A remake of Clint Eastwood's classic set in 1880s Japan.
The sword fights are as tense as the original’s duels, but the film struggles to find a hero as austerely regretful as Eastwood’s widower.
The samurai/Western osmosis is given a terrific new surge by this beautiful-looking, smartly modified translation of the Eastwood classic.
Retaining the original’s viciousness, it’s a perfectly acceptable rejig – if somewhat lacking the tragic heft and tortured gravitas of Clint’s dark revisionist masterpiece.
Great performances, stunning wintry cinematography...but we have been here — or somewhere very similar — before?
Director Lee Sang-il pays particular attention to landscape – and relishes the opportunity to show blood being spilt in snowy forests.
It's an enduring yarn, well told: a rare remake that functions independently, even as it reminds you – vividly, in places – of the original's elegiac pleasures.
Expansive widescreen vistas add wow-factor, with director of photography Norimichi Kasamatsu making the most of the breathtaking scenery.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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