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The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi

The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi

2003
Comedy, Drama
1h 56m
Director Takeshi Kitano takes on Japanese cinematic legend Zatoichi. Kitano stars as the blind wanderer with a distinctive red cane and a shock of platinum blonde hair. Softly-spoken, he makes a living as a masseur and by gambling, but his humble, shuffling facade masks a lightning-fast, deadly swordsman. (Miramax)
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The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi

2003
Comedy, Drama
1h 56m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 61.13% from 2150 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(2150)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 27 Aug 2010
5
80th
Always surprises me how adept Kitano is at fitting humor (and moments of startling compassion) into his films. There are flaws, but it's such a fitting tribute to the old stuff.
Rated 06 Jul 2011
80
84th
Completely bonkers! I suppose if I'm being harsh things get a little muddled in the middle of the film, not that that should bother you really. Looks great, sounds great, is great. A blast!
Rated 26 Jan 2014
79
81st
Some enjoyable lunacy from Takeshi, picking up some recognisable cues from classic samurai films. It is very nicely shot, with decent music and swift, engaging bouts of violent action. And dancing, for some reason, which is no bad thing. Takeshi himself does a great job as the titular hero, as do much of the cast. It's by no means perfect, but it gets a lot right. Recommended.
Rated 20 Jul 2018
74
63rd
Feels very true to the series despite all of the following: new semi-blind albino Zatoichi, lame CGI blood & extensive tap dancing (which was awesome btw). Kitano has his own peculiarly idiosyncratic way with rhythm, structure & framing which makes the basic revenge plot feel fresh & exciting even though I'm not always sure what effect he's going for. His performance has some Katsu imitation that doesn't seem to fit his more battered & battle-weary Ichi but overall he really owns the character.
Rated 05 Apr 2007
84
76th
That dance number at the end just seals the deal on an already excellent movie.
Rated 11 Apr 2007
48
29th
An OK film that just seems to have been hyped up by those who like Japanese cinema for the sake of liking it. This film isn't anything special, just watchable really.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
84th
I get that there are purists who prefer Shintaro Katsu's portrayal of Zatoichi, and are horrified at the concept of CGI blood, but this is a great flick. It sticks to the traditional Zatoichi formula, ratchets up the violence and comedy, and throws in an EPIC tap dancing finale. Good Times.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
97
98th
Beat Takeshi was wonderful. Excellent movie
Rated 14 Aug 2007
84
64th
Pure badassness from the master Kitano.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
82
64th
A whole lot of style, amazing preformances by Beat Takeshi and Tadanobu Asano, but the actual swordfighting is anticlimactic at best. If one thing shines above all else, it's gotta be the music.
Rated 22 Jan 2010
55
75th
It was a beautifully made film, every aspect was checked right down to the field workers. However, the ending tended to go on with a light preamble before for insight as to when Zatoichi was done. Perhaps there was an extra ending but the unexplained dancing soured it for me
Rated 20 Sep 2010
77
72nd
Zatoichi pleasantly defied my expectations. The action is cool (though only in short bursts) and the film adds some refreshing elements to an otherwise straightforward revenge story. And it ends with a musical number! It's not without its flaws though; the editing can be a bit abrupt at times (with a lot of flashbacks), the CGI blood takes some getting used to, and Zatoichi himself is almost a non-character. Kitano absolutely sells the part, though.
Rated 23 Mar 2011
60
9th
Too many random subplots. I couldn't keep track of the characters so I didn't know who was after what. Even the fight scenes got a bit repetitive. They had a lot of build-up, but then he just kills everyone in two seconds.
Rated 29 Jan 2012
69
59th
This was a lot better than The Deaf Archer.
Rated 06 Mar 2014
63
34th
If you're a Takeshi Kitano movie, the worst thing you can possibly be is bland; Zatoichi is just the biggest wet noodle of a movie in Kitano's catalogue. The CGI blood doesn't help. My god, it doesn't help.
Rated 14 Dec 2006
88
54th
Beat Takeshi, swords, and fighting. The only thing wrong with it is the stock "Japanese CG blood" that they use for whatever reason. It looks awful and ruins things.
Rated 23 Dec 2006
66
8th
Probably the fuckin WEIRDEST movie I've EVER seen. If you are in the mood for fuckin weird, look no further.
Rated 02 Jan 2007
87
92nd
Bloody great. Stars the guy from Takeshi's Castle, if you can believe it.
Rated 16 Jan 2007
57
14th
I've never seen any of the "real" Zatoichi movies, but I know at least one advantage the originals have: they don't use CGI to simulate blood spurts and limbs being hacked off. It looks very fake, and is completely inappropriate for a film that relies on violence for its entertainment value. That aside, it's not a bad movie, although the basic story is rather familiar. The ending is a nice treat, but overall I just couldn't get past the terrible CGI work.
