I find myself a little surprised, and taken aback. There is an unsubtle directness in the writing that's actually kind of jarring and off-putting as bare-faced dialogue and scenes advance the plot in a blunt, stilted, and almost forceful manner. Despite the presumed complexity of characters who would scheme, stand opposed in various ways, and find themselves in complicated relationships, these figures feel flat and maybe even uninspired as they present, as if they weren't fleshed out any more than the dialogue and scenes seem to be. Just as the narrative at large is impacted, I believe these sensibilities also extend to the direction of Inagaki Hiroshi - confounding, coming from the man behind such stellar, refined classics as the "Samurai trilogy" of the mid-50s. In orchestrating scenes and guiding his cast Inagaki here lacks the patient polish and finesse he has demonstrated elsewhere, and 'Samurai banners' is prone to a brusqueness that's frankly unseemly when stood next to the many esteemed jidaigeki that came from the 50s, 60s, and 70s in particular. The thoughtful, deliberate craftsmanship and storytelling is diminished if not absent, further observed in instances of cinematography, editing, gawky on-screen text and graphics, and even the acting; icon that he remains, even Mifune Toshiro seems bound and restricted by such traits.
It's hardly that this picture is bad. Yet while it was surely fashioned with the same skill and intelligence as its kin, the same level of care was plainly not applied, and the relative weaknesses and shortcomings are plainly evident. The story has potential on paper but is shortchanged in realization, and is not as strong as it might have been; the writing is sometimes altogether troubled, and the direction and acting struggle to impress. Scattered moments that are unquestionably more sure-footed (e.g., in a short scene between Princess Yu and Yamamoto a bit after the one-hour mark) only get us so far, and likewise the contributions of those operating behind the scenes. The filming locations are lovely, and the sets as well; fine attention went into the costume design, hair, and makeup. Even if it sometimes feels out of place, I greatly appreciate Sato Masaru's score in and of itself. Where stunts, effects, fight choreography, and action sequences are employed they broadly look fantastic. Be that as it may, we can get these elements elsewhere, and respectfully, they are not necessarily the most important factors in determining the success of a feature. And as those most important factors are at best variable in their quality, the subsequent effect on the viewing experience is sadly one of partial enfeeblement.
My words have intoned criticism more than praise, and that's not quite right. More than not 'Samurai banners' is well made, and enjoyable. Nevertheless, the rough edges that define its construction quash much of what weight the saga should carry, not least as the writing also commonly fails to communicate the significance of the course of events, even including battles. Moreover, I wonder if that difficulty isn't worse in the second half. Where the movie adds dramatic flourish to accentuate a beat, it feels overdone and false. We all know what great capabilities were possessed by all who participated here, and still I don't think this is an especially worthy representation of them - more like a facsimile in which the fidelity of the ideal form has been lost. Though still suitably worthwhile on its own merits, even at its best this could only earn a soft recommendation when stood next to any kindred works, and maybe even that's a tad too kind. Watch if you have the opportunity, sure, but don't go out of your way for it, and be aware that even with Inagaki and Mifune on hand, among many celebrated others, this has faults which distinctly hold it back.
