Hitokiri

Saw Hitokiri, another samurai movie. This time we follow a down-and-out ronin who starts working for an ambitious and bloodthirsty clan which sets him to work killing their enemies. He reasons that with enough murder he's sure to get some high office when they finally gain control, but of course the clan has other plans.

Once again, the central conflict is between the individual protagonist and the corrupt powers that be. The clan is not explicitly corrupt, but they cynically exploit the protagonist's nobler instincts. They first exploit his ambition and then his sense of unease at all the murder. The protagonist is always caught between throwing himself into the role of assassin vs saving himself and retiring from this creepy clan.

The film is fairly long and, like many samurai films, has mob-film-levels of exposition detailing who is the council of where and who is who's niece or beloved or whatever. My attention was tested for the first half but once the psychodrama of the second half starts, as the protagonist faces their doubts about the clan and begins to turn on his masters, it picked up considerably. Not a bad film but, once again, this film felt sort of like homework. Only three more samurai movies to go!