Rated 01 Mar 2007
60
62nd
Bit muddled or perhaps it was the copy I seen,apart from that a fine film from Mr Takeshi.
Rated 20 Mar 2007
81
83rd
Awesome special effects, brutally violent fight scenes, gorgeous period sets and...um... musical numbers?
Rated 28 Apr 2007
79
54th
Takeshi Kitano is a badass.
Rated 26 May 2007
55
48th
Good flick.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
85th
freakin sweet
Rated 14 Aug 2007
47
50th
Not an amazing film, but it has some really fun stuff thrown in. The main storyline isn't nearly as interesting as the things he does with rhythm and music with relation to rural japanese life. Worth watching for the amazing, bizarre dance number toward the end.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
30
5th
Very silly. I liked the action, but there wasn't a lot, and everything else was pretty bad.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
95th
Effortestly cool film by beloved wünderkind director Takeshi 'Beat' Kitano. Its humorous, violent and has a beating heart thanks to some great performers. Also includes a dance number that's hard not to love.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
67th
Style! No detail was missed. Audio were as good as the visuals. CG blood was not enough to detract from an otherwise impeccable presentation.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
61
29th
Interesting fight scenes, but quite boring at several parts.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
57th
Good ol' violent martial arts film. It's too bad about the weird blood CG though.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
87th
Yep, Beat Takashi sure did direct this one. Although the action's good, I think they did a poor job capturing the traditional Ichi story arch. Which is a shame because they did a good job at making traditional Ichi characters. But I think I'll let that all slide because in the end it's a damn fine film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
51
37th
Only alright for a samurai movie, but entertaining.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
70th
An enjoyable little flick with some humorous bits and excellent cinematography.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
97th
Excellent movie, no much of shit matrix fight, plain and simple, u are better, that shows :)
Rated 14 Aug 2007
52
20th
Pretty dull at times and the big fight the movie seems to be building up is a let down, but the superfluous dance at the end is awesome.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
44th
Fairly good, Takeshi Kitano makes it.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
56th
unexpectedly good
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
32nd
Tons of fun.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
74
67th
Full of great detail, color, and characters. The soundtrack is kind of odd, but appropriate. The final battle is fantastic.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
78
43rd
It's kinda dull, but it has some cool parts.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
50th
null
Rated 14 Aug 2007
84
88th
Takeshi Kitano is the coolest dude ever.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
74
45th
Kitano manages to bring something new to this remake.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
55
23rd
Didn't see where all the accclaim generated from. It was entertaining at times but not really anything special.
Rated 22 Aug 2007
87
78th
Love it! Though I love pretty much anything Takeshi Kitano touches.
Rated 16 Sep 2007
85
94th
Wildly entertaining films has some cheap effects and a bad transition or two, but it is still wonderful.
Rated 16 Oct 2007
86
80th
Not as good as other Takeshi Kitano, but it's better than most movies, with an entrancing musical number at the end.
Rated 01 Dec 2007
69
41st
Nice computer animation, but I could have been more brutal. The cinematographic techniques are a bit weak and slovenly, and the story is feeble. The epic fights are shorter than short, but the outcome of the story is pretty great.
Rated 14 Dec 2007
73
53rd
Kitano is a different Zatoichi from the one played so often by Katsu. He's more violent, less playful, and more regretful. One can almost see him as an older version of the character; after the pleasures of drink and gambling have palled, and he's realized that he can't help the basic problems that plague the people he meets time and again.
Rated 01 Jan 2008
70
40th
I haven't seen the original movies, but this was fairly decent. There were a few neat instances of the action on-screen (during non-action scenes) syncing up with the music that were pretty cool.
Rated 14 Jan 2008
65
50th
Amusing and occasionally quite well-crafted ronin flick with nice useage of effects, cutting and so on. Some pacing problem holds this movie back a tad.
Rated 24 Mar 2008
36
14th
Rewatching this after watching all the old ones it has interesting elements in it's rhythm based editing and that one magnificent stomp-sequence. But in miscasting himself Kitano severely hobbles the classic character and then he spoils the action with horrid CG effects. I'll give it credit for being a Zatoichi movie with a comprehensible plot though.
Rated 29 Mar 2008
88
87th
Breath taking action!!!
Rated 29 Mar 2008
50
55th
Sometimes silly, often amusing, always confusing. It's a genre film though, so expect me to underrate it in that regard.
Rated 27 May 2008
91
90th
Well "Beat" Takeshi kitano, went and took one of my favorite movie franchises, and.... didnt do too badly! For a guy who started his career making fun of "chambara " movies, he treated Zatoichi with reverence, and crafted a very good story. I always liked Zatoichi's sense of justice in a world that qute literally had none.
