Yami no karyudo

I'm a big fan of Japanese cinema, but this is the only Hideo Gosha film I've seen so far. It was well worth the wait! Years ago I read a review of another Gosha film, "The Wolves", and the writer referred to it at least twice as "self-indulgent". As it turns out, this description can also be applied to "Hunter in the Dark". Gosha introduces multiple plot threads in rapid succession, tying them together only at his leisure. You have to be attentive and patient; the payoff comes during the (very intense) fight scenes. Flawed protagonist Tatsuya Nakadai is great as always, and Shinichi 'Sonny' Chiba shows remarkable restraint as his nemesis. Storywise, "Hunter in the Dark" is a real downer--as many martial arts films are--but it's superbly directed and acted. There's also some nudity and sex that is more or less gratuitous; I've read that sex was a vital ingredient in Gosha's movie-making formula, but it doesn't really seem to add anything to this film. 7 and 1/2 stars.