My review was written in October 1992 after watching the movie on MCA/Universal video cassette.
An enjoyable throwback to Saturday matinee movie fare, "Journey of Honor" (a/k/a "Shogun Mayeda") is a pleasant diversion that recently played regionally almost simultaneously with video release.
Brainchild of martial arts star Sho Kosugi, film cleverly mixes various genes of swashbucklers into an entertaining package as Kosugi gets to indulge in sword fights on palace stairs reminiscent of vintage Errol Flynn/Basil Rathbone screen encounters.
Kosugi casts himself as chief warrior from an eastern kingdom lord (guest star Toshiro Mifune). He helps win a year 1600 battle conquering Japan's western kingdom and is sent by Mifune to Spain in search of firearms.
On the trip is the lord's son (played by Sho's real-life son Kane Kosugi). Treachery's afoot as the Japanese heroes must contend with a self-serving Portuguese missionary (Norman Lloyd), a quick-tempered Spanish aristocrat (David Essex) and an Arab pirate (John Rhys-Davies).
Derring-do is excitingly staged on Yugoslavian and Japanese locations by vet Yank director Gordon Hessler. Essex (star of the original London stage edition of "Evita") is a terrific dashing vilain and both Kosugis are bona fide action heroes.
The film, shot in 1990, introduces British actress Polly Walker, a very appealing blonde heroine, later to score (with different hair tints) in "Patriot Games" and "Enchanted April". Ronald Pickup as her sea captain dad and Christoepher Lee as King Philip of Spain are solid in support.
Like "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery", "Journey of Honor" is very old-fashioned, but it delivers the panache and romance missing from the much more expensive Salkind epic.
An enjoyable throwback to Saturday matinee movie fare, "Journey of Honor" (a/k/a "Shogun Mayeda") is a pleasant diversion that recently played regionally almost simultaneously with video release.
Brainchild of martial arts star Sho Kosugi, film cleverly mixes various genes of swashbucklers into an entertaining package as Kosugi gets to indulge in sword fights on palace stairs reminiscent of vintage Errol Flynn/Basil Rathbone screen encounters.
Kosugi casts himself as chief warrior from an eastern kingdom lord (guest star Toshiro Mifune). He helps win a year 1600 battle conquering Japan's western kingdom and is sent by Mifune to Spain in search of firearms.
On the trip is the lord's son (played by Sho's real-life son Kane Kosugi). Treachery's afoot as the Japanese heroes must contend with a self-serving Portuguese missionary (Norman Lloyd), a quick-tempered Spanish aristocrat (David Essex) and an Arab pirate (John Rhys-Davies).
Derring-do is excitingly staged on Yugoslavian and Japanese locations by vet Yank director Gordon Hessler. Essex (star of the original London stage edition of "Evita") is a terrific dashing vilain and both Kosugis are bona fide action heroes.
The film, shot in 1990, introduces British actress Polly Walker, a very appealing blonde heroine, later to score (with different hair tints) in "Patriot Games" and "Enchanted April". Ronald Pickup as her sea captain dad and Christoepher Lee as King Philip of Spain are solid in support.
Like "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery", "Journey of Honor" is very old-fashioned, but it delivers the panache and romance missing from the much more expensive Salkind epic.