Rated 16 Jun 2008
75
32nd
Not quite the old school Zatoichi, but it didn't rape my childhood.
Rated 30 Jun 2008
60
43rd
Uneven
Rated 30 Dec 2008
88
85th
This movie rocks, the ending is priceless and Kitano's Zatoichi is just the best version of them all.
Rated 26 Jan 2009
75
74th
Cool samurai movie. An old "blind" man with amazing skills. Very strange ending with the dance :D.
Rated 23 Apr 2009
95
93rd
Never got familiar with the old Zatoichi Movies from the 70's. But this work by Kitano got great blood dripping moments bundled with original characters and fine recordings. Exactly what I expected fromn a genius like Kitano. Great Action Flick
Rated 26 Jun 2009
63
67th
This one left me wit a mixed feelings. First of, it's a shame that even Kitano can't afford fake blood and uses CGI. As action film it lacks the energy, but there are some really fun scenes, so it work better as comedy. Enjoyable mainstream fun. And it's all about rhythm.
Rated 04 Jul 2009
83
77th
Fun and gorgeous, but exceptionally violent.
Rated 09 Jul 2009
75
49th
Good take on the character, but the CGI blood looked a bit too obviously fake.
Rated 19 Jul 2009
97
85th
Takeshi Kitano manages to one-up the origional Zatoichi.
Rated 08 Sep 2009
7
70th
Violently inventive. I [heart] Kitano. A true jack of all trades.
Rated 16 Nov 2009
40
23rd
Blah
Rated 01 Jan 2010
80
61st
Violent entertainment with an interesting aural and visual style.
Rated 19 Apr 2010
100
97th
Stylized and very entertaining.
Rated 18 May 2010
87
73rd
Hyper violence AND a fully choreographed dance number? Yes please.
Rated 18 Jul 2010
70
51st
Average story, iffy effects, and music that never really seems to jibe with the era, but a decent watch thanks to funny characters and a great ending.
Rated 31 Aug 2010
20
44th
Kitano's resuscitation of the sightless samurai from the long-running action series of the Sixties into the Seventies. Kitano's blind swordsman -- or, in his acting persona, Beat Takeshi's blind swordsman -- is also a blond swordsman, and only the devotee will know whether the surprise revelation at the end is sanctioned by tradition. Otherwise, the treatment is as respectful as necessary for so unswallowable a premise.
Rated 15 Dec 2010
55
43rd
Completely unfamiliar with the original stories, so I'm judging this on its own merit. It's a decent action film with plenty of cool fight scenes and a lot of humorous moments, but is let down by an unimaginative story and dodgy editing. The numerous flashbacks and too many minor characters made it a bit of a muddle. On the plus side, I really like the music in Kitano films and it was good in this one, too - the farmers in the field digging in time with the background music was a nice touch.
Rated 19 Jan 2011
56
30th
cgi blood????????????????
Rated 23 Jan 2011
87
73rd
first of all , u shudn't look at this as a movie made in 2003, but maybe 20-30 years before it. its a semi-classic samurai movie, with a drop of dry humour and violence a-la-kitano, and a bunch of philosophical lines which makes us think about ourselves - "even with my eyes open, i still can't see a thing".
Rated 15 Oct 2011
35
90th
"Kitano contemplates a strange, seductive relationship between the space inside Zatoichi's head and the sounds of the world outside." - Ed Gonzalez
Rated 05 Dec 2011
63
43rd
I'm a huge Kitano fan but I did not get this...AT ALL. I'll admit I haven't seen the original films so I don't really have any grounds for comparison but everything here seems so awkward, especially the humor. The action sequences, when they happen, are expertly choreographed and a real pleasure to watch but even they are let down by some of the worst CGI blood I've ever seen. Could only recommend to Kitano fans (he really is the best part) or fans of the series, probably?
Rated 08 Mar 2012
100
98th
A fun version of the blind swordsman story. Kitano is excellent, both in the director's chair and in front of the camera.
Rated 18 Mar 2012
75
28th
I will never forget those fake eyes of Kitano, laughed with whole Japan.
Rated 14 Apr 2012
78
78th
This movie co-opts the epic blind swordsman mystique of seeking justice for the underdog with the blade of his sword. However, it breaks the theme rather badly at the end by revealing that he can see. It also has strange Japanese tribal dance festival scenes at the end that felt more Hollywood than classic Japanese movie making. Zatoichi in this is not as charismatic as the classic Shintaro Katsu created character, and there was considerably less humor. Still it's a must see for Zatoichi fans.
Rated 16 Apr 2012
40
5th
simply too much violence...
