The Samurai and the Prisoner
Review by Mark Woodring
Who doesn’t love a Samurai movie? Steeped in tradition and epic in scope, feudal Japan has long occupied a place in cinematic lore as a complement to its inherent cultural impact.
The Samurai and the Prisoner maintains that sense of balance between tradition and cinema.
**NOTE: this post may be updated with audio once we actually have the chance to talk about it. Until then, you can read Mark’s review below. Remember, you can listen to all our discussions of this and every other movie directly over on ACAST. Stay tuned.**
147 Minutes, Not Rated (?)
Written by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Honobu Yonezawa
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Synopsis:
Based on Honobu Yonezawa’s novel. Set in 16th century Japan, follows Lord Murashige Araki who, besieged in his castle, confronts mysterious crimes and allies with imprisoned strategist Kanbei Kuroda to uncover the truth.
As the synopsis says, this film plays out like a mystery novel inside a besieged fortress. There is almost no actual combat on the screen, and we are left to ponder the outcomes of events along with Lord Araki.
Beginning with the attempt to solve the murder of a captive child, Araki is forced to consult a prisoner in his fortress, a man with a brilliant tactical mind, who offers cryptic advice which lead Akagi to the solution to this and subsequent mysterious events.
Think The Last Samurai meets Knives Out, only Benoit Blanc is being held captive and forced to solve the crime.
A murder, a betrayal, an assassinated turncoat, all of these leading to not one, but two revelations for Lord Akagi as the siege wears on over the course of a year.
A intricately plotted tale, The Samurai and the Prisoner, while being quite enjoyable, is a bit on the long side, and (to my Western sensibilities) meanders far too long between events. It’s both busy and idle, a heavy lift for a casual viewer.
The Samurai and the Prisoner is meant to be lingered over, considered, examined as Lord Akagi does the various mysteries he is presented with.
To be honest, I likely need a second viewing of this one to properly appreciate it, but it is an eminently appreciable bit of cinema.
So if you choose to screen this one, WATCH IT. Commit. Enjoy both the artistry of the filmmaking as well as the lessons the script is imparting, for it is rife with them.
The Samurai and the Prisoner in theaters now and stars Munetaka Aoki, Masaki Suda, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Ryota Bando, and Masahiro Motoki.
And remember, if the BEST thing you can say about a movie is that it’s “visually stunning,” then they’ve done something wrong.
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