Solidrariol
Am I Missing Something?
Gurlyndrobb
While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
Ava-Grace Willis
Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.
mevmijaumau
Kimiyoshi Yasuda's Zatoichi and the Fugitives (not to be confused with the earlier entry called Zatoichi the Fugitive) strays a bit from the usual formula but it's still a recognizable Zatoichi picture in general and not a particularly good or a bad installment of the series at that.The plot is typical; Zatoichi enters a town run by gangsters and corrupt officials - nothing new. But, despite the usual slow pacing, this entry is a bit more modern than its predecessors. The violence is pulpy, bloody and plentiful, there's a bit of comic nudity, the Spaghetti Western-like scoring style is perfected and perfectly combined with Zatoichi's new theme song, and the villains are noticeably more ruthless and sadistic than usual. There is also a lot of killing in this movie; it has what must be the largest body-count of any Zatoichi film so far and the final boss kill is particularly good. Fun fact; legendary actor Takashi Shimura appears as the benevolent town doctor (usually the same actors repeat in this series so it's always interesting to see a famous face).Highlight of the film: Zatoichi removes a bullet from his shoulder using his cane-sword.
fdevos6
Zatoichi and the fugitives is definitely one the few that stands out from the rest of the series much like how 'Zatoichi and the chess expert' and 'Zatoichi the outlaw' did (that is if you watched the films in the order it was released).'Zatoichi and the Fugitives' features some of the most ruthless villains to have appeared in any of the zatoichi films preceding this title. These villains really gave 'Zato no Ichi' (played by Shintaro Katsu) a tough time. Its the first time I actually worried for his safety which is a rarity since he is mostly portrayed as a practically invincible swordsmen as seen in 'Adventures of Zatoich' where he slayed an entire guard post with scores of skilled swordsmen. However this time Zatoichi has many close calls which gives a change of pace from the mass-slaying zatoichi we are so used to, suspense is no stranger to this film.Takashi Shimura of 'Seven Samurai' and 'Red Beard' fame that played Dr Junan really left me impressed. The dynamic between the blind gangster/swordsmen/anma and the kind-hearted doctor made for a very entertaining watch. Takashi Shimura did not disappoint.The use of Manzai comedy and the customary gambling scene where Zatoichi always manages to split the loaded dice in half is left out of this film. Instead one can expect a dark and suspenseful tale with a very solid story that doesn't feel too reminiscent of the previous 17 films.If you have made it to the 18th installment of the long-time running zatoichi series than that means your already hooked to this very likable icon. Zatoichi and the fugitives is definitely one of my favorite Zatoichi films.
Brian Ellis
From the opening credits and the blaring song that starts the movie, it was obvious to me that the Zatoichi franchise was making an attempt to make a spaghetti Samurai movie. In earlier Zatoichi films, the villains were bad, but they were usually cowardly buffoons hiding behind hundreds of henchmen and the occasional hired gun. In this movie, the fugitives are particularly loathsome: dirty with no respect for anyone. The violence is more brutal and even Zatoichi gets one of his worst beatings in a long time.Unlike the Italian westerns, the violence happens mostly at the end; Zatoichi tries to warn off the fugitives, but even he mutters that these people are trouble. I think his Italian counterpart would have wiped them out as soon as he met them. The typical Zatoichi touches are still there, the twist at the end (which is so obvious, I think even the filmmakers weren't too concerned with making it hard to guess) and the large bodycount at the end, for example. I give the filmmakers credit for trying to stay up with the times and the film is enjoyable but I also feel that some of the Italian "gimmicks" weren't needed (most notably the jarring music).
John Seal
Don't be lulled asleep by the (typical) orderly pacing of this Zatoichi entry: this is the bloodiest entry in the series so far.Add in an outstanding score from the unsung Hajime Kabarugi, and you have a winner!