Rated 22 Apr 2012
65
13th
Ultimately, this is a very pointless and boring movie due to the utterly bland and uninteresting story. Zatoichi has a few tricks, but a few prepared card tricks do not make you a magician.
Rated 22 May 2012
62
35th
The movie itself was pretty entertaining, too bad the effects were terrible. To put CGI-effects in a samurai movie is beyond stupid. It's retarded.
Rated 21 Aug 2012
75
52nd
A little slow in spots.
Rated 20 Nov 2012
100
98th
The plot is ridiculous. Can anyone be so fast and accurate with a sword? Absolutely not, and certainly not a blind man. But it sure looks good - really, really good! The choreography of the many fight scenes is just amazing. It's all a kind of samurai fairy tale. Watch it as such, and you won't be disappointed.
Rated 21 Feb 2014
37
20th
pretty dammmnnn boring but the very ending is great
Rated 01 Aug 2014
69
55th
as a zatoichi fan, it took me a bit to realize this was a sly parody (although its an open parody by the end) of those films. not seen a takeshi kitano film before, but i certainly enjoyed his directorial style. could have done without cgi blood, but it was not the worst ive seen. the soundtrack was perfect.
Rated 06 Nov 2014
80
63rd
Husker jeg likte denne svært godt som yngre. Kitano er alltid en fryd, spesielt i denne type rolle. En verdig moderne filmatisering av Zatoichi-figuren.
Rated 03 Dec 2014
75
60th
Although I like Kitano in most of his movies, he just hasn't the onscreen charisma as Ichi as Katsu had. Nevertheless the movie itself is on par with the better ones in the series. Kitano brings some special flair with his directing.The musical bits work surprisingly well. It is also more comical than most in the series.
Rated 14 May 2015
65
23rd
Knowing what a reputation Beat Takeshi has, I have to say I was highly underwhelmed. The blood/sword special effects were so distractingly awful and the pacing was completely thrown off. Also, was I supposed to care about the body guard's sick girlfriend that we saw like once? Add that completely out of nowhere tap dance number at the end and the fact that Zatoichi wasn't even blind, and in the end, I just couldn't get behind it.
Rated 04 Sep 2016
74
79th
This is just a stylish and awesome movie.
Rated 29 Apr 2017
73
30th
Japanese period dramas are all about variations on a theme. Though Kitano injects freshness into Zatoichi through choreographed musical bits and slapstick humor, the story is poorly paced and serves as bare scaffolding for the stylized aspects of the film. No surprise that the film was so well-received overseas, among those less familiar with the tropes of Japanese period films.
Rated 26 Sep 2017
17
86th
9/8
Rated 09 Dec 2018
30
3rd
I was trying very hard to not fall asleep and watch it till the end – it didn't pay off at all, the movie is just bad
Rated 08 Apr 2019
62
10th
conditions of Japan at that time... they open themselves to outer world and samurainess begins to be abandoned... okay, well but what kind of editing was that?
Rated 12 Apr 2020
68
66th
Kitano occupying the director-for-hire role, which he admittedly does well, and it's a damn sight better than his Outrage series that simply panders to fan expectations, both in the west and in Japan. Not all of his auteurist tics were discarded, but it just skirts the boundaries of anonymity; remove him from the equation (i.e. the screen) and it's a completely different film. Nonetheless, there is enough violence to please devotees, and it's a stylish, if unremarkable, craftsman's piece.
Rated 14 Feb 2021
73
66th
Studio Kitano film. It means Takeshi Kitano does almost all the work. Usually this doesn't mean any good. But Kitano does its stuff in style and cinematography is stunning. Plot is well-knows: all the bad guys will meet their maker and good guys have a joyful dance.
Rated 09 Sep 2021
7
88th
This was pretty awesome. The only real negative was the CGI. Maybe they could remaster it with new CGI that looks a lot better since it's been almost 20 years.
Rated 27 Oct 2021
84
79th
Zatoichi is a master of iaido ("the way of harmonizing oneself into action") sword fighting. The idea being to unsheathe, strike, and re-sheath without wasting any movement. And the cinematography alludes to such Zen beauty. Fast, funny, and charmingly bizarre. Zatoichi's impish chuckle stays with me - is it shyness, friendliness, or vacancy? Scene progression tends to stutter a bit but the glue holding it together (presumably intentionally) is the score.
Rated 15 Jan 2022
82
66th
Elegantly crafted samurai epic is inevitably familiar in terms of its simple "revenge" plotting; made distinctive and memorable by Kitano’s handling, staging his action scenes with a lithe grace, and turning his apparently disadvantaged Man With No Name into a formidable and charismatic hero. Some ostentatious stylistic touches (the “rhythm” of the field workers, and sporadic dance numbers(!)) are well staged as isolated sequences, but stand-out awkwardly from the otherwise “realistic” stylings.

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