Review of Love and Honor (2006) by Benjamin F — 30 Jan 2009

I haven't seen either of Yamada's previous samurai films in the trilogy yet, but this was a good one, to be sure. Strong direction, beautiful cinematography and camera work, and a solid script that incorporates enough humor to humanize the characters and keep the film from coming off as a complete melodrama.

Humor only serves to strengthen the darker elements of the story. The blind combat isn't too over the top - this is no Zatoichi, after all, it's all about the characters and the story unfolding between them, not blind samurai ass-kicking.

The pacing's very slow overall, and at times, for as simple a story as it tells, it feels like it's stretching things a bit. But it works well overall, and the entire cast delivers strong performances.

All in all, a samurai film worth seeing, in its commentary on the bushido culture of honor and how ridiculous it can be. The type of ending it has works better than you might think it would, even if it feels a bit rushed.