Well, I'm going to try and broaden my horizons a bit by seeing some films that don't get a lot of big media attention, as well as foreign films. Fortunately, the Denver area boasts three landmark movie theaters that show a variety of movies, from classics to indies to foreign films.
Now, if I don't review something every few weeks, feel free to bug the hell out of me until I do. I am trying to broaden my horizons.
So, first up:
ICHI (2008)
Haruka Ayase, Shido Nakamura, Y?suke Kubozuka, and Takao Osawa
THE STORY
Ichi, a blind Japanese girl, is thrown out of her goze (blind musicians) troupe when she is raped by a man. She now wanders, attempting to locate her blind swordsman father. Ichi is far from defenseless, as the handsy husband of a woman who lets Ichi spend the night finds out-Her father instructed her in the use of a cane sword, and she is capable of dispatching most foes with a single backhand strike. She also has a bell that her father gave to her that she keeps very closely. She meets Toma Fujihira, a down on his luck samurai who is on a "pilgrimage"-That is, he left after his father chose his best student as heir instead of him. More on his backstory later.
Toma meets Ichi when he comes to the aid of a blind whore that Ichi was staying with, who is being attacked by three thugs. Toma tries to bribe them with a ten ryo note, but the thugs don't take it. They prepare to kill Toma, who cannot draw his sword. His hand shakes whenever he tries, so it's up to Ichi to kick their asses. Once done, she heads off, and Toma follows, as his ten ryo note was sliced in half by Ichi.
She comes to a town called Bito, where a local bandit gang is oppressing the townspeople. The gang is led by a swordsman called Banki, who used to be a fencing instructor for a shogun before half his face was burned and horribly disfigured. Like Two-Face this previous paragon of virtue and order was turned twisted and evil and now terrorizes the town. That'll be kind of important later.
Anyway, a group of the gangmembers are gambling at a local establishment, and Ichi (as per standard Zatoichi movies) helps Toma's gambling to pay back the ten ryo, as her hearing is so good she can tell how the dice hit the table. As they're heading off, the same thugs come after Toma, who once again can't draw his sword. Ichi, once more, saves Toma. The local Yakuza, led by a guy named Shirakawa, finds all the slain thugs and immediately believe Toma did it. Ichi doesn't take the credit and goes off with a local boy (Kotaru) who puts her up in his home. Toma is, meanwhile, taken to the yakuza's casino and hailed as a hero, and hired as a bodyguard. Something Toma is, understandably, uncomfortable with. He grows even more uncomfortable when Ichi shows up to sing and play her... Yameshi, I think, for the men. Toma talks to Ichi about it after her performance, but she kind of brushes him off before Kotaru arrives to lead her home.
Kotaru reveals his father has heard of a blind swordsman who is with a troupe of actors that the yakuza are hiring for a festival they're throwing for the magistrate. Ichi agrees to stay until she meets this blind swordsman. We cut to a cavern, where a whore is being taken to see Binta. His right-hand man tells her to keep a blindfold on, which she regards as kinky but agrees to. Unfortunately during her "business", the blindfold falls off and she gets a look at Binta's Two-Face impression. She screams, and Binta promptly kills her.
Elsewhere, events progress. Shirakawa calls a magistrate to come and ask for assistance dealing with Banki's gang, believing that with Toma on their side, they can win. After a talk with Shirakawa's sick father, who does not believe they can beat Banki and essentially asks Toma to keep him safe, Toma heads off to find Ichi at a local fishing pond. They talk a little about their pasts, until Toma gets angry with Ichi because she refuses to stay and help fight. Ichi says she cannot see if a man is good or not, there is no difference to her. Toma, angrily, asks Ichi to fight him with a stick. Surprisingly, he beats her, and reveals that no one can beat him with a wooden sword. Unfortunately, he can't use a real one because when he was a boy, during training he accidentally injured his mother and rendered her blind. From that point on he could not draw a real sword. His mother never stopped believing in him though, or in fighting to live her life to her fullest despite her injury, until she died when he was 15. Ichi replies that from the moment she was cast out of her troupe, she has been dead, and leaves. Toma, left alone, trains furiously with a stick in the hopes of being able to face Banki's gang.
The next day, the town has a big festival for the magistrate, who arrives in style. During the festival, Ichi finds out that the "blind swordsman" just uses an already cut vase and a little sleight of hand for his tricks. Disappointed, she prepares to leave but not before Toma asks if she's leaving. She nods.
