Review of Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011) by Jess L — 20 Aug 2012

Takashi Miike is nothing if not a defier of stereotypes. He is a director best known in America as the director of gore-fests like Audition and Ichi the Killer, but has directed at least five kids movies. Miike is one of the most prolific and weird cult filmmakers in the world, but was chosen to make the Phoenix Wright movie. He has quickly become one of my favorite Japanese directors, in no small part because of his 2011 masterpiece 13 Assassins. With Hara-Kiri, Miike returns to the world of the samurai, this time with a different approach.

On a peaceful afternoon in feudal Japan, the prominent Li clan is visited by a middle-aged samurai named Hanshiro (Ebizo Ichikawa). Hanshiro claims to be poverty-stricken and alone, and wishes to commit suicide on the grounds of a famous house, in front of its three most revered warriors. Worried that Hanshiro just wants money for pity, Li retainer Kageyu (Koji Yakusho) attempts to scare him off with the story of Motome (Eita), a ronin who bluffed and was brutally killed. Unknown to him though, Hanshiro was closely related with Motome, and has a plan for revenge.

I was immediately surprised by Hara-Kiri when I learned that Takashi Miike's method of directing the film was the complete opposite of 13 Assassins. By that I mean he uses the same hair-raising tension and suspense as he did in Audition. Hara-Kiri is constructed like a stageplay, forgoing wall-to-wall violence in favor of subtle development and a stripped-down feel. The lack of CGI, orchestral music, and fancy editing serves as a highlight to the fantastic cinematography and lighting, as well as the occasional drag in the story.

But what really shines are the performances. Ebizo Ichikawa plays Hanshiro with the restraint of Geoffrey Rush and the power of Toshiro Mifune, setting up a wall of calm that feels like it's uncomfortably surrounding you. Koji Yakusho is in top form, an the rest of the cast handles the film like serious thespians. So even though this is a long and sometimes boring movie, there is a very intense atmosphere that keeps you guessing and surprised. Hara-Kiri is really a suspense film dressed in a kimono and katana.

My one warning to those who may wish to watch Hara-Kiri is that it's very sad. There were parts where I almost fast-forwarded because it's so melancholy. We meet characters in flashbacks that are extremely likable, and we root for them, but they just can't catch a break. Two scenes were especially hard-hitting for me, and I almost laughed at how sad it was. But overall Hara-Kiri is a very well constructed and cerebral film that is made and performed beautifully. Not as good as 13 Assassins, but worth watching all the same.