A remarkable single-take fight scene that clocks in at 75+ minutes long is the selling point and obvious centerpiece (no, in fact, it’s the WHOLE piece) of this action film. And while it is a sight to behold, the lack of variety in kills and sometimes staid choreography often brings the film down despite the incredible planning and production involved, not to mention the bravura performance (and stamina) of lead actor Tak Sakaguchi, who plays famed samurai Miyamoto Musashi. A star-making performance, even if this film sometimes feels every bit as exhausting as Sakaguchi must have felt by the end of that history-making shot.
A remarkable single-take fight scene that clocks in at 75+ minutes long is the selling point and obvious centerpiece (no, in fact, it’s the WHOLE piece) of this action film. And while it is a sight to behold, the lack of variety in kills and sometimes staid choreography often brings the film down despite the incredible planning and production involved, not to mention the bravura performance (and stamina) of lead actor Tak Sakaguchi, who plays famed samurai Miyamoto Musashi. A star-making performance, even if this film sometimes feels every bit as exhausting as Sakaguchi must have felt by the end of that history-making shot.