Anyway, during the festival, Banki's gang attacks. They kill Shirakawa's father, and Toma is still unable to draw his sword. The magistrate is intimidated into returning home to report that there is no trouble in the town, and he runs for his life. Just before Toma is about to be killed, Ichi returns, claiming that she killed the members of Binta's gang. She proves it by handily dispatching eight of Binta's men... Then surrendering. Apparently Binta's right-hand man has seen how she fights and knows of another blind swordsman. So, for the chance of finding her father and to keep Toma from being killed, Ichi goes with the bandits.
They meet Binta back at his lair, and he wants to see her fight. Ichi easily slices and dices two of Binta's thugs, but Binta himself fights, and kicks her ass without too much effort. He then tells her he knows of the blind swordsman she seeks, but he died of a disease. Which disappoints Binta, because he really wanted to kill him. Why isn't revealed...
Anyway, Ichi is tossed into a cell in their layer and left like that. She endures Binta talking about how he and she are alike-Both outcasts of society. He knows this about her because she's a goze operating alone, which only happens when she's known a man. Ichi is silent, and Binta decides she's his now, and leaves to wait for her to be more cooperative. We get a flashback that summarizes Ichi's life, how she was raised by the Goze, how the blind swordsman came and taught her, how she was raped and kicked out by her troupe, and when she asked the man who raped her to tell her troupe nothing happened, he tried to rape her again and she killed him. She then loses her bell and it falls into the darkness. Um... Sucks?
Back at the town, Toma is getting his ass beaten by the yakuza, as he was kind of their go-to guy and he failed. Kotaru tries to get his father to intervene, but he's really not inclined to get between gangsters and their revenge. Shirakawa, upset about his father dying, nevertheless gets them to stop and tells Toma that they need every man to fight Binta, and he had better not freeze up again. Toma agrees, but there's something he needs to do first.
Back at Ichi's cell, she thinks about her time with Toma. We get a nice bit of flashback, I guess, and Ichi reaches her hand up. Toma is suddenly there and takes her hand, and carries her out of the caverns. When the thugs try to stop him, a trap set by Kotaru's dad (pouring flammable oil in front of the cave and setting it on fire) stops them. Binta and Toma have a bit of a staredown, with Binta claiming Ichi as his own, and Toma... Kind of glaring at him before running off.
Ichi wakes up in Kotaru's home. She sits up, but Toma comes in and tells her to rest. She refuses though, and admits she feels "nothing", because her quest has been in vain. She couldn't find her father, he's dead. Toma hugs her and comforts her as best he can, before leaving to help with the Town's defense.
The Shirakawa Yakuza are outnumbered two to one, and Shirakawa, in a rather badass moment, tells everyone to "Kill at least two before you fall!" Toma arrives, and Shirakawa reminds him to not freeze up this time. Binta arrives with his gang, and they stare eachother down. Despite only having one arm usable (his other injured in the previous attack), Shirakawa draws his sword with his fucking teeth, and prepares to lead his men into battle. His guys draw their swords, Binta's guys draw their swords, and they charge at eachother. Just as they're about to clash-
Back to Ichi. Who Kotaru checks up on. Ichi notices Kotaru seems upset, and asks what's happened.
Back to the action! Yeah, Shirakawa is fucking awesome, slicing through guys right and left with his blade, his guys getting killed, Binta's thugs getting sliced and diced, it's all great action.
Where's Toma? He's... Struggling valiantly to draw his sword. Yeeeahhh... Eventually he finds a corner to hide in.
Anyway, Binta's righthand man (who killed Shirakawa's father) confronts Shirakawa. It's a short but nicely done fight scene, but Shirakawa is disarmed. Binta's righthand man moves in for the kill, but Shirakawa manages to kill him... By pulling a tanto out of his sling and stabbing Binta's RHM right through the stomach. Fuck yeah! Why isn't this guy the hero?
Short scene with Ichi running as fast as she can with Kotaru guiding her, and then we're back in the town. The street is littered with dead on both sides. Binta sits on his horse calmly, with his remaining men, while Shirakawa is at the other end of the street with what's left of his men. There's no sign of Toma. Shirakawa says he guesses he'll have to fight him, and gets up to do so. Damn straight, Shirakawa, show this Two-Face wannabe what for and-!
Oh. Here's Toma. Nevermind.
