputation of its director, Takashi Miike (his 100th film as director). It’s about a masterless samurai, Manji (played by Takuya Kimura, wonderfully surly) cursed with immortality, specifically blood worms that reanimate and reattach his limbs after a fight. His services are sought by the plucky Rin (Hana Sugisaki) who wants help getting revenge on the group of warriors who killed her family. Over the top violent action sequences ensue, alternating with some poetic imagery conveyed in static long shots. Some narrative twists add complexity to the revenge narrative but it’s more the budding loyalty that Mashi and Rin develop that provides some substance. As my friend remarked during the movie, “They should have called this Hectic As…” Recommended (if you’re into absurd violent samurai action movies).
VHS Tracking 