The opening scene really sets the tone for 'Shogun's shadow.' It's not that the entire length blows past jidaigeki to embrace chambara bordering on sheer exploitation, with flying body parts, wire stunts, swift and extreme violence, and a mind for spectacle verging on fantasy. What the entire length does do, however, is reflect an approach to both its storytelling and its film-making that is decidedly forthright, if not outright brusque and blunt. With irregular exceptions neither Furuhata Yasuo's direction nor the acting care much for nuance, measured care, or restraint; Kyomoto Masaki's acting as Iemitsu defies reason even for how the character is written - he's not alone - and there's nary one inclusion that isn't thrust in our face with heavy-handed emphasis. Sato Masaru's music is flavorful, but over the top, and much the same language could often be applied to the production design and art direction, costume design, hair, and makeup, lovely or altogether beautiful as they are. The stunts, fight choreography, effects, and action sequences really are outstanding and invigorating, but illustrate extravagance that well outpaces comparable fare until we start talking about the likes of 'Lone wolf and cub' or 'Lady Snowblood,' or honestly, Hollywood blockbusters.
Don't get me wrong, broadly speaking the picture is well made. The filming locations are utterly gorgeous, and the sets, costume design, hair and makeup, props, and weapons all benefit from the magnificent attention to detail that we have commonly anticipated of samurai flicks for as long as they've been made. The action is fast-paced and exciting, I can't argue with Furuhata's technical capability or keen eye as a filmmaker, and everyone in the cast very ably plays their part. The cinematography and editing are equally sharp, the image is crisp and vivid, and though the sound effects are usually quite overcooked, the audio is impeccable. Moreover, writers Nakajima Sadao and Matsuda Hiroo give us an earnestly compelling story of a mad shogun, a young heir that must be protected at all costs, an old friendship that turned sour, and the unyielding monolith of codes of honor and lordly power in feudal Japan. Rich, savory scene writing all along the way provides ample fuel for all the significant violence and proliferate, major action sequences to come while propelling the saga with a thrumming energy of varying intensity. I'd be lying if I said the film wasn't entertaining, and overall I can't argue with the skill and intelligence poured into it. Why, all seriousness aside, many odds and ends are plainly brilliant in one fashion or another.
It's just that the finer points of the writing are more troubled, and the execution has a tendency to be overbearing. Some plot development is rather straightforward and gawky, and the dialogue isn't the greatest. I can only respond to some scenes with a skeptical reaction of "okay, sure"; as a notable example, and definitely not the only one, why is it that any title that plays with adventurous airs wants scenes in snow to turn into literal playtime? The drama is so routinely amplified, even without the addition of Sato's score, that artificiality threatens to fully take over. The pacing seems too snappy for its own good, disallowing some beats, scenes, and ideas to manifest, breathe, and resolve of their own accord, or in a manner that would allow them to ideally resonate. And for as superb as so many elements of 'Shogun's shadow' are in their fundamental conception and contribution, the fashion in which they are exercised is a little too insincere, or at least comes off that way given the indulgent, highfalutin showmanship that so often dominates scenes as written and directed. As if nothing else in these two hours demonstrated such sensibilities, just wait for the (admittedly catchy) 80s rock song, replete with electric guitar and solo, that accompanies a scene in the latter half, and the power ballad to greet our ears over the end credits.
Now, maybe all such critical assessment is beside the point. The feature knows what it is, everyone who made it knows what it is, and this is a piece that is built first and foremost as a vehicle for stunts, fights, and action scenes after stunts, fights, and action scenes. That the visuals are so easy on the eyes, that the narrative is duly engaging and satisfying, and that so many aspects are so ably crafted as they are are just welcome bonuses. Once we recognize that the intent here has less to do with Kurosawa Akira, Inagaki Hiroshi, or Kobayashi Masaki and more with Ridley Scott, James Cameron, or Jerry Bruckheimer - or John Woo or Jackie Chan, if you prefer - we can just sit back and get swept away in the ride. I had a really good time watching. Perhaps my critiques say more about me, and my general disinterest in blockbusters and immoderate action flicks, than they do about 'Shogun's shadow.' I just think that if the movie had been tackled a tad more mindfully, reining in the bombast just a smidgen and shoring up the underlying drama, the whole would have enjoyed more renown, more visibility, and a stronger enduring legacy. Accentuating the point, for as terrific as the action is, where it dies down so that the storytelling can take over (not least in the last minutes), the storytelling feels quite less surefooted. All told, this is a lot of fun. But having now watched, how much will I think on it hereafter?
All I'm saying is that one should be well aware of what they're getting into. If you're looking for classic jidaigeki recalling the likes of 'Seven samurai,' Duel at Ganryu Island,' or 'Samurai rebellion,' this isn't that. If you're looking for a wild, stunt and effects-laden romp, a lark bridging the gaps between period pieces, revisionist westerns, and modern-day blockbusters, then this is absolutely the picture for you. I like it, and I'm glad I took the time to watch. I just also see how, without particularly changing its nature, 'Shogun's shadow' could have nevertheless been more meaningful, and ultimately, perhaps better.