Toma goes to confront Binta. Binta gets off his horse and meets him half-way, again claiming Ichi is his. Toma retorts that Ichi is precious to him and he won't let Binta have her. Remembering his mother and Ichi, Toma is finally... Slowly... Dramatically... Okay, c'mon... Yes! Able to draw his sword! The fight begins!
So they fight... For two minutes... I timed it, BTW... And Toma strikes a serious blow to Binta, which is rendered nicely with CGI blood from a wound on his stomach. Toma falls back with a smile... And then falls to the ground, showing he's been mortally wounded. Ichi arrives just in time to cradle Toma in her arms. He asks if Binta is dead. As Binta struggles to rise, Ichi tearfully says he is. Toma, at peace, asks Ichi to keep living, and never stop, which she says she will as her tears drop onto his face. It's admittedly a nicely done scene, I almost had tears in my eyes. Though the editing made it a little confusing as to which direction they were facing-Towards Binta's side or Shirakawa's?
Anyway, Binta gets up, wounded but not dead. Ichi gets up, and takes her sword. Binta claims he can't be defeated and she is his, again. Ichi's retort is a bit more convincing, and she slices clean through his face. His mask falls away as he falls dead and we see... Eeugh. Okay, he's not quite Two-Face... More like Quarter-Face. Above the Nose. Anyway, he's dead, and his remaining bandits run away.
The next scene we have Shirakawa walking down the street, watching his town be rebuilt. He then hears Ichi's singing, and he looks as the wind blows. Farewell, Shirakawa, you were awesome.
We find Ichi and Kotaru at Toma's grave on a hill. Ichi plays a song he liked when she showed up at the casino, and then takes his swords to place on his mother's grave in his hometown. Ichi bids farewell to Kotaru, but not before handing him a bell, just as her father did for her. Kotaru shouts he'll see her again, and she smiles, just a little, as the screen goes black and the credits roll.
MY OPINION
I've seen only one Zatoichi movie before, the 2003 version. It's a series of 27 films, all about a blind samurai badass. Most movies follow a simple formula: Bandits and/or yakuza are terrorizing a town, Zatoichi kicks their asses. Must have been doing something right, as Ichi is supposed to be the 28th film in the series-Only Ichi is Zatoichi's daughter. That out of the way...
This movie was beautifully shot, with great shots of landscapes and the snow, though the camera wobbled in a few places I didn't think it needed to. Photography on the actors and the scenes was also well handled for the most part, though nothing really daring. The actions scenes, while slightly repetitive, were fast and very well done, and the costuming and props looked realistic and functional.
The actors? Haruka Ayase came off as a bit cold in some places, but never blank. There is always something going on beneath her serene veneer, and she has enough screen presence to keep my eyes from wandering. She also fights believably, and sold us on the fact she was blind. She came off as a bit too cold at times, honestly, but overall I loved what she did with the character.
Shido Nakamura, Binta, was a decent villain. A bit over the top and a bit shallow. His scene with Ichi in the cell was probably his best-You get a sense of more than a leering villain here, as a man with a tragic story of his own. But it isn't very deeply delved into, when it could have added a lot to the film.
Y?suke Kubozuka, Shirakawa, starts off a bit flat and maybe even a little petulant, but by the end became my favorite character. Fiery, take charge and badass, I was rooting for him strongly the moment his father died. It was a nice transition, actually-Before, he was the child, and now, taking charge, he shows how awesome he can be. I definitely want to see more of his work.
Takao Osawa, Toma. Despite my jokes, the character wasn't horrible. You believed him to be a man in over his head, who was frustrated with his inability to move past his trauma. But some scenes, he just seemed like he was a man in the wrong clothing, as it were. It wasn't hard to believe that he was a bit neurotic and tortured, but his transition to fight Binta seemed... I dunno, a little forced. Some might say he was pushed to his limit, but seeing all the dead around him and how he only, only is able to draw his blade to fight Binta himself seemed a bit hackneyed.
The supporting characters were just kind of there. Nothing makes the bandits or the townspeople stand out, aside from Kotaru. He provides some nice comic relief, but otherwise just moves the plot along.
The editing is very flashback heavy, and doesn't do anything really different. It's not bad, but it just seems like a lot of this should've been told in the present to let us feel what these events did to the characters. I don't hate flashbacks, mind you, I just think they aren't always needed. And this film didn't need as many.
Overall, I'd have to say it was a nice film to watch. The pacing was good, only one or two spots that seemed to linger a little too long, but that's it. Compared to earlier Zatoichi films it probably doesn't hold up, but on it's own, it's definitely worth a look.
