Blade of the Immortal
Blade of the Immortal is Takashi Miike’s blood-soaked love letter to samurai cinema, and let me tell you, it’s nothing short of an epic. This surreal, ultra-violent flick is based on Hiroaki Samura’s manga, and it follows the story of Manji (Takuya Kimura), a cursed samurai who just can’t seem to kick the bucket.
Set in the mid-Edo period, the movie kicks off with Manji crossing paths with Rin (Hana Sugisaki), a young woman hell-bent on revenge for her father’s murder at the hands of a ruthless samurai gang.
Miike takes you on a twisted journey through a world of blood, betrayal, and revenge. The action is non-stop, with Manji facing off against a whole gallery of freaky adversaries in some seriously brutal one-on-one showdowns. From a bipolar prostitute to a vengeful monk, each opponent brings their own special brand of mayhem to the table.
But do right and wrong matter when it’s for people you love?
What sets Blade of the Immortal apart is Miike’s fearless embrace of the supernatural. With its graphic violence and breakneck pace, it’s a breakneck ride from start to finish.
Sure, the movie has its flaws. Kimura’s Manji feels a bit flat, and his chemistry with Sugisaki’s Rin leaves something to be desired. But with standout performances from actors like Sota Fukushi, who brings some real emotional weight to the story, those flaws are easy to overlook.
In the end, Blade of the Immortal is a balls-to-the-wall celebration of samurai cinema, and Miike’s 100th film is a bloody, brutal, and visually stunning masterpiece that’s guaranteed to leave fans of the genre begging for more.
