Rating: 
Summary: Encore! Encore!
Review: Just about the most entertaining film I have see so far this year!! This is such good stuff!! It's reassuring to know that less can certainly be more in a movie. The black & white approach to the film was a nice "retro" touch. The soundtrack was enjoyable as well. A little jazz a little spaghetti western and a little surf music?!? Oh well, sounds strange but it certainly enhanced some scenes. The story line was typical but the dialogue certainly wasn't. Who ever wrote the script certainly wasn't going for that purist kinda thing, refreshing it was!! What really made this film work was the obvious pleasure the actors displayed in making it. That's always a big plus and also infectious!!! At least it infected me!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Not the classic samurai film...
Review: Like one review on this film,I was turned off very early because of the tone of the film(to lighthearted for my taste).
I'm a big fan of the Kuroswawa film epics,and this film(or so I thought),would be like that in every sense.The main character had no screen presence at all.The music score just didnt do it for me. Look at the making of the film,it was stated that this was a MTV generation film,they were right on the money.To bad I'm not of that generation...You cant always go by other people glowing recommendation,I should have gotten "Seven Samuari"..
Rating: 
Summary: A pleasant blend of old and new.
Review: Samurai Fiction begins in the year 1999. Inukai Heishiro-san (Fukikoshi Mitsuru) speaks to us from the great beyond about his life as a young samurai in feudal Japan. As he tells us how his life was changed by his encounter with two ronin, we are carried back in time from the present to the past, from color to monochrome, digital to analog, until we find Heishiro practicing fencing among giant shoots of bamboo.
It's important to remember that Samurai Fiction is not a return to the period classics of Kurosawa and the like. Rather, it is an homage to that genre, full of references and allusions and humor. If you prefer dour, scowling celluloid samurai--well, you can find them here, but this might not be the film for you.
The plot is deceptively simple. The villian of the piece, the "cool samurai" Kazamatsuri (Tomoyasu Hotei), presents unexpected depth as he goes from rescuing a father and daughter from a band of brigands and finding an honored place in the Inukai clan, to stealing the clan's treasured heirloom sword, to falling in and out with the yakuza.
Likewise, Heishiro, a brash young man, takes it upon himself to recover the clan's stolen property and honor against his father's wishes. He is eventually turned from his self-destructive path by the "peaceful samurai", Mizoguchi Hanbei (Kazama Morio) and his engaging daughter, Koharu (Ogawa Tamaki).
Along the way there are conspiracies, sword fights, gangsters, and nose bleeds. Oh, yeah -- and ninja.
The score, also created by Tomoyasu Hotei (late of Kill Bill fame), is unusual for a period movie, with growling electric guitars and burbling synthesizers. It's tongue-in-cheek, sometimes startling, and punctuates the rock-and-roll sensibility of the director, Nakano Hiroyuki.
No, it's not Noh. Nor is it Kurosawa. But it is loads of fun. In its promotional material it is described as "peaceful, funky, and cool", and if that doesn't create a strange set of expectations for a samurai flick, nothing will.
Rating:
Summary: Nakano's Masterpiece
Review: Samurai Fiction is a brilliant "re-imagining" of the Samurai film genre. It simultaneously honors and makes light of traditions of the Samurai films of the past, while stylistically striking off on its own. The black and white cinematography (originally color, but made Black and White per-Nakano's request) is truely striking! At times the white will be filled with a sharp, biting red tone. Indeed, the opening of the film (which was inspired by Seijun Suzuki's stylistic absurdities) where two samurai fight against a retro-60's-style-screen backlit with red was stolen and used in Kill Bill vol. 1 (but Tarrantino changed the color)!
This really is a film not to be missed. Fans of the Samurai genre can appreciate the traditions honored by the film, and laugh along with Nakano at some of the absurdities of the genre. People unfamiliar with Samurai will still have a blast here, though, becuase the humor is universal and the characters are quite convincing.
The film won praise and scowls for its use of a primarily rock-driven soundtrack in this jidai-geki, but I think it works brilliantly. It complements the film's visual style, helps to set the tone, and just sounds incredible! Kill Bill also took something from the soundtrack, as the original trailer music (the best song in either film, for me money!) was written and peformed by Hotei Tomoyasu (who stars in and provided the score for SF).