*** Three Stars.
Now, if I don't review something every few weeks, feel free to bug the hell out of me until I do. I am trying to broaden my horizons.
So, first up:
ICHI (2008)
Haruka Ayase, Shido Nakamura, Y?suke Kubozuka, and Takao Osawa
THE STORY
Ichi, a blind Japanese girl, is thrown out of her goze (blind musicians) troupe when she is raped by a man. She now wanders, attempting to locate her blind swordsman father. Ichi is far from defenseless, as the handsy husband of a woman who lets Ichi spend the night finds out-Her father instructed her in the use of a cane sword, and she is capable of dispatching most foes with a single backhand strike. She also has a bell that her father gave to her that she keeps very closely. She meets Toma Fujihira, a down on his luck samurai who is on a "pilgrimage"-That is, he left after his father chose his best student as heir instead of him. More on his backstory later.
Toma meets Ichi when he comes to the aid of a blind whore that Ichi was staying with, who is being attacked by three thugs. Toma tries to bribe them with a ten ryo note, but the thugs don't take it. They prepare to kill Toma, who cannot draw his sword. His hand shakes whenever he tries, so it's up to Ichi to kick their asses. Once done, she heads off, and Toma follows, as his ten ryo note was sliced in half by Ichi.
She comes to a town called Bito, where a local bandit gang is oppressing the townspeople. The gang is led by a swordsman called Banki, who used to be a fencing instructor for a shogun before half his face was burned and horribly disfigured. Like Two-Face this previous paragon of virtue and order was turned twisted and evil and now terrorizes the town. That'll be kind of important later.
Anyway, a group of the gangmembers are gambling at a local establishment, and Ichi (as per standard Zatoichi movies) helps Toma's gambling to pay back the ten ryo, as her hearing is so good she can tell how the dice hit the table. As they're heading off, the same thugs come after Toma, who once again can't draw his sword. Ichi, once more, saves Toma. The local Yakuza, led by a guy named Shirakawa, finds all the slain thugs and immediately believe Toma did it. Ichi doesn't take the credit and goes off with a local boy (Kotaru) who puts her up in his home. Toma is, meanwhile, taken to the yakuza's casino and hailed as a hero, and hired as a bodyguard. Something Toma is, understandably, uncomfortable with. He grows even more uncomfortable when Ichi shows up to sing and play her... Yameshi, I think, for the men. Toma talks to Ichi about it after her performance, but she kind of brushes him off before Kotaru arrives to lead her home.
Kotaru reveals his father has heard of a blind swordsman who is with a troupe of actors that the yakuza are hiring for a festival they're throwing for the magistrate. Ichi agrees to stay until she meets this blind swordsman. We cut to a cavern, where a whore is being taken to see Binta. His right-hand man tells her to keep a blindfold on, which she regards as kinky but agrees to. Unfortunately during her "business", the blindfold falls off and she gets a look at Binta's Two-Face impression. She screams, and Binta promptly kills her.
Elsewhere, events progress. Shirakawa calls a magistrate to come and ask for assistance dealing with Banki's gang, believing that with Toma on their side, they can win. After a talk with Shirakawa's sick father, who does not believe they can beat Banki and essentially asks Toma to keep him safe, Toma heads off to find Ichi at a local fishing pond. They talk a little about their pasts, until Toma gets angry with Ichi because she refuses to stay and help fight. Ichi says she cannot see if a man is good or not, there is no difference to her. Toma, angrily, asks Ichi to fight him with a stick. Surprisingly, he beats her, and reveals that no one can beat him with a wooden sword. Unfortunately, he can't use a real one because when he was a boy, during training he accidentally injured his mother and rendered her blind. From that point on he could not draw a real sword. His mother never stopped believing in him though, or in fighting to live her life to her fullest despite her injury, until she died when he was 15. Ichi replies that from the moment she was cast out of her troupe, she has been dead, and leaves. Toma, left alone, trains furiously with a stick in the hopes of being able to face Banki's gang.
The next day, the town has a big festival for the magistrate, who arrives in style. During the festival, Ichi finds out that the "blind swordsman" just uses an already cut vase and a little sleight of hand for his tricks. Disappointed, she prepares to leave but not before Toma asks if she's leaving. She nods.
