The Warrior's Path Leads to Tragedy Not Enlightenment

Posted by Michael on 9th Oct 2020

After watching the snoozefest that is Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy, I was convinced that the story of Musashi Miyamoto was not for me. I'm glad I found this film. This Musashi is not pursuing the path to enlightenment, he's pursuing the path to fame and glory. And boy is he cold-blooded! There are no tricks Musashi won't pull to survive his duels. When faced with a challenge from Sasaki Kojiro, Musashi at first breaks down in tears out of fear for his life. When he can't figure out how to defeat Kojiro, he begs Takuan the priest to help him become a better swordsman. "Why?" Takuan asks. Because Musashi wants to reach enlightenment is the response. "Wrong," an angry Takuan replies, it's because Musashi doesn't want to die. So is this the point where Musashi gives up on his ambitions and becomes a pure Zen master? Nope! Musashi figures out a way to defeat Kojiro for himself, so there's no need for Takuan's spiritual guidance. But Musashi isn't simply cold and calculating. Musashi must sacrifice his love for Otsu and any human happiness he might enjoy in order to walk the path of the warrior. The story is ultimately a tragedy. What an amazing movie! Director Tai Kato has quickly become a favorite. Takahashi Hideki makes a great Musashi, I loved his heroic appearance and performance. But my favorite part about this movie has to be the wild-eyed actress who plays Matahachi's vengeance-obsessed mother. She steals every scene she's in. See it!