Goemon

From acclaimed fashion photographer and music video director Kazuaki Kiriya (Casshern) comes this mind-blowing fantasy action-adventure set in 1582 Japan.

While many other fantasy action flicks that boast eye-popping special effects often run thin on plot, Goemon not only delivers the visuals but manages to hold the interest from beginning to end thanks to a complex and well-paced storyline. The first ten minutes alone are truly spectacular and the film continues on that note.

When Oda Nobunaga, the ruler of Japan, is brutally murdered, the country is left in a state of political chaos. Where there is no leader or hero, an anti-hero usually sees his chances. Here, the anti-hero is a chivalrous thief known only as Goemon (Yosuke Eguchi) – a ninja bandit equivalent of Robin Hood who steals from the rich to give to the poor. His loyalties lay with Nobunaga and his latest haul includes a small wooden box of Western origin, stolen from one of his arch-enemies. Since Goemon believes the box to be worthless, he bestows it upon a young street urchin. Wrong move, as the box turns out to be a priceless artefact – a kind of Pandora’s box that holds a deep secret sought by Japan’s most powerful and brutal warlords.

Realising his mistake, Goemon won’t miss kick nor turn to regain the box before the wrong person will claim it. Unfortunately, the box has meanwhile attracted the interests of legendary swordsman Matahachi as well as legendary ninja Hattori Hanzo. As if it doesn’t spell trouble enough, Goemon’s former friend and current rival Saizo is also after the cursed object. The curtain is raised for a bloody and deadly play between Japan’s most skilled and merciless ninjas and swordsmen – acting out a conflict that will have a significant effect on the country’s future.

Everything in this movie and about this movie is right, from the dazzling costumes to the set designs, not to mention special effects that leave your jaw glued to the floor. The acting is solid throughout and despite the awesome visuals it’s the characters who are the real stars, and so it should be. Yosuke Eguchi as the likeable rogue Goemon is particularly captivating, but one bit of warning: with all the countless characters as well as some flashback sequences (and English only in subtitles), you really have to pay attention in order not to lose the plot.

The DVD comes with bonus material such as ‘Making of Goemon’, ‘Making of digital world’, interview with the director and trailers.