Anyway, during the festival, Banki's gang attacks. They kill Shirakawa's father, and Toma is still unable to draw his sword. The magistrate is intimidated into returning home to report that there is no trouble in the town, and he runs for his life. Just before Toma is about to be killed, Ichi returns, claiming that she killed the members of Binta's gang. She proves it by handily dispatching eight of Binta's men... Then surrendering. Apparently Binta's right-hand man has seen how she fights and knows of another blind swordsman. So, for the chance of finding her father and to keep Toma from being killed, Ichi goes with the bandits.
They meet Binta back at his lair, and he wants to see her fight. Ichi easily slices and dices two of Binta's thugs, but Binta himself fights, and kicks her ass without too much effort. He then tells her he knows of the blind swordsman she seeks, but he died of a disease. Which disappoints Binta, because he really wanted to kill him. Why isn't revealed...
Anyway, Ichi is tossed into a cell in their layer and left like that. She endures Binta talking about how he and she are alike-Both outcasts of society. He knows this about her because she's a goze operating alone, which only happens when she's known a man. Ichi is silent, and Binta decides she's his now, and leaves to wait for her to be more cooperative. We get a flashback that summarizes Ichi's life, how she was raised by the Goze, how the blind swordsman came and taught her, how she was raped and kicked out by her troupe, and when she asked the man who raped her to tell her troupe nothing happened, he tried to rape her again and she killed him. She then loses her bell and it falls into the darkness. Um... Sucks?
Back at the town, Toma is getting his ass beaten by the yakuza, as he was kind of their go-to guy and he failed. Kotaru tries to get his father to intervene, but he's really not inclined to get between gangsters and their revenge. Shirakawa, upset about his father dying, nevertheless gets them to stop and tells Toma that they need every man to fight Binta, and he had better not freeze up again. Toma agrees, but there's something he needs to do first.
Back at Ichi's cell, she thinks about her time with Toma. We get a nice bit of flashback, I guess, and Ichi reaches her hand up. Toma is suddenly there and takes her hand, and carries her out of the caverns. When the thugs try to stop him, a trap set by Kotaru's dad (pouring flammable oil in front of the cave and setting it on fire) stops them. Binta and Toma have a bit of a staredown, with Binta claiming Ichi as his own, and Toma... Kind of glaring at him before running off.
Ichi wakes up in Kotaru's home. She sits up, but Toma comes in and tells her to rest. She refuses though, and admits she feels "nothing", because her quest has been in vain. She couldn't find her father, he's dead. Toma hugs her and comforts her as best he can, before leaving to help with the Town's defense.
The Shirakawa Yakuza are outnumbered two to one, and Shirakawa, in a rather badass moment, tells everyone to "Kill at least two before you fall!" Toma arrives, and Shirakawa reminds him to not freeze up this time. Binta arrives with his gang, and they stare eachother down. Despite only having one arm usable (his other injured in the previous attack), Shirakawa draws his sword with his fucking teeth, and prepares to lead his men into battle. His guys draw their swords, Binta's guys draw their swords, and they charge at eachother. Just as they're about to clash-
Back to Ichi. Who Kotaru checks up on. Ichi notices Kotaru seems upset, and asks what's happened.
Back to the action! Yeah, Shirakawa is fucking awesome, slicing through guys right and left with his blade, his guys getting killed, Binta's thugs getting sliced and diced, it's all great action.
Where's Toma? He's... Struggling valiantly to draw his sword. Yeeeahhh... Eventually he finds a corner to hide in.
Anyway, Binta's righthand man (who killed Shirakawa's father) confronts Shirakawa. It's a short but nicely done fight scene, but Shirakawa is disarmed. Binta's righthand man moves in for the kill, but Shirakawa manages to kill him... By pulling a tanto out of his sling and stabbing Binta's RHM right through the stomach. Fuck yeah! Why isn't this guy the hero?
Short scene with Ichi running as fast as she can with Kotaru guiding her, and then we're back in the town. The street is littered with dead on both sides. Binta sits on his horse calmly, with his remaining men, while Shirakawa is at the other end of the street with what's left of his men. There's no sign of Toma. Shirakawa says he guesses he'll have to fight him, and gets up to do so. Damn straight, Shirakawa, show this Two-Face wannabe what for and-!
Oh. Here's Toma. Nevermind.
Toma goes to confront Binta. Binta gets off his horse and meets him half-way, again claiming Ichi is his. Toma retorts that Ichi is precious to him and he won't let Binta have her. Remembering his mother and Ichi, Toma is finally... Slowly... Dramatically... Okay, c'mon... Yes! Able to draw his sword! The fight begins!
