Kurui Musashi (2020)

A spectacular piece of film-making

Many of you will turn this film off.

That's probably not encouraging... it is, however, the truth. To be honest, 10 or 12 minutes in, with nobody attacking Musashi from behind, no blood, men being hit and running out of frame to die, I wasn't impressed. When someone died, stayed down for a few seconds and got up to run around behind the other men to rejoin the "endless mass of opponents", I thought, "What is this amateur s***?" and I almost turned it off myself.
Thankfully, I didn't.

Yes, the limited extras/combatants hurt the production value almost to insulting levels, but get past that and you'll witness one of the most amazingly choreographed battles ever put on film.
That's not an exaggeration - the camera movements coupled with the technical brilliance of staging such relentless chaos is to be applauded.
Yes, the blood is CGI when it comes; yes, people conveniently die to one side so nobody can trip over them; yes, men move out of frame to die - and are even replaced by other dead men in different clothes, in different positions - and yes, there are boss battles like you're watching a live action Dynasty Warriors, and where you may even check your phone and the running time, deep down, there will be this sheer awe as to how the whole thing was pulled off.

The lead, Tak, must be insanely fit, as I didn't spot a single hidden take (you know: the camera whips or zooms in quickly to someone's back to mask the cut), and when he tiredly faces his final opponent, he genuinely looks like a man who's been through one hell of a battle! What keeps him on his feet is pure will power. This is acting at its finest, as Tak became Musashi!

I gave the story a high 7 and here's why: we don't need a stupid story! Too many times nowadays, bad writing has ruined great concepts; Musashi doesn't mess about: he's there to kill somebody and then to fight his way out.
Sorted.
Mad Max was praised for having no story... the difference is: I hated it! I hate cars and I didn't like Charlize Theron being ugly.
Crazy (Bad-arse) Musashi though, I thoroughly enjoyed (well, once I got past its obvious pitfalls).

And finally, the music: simply some of the best I've ever heard in a film!
Let me explain that...
Normally, I dont care much for the soundtrack and, unless it distracts me (cough. Umbrella Academy), I pay it no heed, but here, I was roused by the fighting spirit caught perfectly in audio; I felt the plight in my ears as Musashi was too tired to continue... and then as the music captured his sheer resistance to allowing any man the bragging rights of saying that he slew Musashi!

It's not a film I'd call a favourite, but I'm sure there's plenty to reference for film buffs who want to learn how to shoot a good, single take battle.

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