Nakano has made othere interesting films, Red Shadow and Stereo Future are both very entertaining and have some strong aspects, but he has yet to make a film as all-around well done and satisfying as Samurai Fiction.
A note on the DVD: Media Blasters has really begun to prove itself. I still remember when it was putting out bare-bones, letterboxed, menu-less DVDs (like Fudoh), but now that really know how to please audio/visual buffs! The transfer on Samurai Fiction is beautiful, and while it is not the best MB has done (Red Shadow, another period film from Nakano, has for my money their best transfer so far) it is on par with any major studio release. There are also some very interesting and entertaining extras on the second disc that take you behind the scenes to stand witness to Nakano's unique artistry.
A must own DVD!
Rating:
Summary: If you have to see one Samurai movie this year....
Review: See this one. Forget about the one with Tom Cruise - this is so much better as to be not even a comparison. Hotei's acting and hot guitar licks make for a pleasing sound and sight. It's almost a mime performance - he has so few lines. I'd call him the Japanese equivalent of Clint Eastwood - cool and tough. Nakano's use of black and white and color make this film as beautiful and artsy as it is well told and acted. It proves that you don't necessarily need a huge budget and millions of bucks to make a great movie. It's also wonderful because it doesn't take itself to seriously.I will say it again - if you have to see one - see this one.
Rating:
Summary: An Okashii Samurai Epic (Cool, Funky, Peace)
Review: The MTV adds in Asia sold this movie as 'Cool, Funky, Peace' which pretty much sums up what makes this movie remarkable. Samurai movies are a dime a dozen, and the quality of these films varies widely. Everyone likes films for different reasons, so there is probably a perfect Samurai film for every different kind of person. This would have to be the perfect one for me. Some people like 'cult classic' movies, and try to find the cheesiest, worst-made or gorriest films. The Samurai genre is ripe with these, but I am not of this school, so for a long time I had a bad impression of the genre. In fact, I am of the exact oposite type: I look for haunting visual beauty, artistic vision, and deeply philosophical conception, and if possible - some rock & roll. As such, my loyalties in Japanese film lie with Kurosawa and Kobayashi, and it is in these film makers that I see the roots of Samurai Fiction. Akira Kurosawa, in films like The Hidden Fortress and Yojimbo, produced very subtle films mocking the macho ethos of Samurai culture, and ultimately moving towards the essential message that violence and conflicts are not solutions, but in fact just greater problems. When it comes to humanism and wit, Samurai Fiction, with it's anti-Samurai non-violent message, is the intellectual heir to Kurosawa. It is also, at least to me, much more accessible. Kurosawa's humor was very, very, very subtle and philosophical, and although I can appreciate it, it seems very dry and formal. Samurai Fiction, on the other hand, is unusualy straightforward for a Japanese film, which adds to it's hip, young feel. It also embodies the Japanese notion of 'Okashii' which sort of translates as 'silliness' but it might as well just mean fun, or light-hearted, or funny. The sincerity of this kind of humor contrasts vividly with much of the bitter cynicism that has saturated comedey these days that one can't help but like it. Masaki Kobayashi, on the other hand, who directed "Kwaidan" and "Samurai Rebellion" is perhaps the most visualy stunning of Japanese filmakers. His films are genraly brooding and dark, but tragicaly beautifull, where every shot is very carefully constructed as a work of art. Samurai Fiction is also the modern heir to this legacy, providing a film that is singularly visualy oriented. Some directors view the camera as merely a mechanism and the visual part of a film as simply a way of telling the story, but as a photographer myself, I disagree. Light, color, composition and even sound all strike emotional nerves. The elegance of the filming, the fluidity and dynamism of the actors' movements, and the overal visual experience is as fantastic all the way through the film as it is in the dramatic cover photo. In all of this, there is a deliberately modern, rock & roll feel to the movie, through which it not only mocks the pompisity and violence of the Samurai, but also the pompisity and traditionalism of the Samurai film makers. In the end, this is to Japanese Martial arts films what Zhang Yimo's latest film ("Hero" - only marginaly available in America) is to Chinese Martial arts movies: A soulfull and beautiful portrayal of the elegant and peacefull core of martial arts.
