Review of Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011) by Kevin R — 28 Aug 2013

I wish to cut open my stomach and die as befits a warrior.

A poor samurai struggles to raise his daughter on his own. He raises her into a beautiful young lady that eventually marries and has her own child. The young couple struggle to make ends meet and their baby becomes ill. The family will have to resort to desperate measures to pay for the child's healthcare; unfortunately, the search for money only makes matters worse.

"This house will not tolerate suicide bluffs.".

Takashi Miike, director of 13 Assassins, Ichi the Killer, Audition, IZO, Sukiyaki Western Django, Sabu, Agitator, and Fudoh, delivers Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai. The storyline for this picture is very entertaining and well paced (but not as good as the original). The action scenes in this film are wonderful and the character development and script are also really good. The acting is excellent and the cast includes Eita, Koji Yakusho, Ebizo Ichikawa, and Naoto Takenaka.

"Our task is complete.".

I was so excited to see this picture when I discovered Miike was making another samurai picture. I adored 13 Assassins and generally enjoy his work (Ichi the Killer, Audition, and 13 Assassins). I did really like this movie; however, it wasn't as good as 13 Assassins. I have seen the original and liked that version way better (Hara-Kiri, 1963 release). Overall, I do recommend seeing this picture but would recommend 13 Assassins or Twilight Samurai over this film.

"A warrior's word is his bond.".

Grade: B.