Gojoe: Spirit War Chronicle

Description

Benkei, a master fighter and killer, vows never to take another life after his conversion to Buddhism. His faith in pacifism, however, is shaken and ultimately broken when members of a warrior clan are being mysteriously beheaded at Gojoe Bridge. With his "Demon Slayer" sword the former Buddhist monk and his grave robbing sidekick set out to unmask and destroy the powerful evil forces that lurk at Gojoe bridge. Set in the 12th Century, this action packed epic features some of the most extraordinary fight sequences ever filmed, and heralds the return of the Samurai Film to Japanese Cinema.

Customer Reviews:

Many layered somewhat confusingly opaque offering.......2007-06-01

Gojoe is a rather strange offering and while I find it interesting, I'm still undecided as to what it's supposed to be. It's not a straight telling of the story of the monk Benkei at Gojoe bridge, indeed apart from taking a few characters and locations seems to have very little to do with it. So we know it's not a historical costume drama, then what is it ? The metaphysical element is strange, it's very difficult to judge what view the film is taking, is it one of the real world perceived from the the viewpoint of people who believe in demons and the mystic powers of Buddhism. Or is it a more fantasy oriented scenario where these are literally true and the combatants really are waging psychic war ? Perhaps it's a choice we're allowed to make ourselves, make of it what you will, I don't know the answer. The films pace also jumps to extremes, from blood spurting action shots where somewhat inept samurai are hacked up by the dozen to sections where a confused Benkei gets all angst ridden and meanders off into the wilderness to indulge in much tedious self examination and find himself. Clearly the director is trying to provide something deeper and more spiritual than Baby cart or Azumi but I'm not entirely sure he's succeeded, maybe you need to be a Buddhist to really get it.

A Different Kind Of Samurai Film: Not For Everyone!.......2006-08-07

As I wrote in the title for, "Gojoe: Spirit War Chronicle," this is not a film for everyone. However, I really enjoyed the film. Sometimes [many times] a film does not have to tie all the loose ends to be enjoyed, sometimes just the escapism and pure enjoyment of a film as an entertaining piece of cinema is good enough. And I found the film interesting enough to put in my collection. Plus, I liked the character of Benkei (Daisuke Ryu) as a monk who has put down his sword, yet decides that he must complete one more mission. Benkei was once a famed swordsman, however, it has been years since he has slain anyone. Yet things are about to change: For there is an evil presence at Gojoe Bridge. Who is killing all the samurai? And for that matter, why?

Benkei tries to enlist the help of his former mentor, who warns Benkei that he is not ready for this mission. Further, this monk warns Benkei that he will fail because he has not seen the way. Yeah, I know, sounds like a bunch of silly philosophical mumbo-jumbo, [and maybe it is] but that does not mean the film is not entertaining. At least for me. Moreover, I really liked the character actors in the film too. Plus, the antagonist in the film is portrayed by (Tadanobu Asano), who gives a very good portrayal in his role as a gifted swordsman. Tadanobu Asano is trying to reclaim his place as the rightful heir to the land, and watching his performance makes this film a worthwhile watch. Plus, the cinematography in the film is very good. Although there are spots here and there in the film where the picture is not very clear, they are few and far between. The film itself has great cinematography.

The films narrative takes place in 12th Century Japan, at a place called Gojoe Bridge. Apparently, many members of a warrior clan are being killed by an unknown entity. Benkei, a former warrior has become a Buddhist and refuses to kill anymore, however, he changes his mind and decides to destroy whatever evil is lurking at Gojoe Bridge. Is it human? Or is it something else? I will leave this to the viewer to watch. I can tell you, however, that this movie does not disappoint. It sure did not disappoint me. I thought the cinematography and the acting and action sequences were very good, and the film definitely has an original storyline. I am a huge fan of the Toshirio Mifune and Akira Kurosawa classics. [Not that I am comparing this film to those earlier classics]. I am not. However, I like it when directors come along with something different for a change, and this film is definitely different. And once again, this is not a film for everyone, therefore, rent it first. [Stars: 4.5]

Good Night!.......2006-07-29

I tell you, if you believe in gods and devils, this movie is quite terrifying. Note that this is a play on alot of folk tales about the legendary warrior monk Benkei. Also good if you're easily hypnotized by fire...

Spectacular.......2006-03-25

I wrote a really long review for this and was surprised to see it is not here. #%^#%*%&*%^%&#(&!!!!!!!!

So in short I will tell you this is an epic movie that is one of the biggest blood spillings I have ever seen. The story was pretty good and the acting was superb, especially the monk. The final fight is great but it is a lot of closeups that do not focus on martial arts but do give you more excitement in my opinion.

The DVD has really good 5.1 sound and the special features are awesome with really good sound. The picture quality is weird how it will go from crystal clear to grainy but a lot of Tokyo shock movies are like that and it does not affect the beautiful cinematography.

Good Movie!!!.......2005-09-05

i dont understand what there isnt to get about the film or what not to like. the cinamatography is awesome, the storie plot is one of the better, more original ive seen in a while, i dont understand what the problem other people see with its special effects; the blood flow was great and realistic, not computer generated like in the new zatoichi film. i only had one qualm with the film and everything else really makes up for it; some scenes are grainy like they missed something in the editing process, but its nothing i hold against the film greatly. i rented it from blockbuster and have been thinking about buying just so i could add it to my collection. p.s. it's true people with ADD shouldn't be critics

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