So they fight... For two minutes... I timed it, BTW... And Toma strikes a serious blow to Binta, which is rendered nicely with CGI blood from a wound on his stomach. Toma falls back with a smile... And then falls to the ground, showing he's been mortally wounded. Ichi arrives just in time to cradle Toma in her arms. He asks if Binta is dead. As Binta struggles to rise, Ichi tearfully says he is. Toma, at peace, asks Ichi to keep living, and never stop, which she says she will as her tears drop onto his face. It's admittedly a nicely done scene, I almost had tears in my eyes. Though the editing made it a little confusing as to which direction they were facing-Towards Binta's side or Shirakawa's?
Anyway, Binta gets up, wounded but not dead. Ichi gets up, and takes her sword. Binta claims he can't be defeated and she is his, again. Ichi's retort is a bit more convincing, and she slices clean through his face. His mask falls away as he falls dead and we see... Eeugh. Okay, he's not quite Two-Face... More like Quarter-Face. Above the Nose. Anyway, he's dead, and his remaining bandits run away.
The next scene we have Shirakawa walking down the street, watching his town be rebuilt. He then hears Ichi's singing, and he looks as the wind blows. Farewell, Shirakawa, you were awesome.
We find Ichi and Kotaru at Toma's grave on a hill. Ichi plays a song he liked when she showed up at the casino, and then takes his swords to place on his mother's grave in his hometown. Ichi bids farewell to Kotaru, but not before handing him a bell, just as her father did for her. Kotaru shouts he'll see her again, and she smiles, just a little, as the screen goes black and the credits roll.
MY OPINION
I've seen only one Zatoichi movie before, the 2003 version. It's a series of 27 films, all about a blind samurai badass. Most movies follow a simple formula: Bandits and/or yakuza are terrorizing a town, Zatoichi kicks their asses. Must have been doing something right, as Ichi is supposed to be the 28th film in the series-Only Ichi is Zatoichi's daughter. That out of the way...
This movie was beautifully shot, with great shots of landscapes and the snow, though the camera wobbled in a few places I didn't think it needed to. Photography on the actors and the scenes was also well handled for the most part, though nothing really daring. The actions scenes, while slightly repetitive, were fast and very well done, and the costuming and props looked realistic and functional.
The actors? Haruka Ayase came off as a bit cold in some places, but never blank. There is always something going on beneath her serene veneer, and she has enough screen presence to keep my eyes from wandering. She also fights believably, and sold us on the fact she was blind. She came off as a bit too cold at times, honestly, but overall I loved what she did with the character.
Shido Nakamura, Binta, was a decent villain. A bit over the top and a bit shallow. His scene with Ichi in the cell was probably his best-You get a sense of more than a leering villain here, as a man with a tragic story of his own. But it isn't very deeply delved into, when it could have added a lot to the film.
Y?suke Kubozuka, Shirakawa, starts off a bit flat and maybe even a little petulant, but by the end became my favorite character. Fiery, take charge and badass, I was rooting for him strongly the moment his father died. It was a nice transition, actually-Before, he was the child, and now, taking charge, he shows how awesome he can be. I definitely want to see more of his work.
Takao Osawa, Toma. Despite my jokes, the character wasn't horrible. You believed him to be a man in over his head, who was frustrated with his inability to move past his trauma. But some scenes, he just seemed like he was a man in the wrong clothing, as it were. It wasn't hard to believe that he was a bit neurotic and tortured, but his transition to fight Binta seemed... I dunno, a little forced. Some might say he was pushed to his limit, but seeing all the dead around him and how he only, only is able to draw his blade to fight Binta himself seemed a bit hackneyed.
The supporting characters were just kind of there. Nothing makes the bandits or the townspeople stand out, aside from Kotaru. He provides some nice comic relief, but otherwise just moves the plot along.
The editing is very flashback heavy, and doesn't do anything really different. It's not bad, but it just seems like a lot of this should've been told in the present to let us feel what these events did to the characters. I don't hate flashbacks, mind you, I just think they aren't always needed. And this film didn't need as many.
Overall, I'd have to say it was a nice film to watch. The pacing was good, only one or two spots that seemed to linger a little too long, but that's it. Compared to earlier Zatoichi films it probably doesn't hold up, but on it's own, it's definitely worth a look.
*** Three Stars.