Rating:
Summary: One Amazing Movie
Review: The plot is as follows. A samurai clan entrusts a talented but unknown ronin to guard their ceremonial sword. He ends up stealing the lovely weapon for his own use. Upon hearing this, a young swordsman and his two best friends go on a journey to retrieve the sword. Their first confrontation causes each of the three warriors to take a path separate from the other. The plot is fairly basic (the stealing of the sword reminds me of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), but the way director Hiroyuki Nakano sees it is very original. Shot mostly in black and white, it's an obvious way to get the audience to appreciate his artistic vision. Perhaps my favorite aspect of "Samurai Fiction" is the musical score, composed by Tomoyasu Hotei, who you may know as "...the guy that made that song from Kill Bill" (Battle Without Honor or Humanity, the part where O-Ren is entering the house of blue leaves). Every fight scene and many simply well directed scenes are pulled from 1696 to modern day with hard rock or techno anthems. This is a must have DVD for any martial arts fans, particularly those looking to see where Quentin Tarintino got "Kill Bill" from.
Rating:
Summary: Samurai with Style
Review: This DVD was filmed in black and white-the best format for Samurai movies. Not really designed for foriegn audiences, Samurai Fiction was meant to be watched by young Japanese and make them say, "Cool!" But others people who are into Medival Japanese Culture may also get a kick out of it. The basic story is about two great swordsman and their eventual duel( What, did you expect An original story line?). Its not the story that counts in this movie but the modern reselling of the image and fantasy of Bushido to an audience who probably never saw a Kurasawa film. America has cowboys, Europeans have Knights, and the Japanese have Samurai. So, if your into this, I recomend this DVD highly.
Rating:
Summary: ...
Review: This is more of a lighthearted tribute to samurai movies of the past (like the Samurai and Zatoichi series, etc...), than a parody. Although some of the humor has a greater effect with some knowledge of cultural and samurai movie stereotypes, I think, in general, it comes off fairly well even without getting references. Some people might be put-off by percieved stylistic excess, but I found it not to be distracting (especially the framing and general quality of the visuals, which were fantastic), and some of it to even have a humorous quality (as with the characters, it intentionally elaborates upon the stylistic quirks found in samurai movies). The story and performances are very warm... I havn't seen many movies where the actors seem to be enjoying making the movie as much as in Samurai Fiction... the story, too, (as cliche-derived as the rest of the movie), radiates the fun warmpth that helps make the movie so enjoyable. Samurai Fiction isn't without its faults, but, being one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in the last few years, I decided it's worthy of five stars (It's also vastly superior to some movies I have or would have given four stars...). A very recommended purchase, as well... I myself have watched SF three times, with no plans for stopping (it's a great pick-me-up). Also check out the same director's 'Stereo Future' (no region 1 dvd atm), which is about as enjoyable. (ps. Nakano's other feature, AkaKage/Red Shadow is somewhat similar to SamuraiFiction, ninja in lieu of samurai, especially stylistically (though it's a bit more sad), is not such a good movie (maybe 2 or 3 stars) but also worth seeing if you liked the SFs.
Rating: 
Summary: You've got to be kidding me...
Review: This is the Classic Must see Samurai Film I've bin hearing about?..Right..Well I happend to rent this ol' "gem" yesterday at blockbuster from reading about how superb this epic Samurai Film is. I should have sticked to Douglas's Review and the other review. This film is not a classic. Stick to Kurosawa films and ignore this one. I don't wanna sound harsh but I didn't enjoy this film one bit, it wasn't funny though it was trying to be, obviously this film is trying to be hip and new which is totally fails at, I thought the characters wern't great at all and I had no sympathy except for one of the characters and for some reason that villian looked so annoying! I just wanted to slap him in the face!
And what's with the music! It was like watching a really bad MTV original movie. I agree with the reviewer saying this was more for the MTV generation since the Film had terrible lame music. Overall the Music was one of the reasons that really got me ticked.
Samurai Fiction is entertaining I guess but not the epic classic I was expecting. I loathed almost everything about it. The characters, music, and especially that idiotic villian who was seemed very gay(literaly). Overall this was one of those films that I didn't enjoy one bit. Though I like the clever the black and white, and some witty dialoug which I enjoyed for about 3 seconds. I will probably get some negative review(unless people are mature enough to mind there own buinsness and let people give there opinions instead of bashing them)and in the end...I give this film a
2 out of 5....Not the epic Samurai film I was expecting...
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