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 f
you were to make a live-action anime, you couldn't
do any better than what director Shimoyama Ten
("Muscle
Heat") has done with "Shinobi: Heart
Under Blade", a film that is parts superhero
comic book, parts tragic love story, and when it
hits its stride, a seriously insane manga come
alive. Essentially a familiar story about
duty-bounded souls caught up in circumstances not
of their own making, the film is an excellent
example of not re-inventing the wheel, but rather
taking what is there and making it work
nonetheless. The presence of good actors, a tender
and affecting love story, and wild action makes
for one excellent action-adventure romp through
feudal
Japan
.
"Shinobi" opens
with an accidental meeting between ninja warriors
Gen-no-suke (Jo Odagiri) and Oboro (Yukie Nakama).
The two are members of opposing ninja clans that
have been at war for 400 years; she of the Iga,
and he of the Kouga. It's love at first sight, but
alas, they are very much star crossed lovers, and
as Oboro sighs, only meant to be together "in
their dreams". Oboro and Gen-no-suke's
forbidden love is made worst when the Shogun,
fearing that rebels may use the ninja clans as
instruments of insurrection, revokes the long-held
truce between the ninjas, thereby allowing them to
kill one another once more. Doubly worst, Oboro
and Gen-no-suke gets chosen as the leaders of
their respective battle squads, and must face off
in deadly combat for the right to survive.
It's a good thing, then, that
Gen-no-suke isn't the "follow orders at all
cost" type, as he bucks against what he
(correctly) perceives to be a foolhardy way of
life that seems to have no purpose. Thanks to a
measured performance by Jo Odagiri, last seen
romancing another female assassin named "Azumi",
the character of Gen-no-suke is the film's central
core, and it is he who gives voice to the viewer's
questioning of the madness taking place. Although
his rebellion is obviously steeled by his
affections for Oboro, Odagiri plays Gen-no-suke as
such a thoughtful young man that we think he would
still question the sanity of the situation even if
he didn't know who Oboro was.
Less successful is Japanese
beauty Yukie Nakama, whose Oboro oftentimes
infuriates with her inability to commit. Granted,
the prospect of usurping one's entire upbringing
for the love of a man one was never supposed to
talk to, much less fall in love with is not
exactly an easy choice. The problem, then, lies in
the script, which makes Gen-no-suke so sane in his
objections that Oboro's passive acceptance of her
role becomes all the more odious. The less than
steely nature of Oboro can be blamed on a Japanese
male's attitude toward Japanese woman, as even
when she breaks out her superpowers to, literally,
crush her opponent, Oboro still gives the
impression of being weak and vulnerable.
Another hiccup is the ending,
which though heavy on emotions and pathos is empty
of action. A curious decision, considering all the
wild sequences that had come before. Of particular
note is the fearsome match between ninja
heavyweights Chikuma (Mitsuki Koga) and ex-"Versus"
star Tak Sakaguchi, which kicks off the one-on-one
duels between the two clans in fine style. The
ninjas themselves (though they never actually wear
ninja garb) are easy enough to tell apart, but
unfortunately with only five on each side, they
get dispatched much too quickly. By the time the
film hits its 90-minute mark, the dueling is all
but over, and audiences will be left wishing there
was more.
"Shinobi" works
because the film's many superpowered and
CGI-assisted ninja battles are always grounded by
the very mortal romance between Gen-no-suke and
Oboro. As the two conflicts with their loyalties,
the other ninjas do battle around them, killing
each other with wild fury. Restrained from doing
battle for 400 years, the clan lets it all rip
when presented with the first opportunity. As
Tenzen (Kippei Shiina) remarks, their very
existence was a prelude to these moments. It is
not only who they are, but the only thing they
know, which makes the doomed love between Oboro
and Gen-no-suke all the more tragic as we realize
that they never had a chance.
The film's one major
disappointment is that it kills off its characters
much too quickly, and it's to the film's credit
that I wanted more. And not just more action, but
more exploration of the characters because they're
all so original, managing to be surprisingly
well-developed in the brief moments they are
onscreen. I wanted to know more about Kagerou
(Tomoka Kurotani), the beautiful Kouga ninja who
is a living, breathing well of poison. Then
there's the seemingly immortal Tenzen, a character
that begs to have his history recited in detail,
including those worm-like things that instantly
heals him when he's wounded.
At less than 2 hours,
"Shinobi" is sadly too short, and a
longer running time is needed not only to explore
the film's many fascinating ninja characters, but
also to fully delve into the reasoning behind the
Shogun's decision to kill off the Iga and Kouga.
We understand that the Shogun sees the two clans
as threats, but we never really get a sense of the
man himself, and whether his actions are really
for peace or if he fears being overthrown.
Obviously it speaks volumes for "Shinobi:
Heart Under Blade" that I wanted the film to
go on longer. If "Azumi
2" failed to live up to the hype,
"Shinobi" more than exceeded my
expectations.
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