None of the comments thus far did this movie justice. So here is my attempt to make amens for the discrepancy.
It is entertaining for most of it. The editing is weak, the martial arts even weaker, but there are some saving qualities about this movie which should be mentioned. I will finish this comment by ripping a new one for the director, Toru Ichikawa.
Best to worst: NOTE: neither NETFLIX nor IMDb.com list the actors next to their characters names so I can only refer to the actor by the character they portrayed.
MASTER: first off the actor who played "Master" was perfect. He is utterly convincing both in his relation to Yui (the lead character) and in his sword play. He shines in the last scene.
NIKIMOTO: he played the part of a young yakuza who falls for Yui and he never once left that role. Solid acting.
FEMALE Chinese YOJIMBO OF KURASAWA KAI BOSS: she was wonderful and utterly convincing as a martial artist of the sword. Totally miscast - she should have played Yui.
KURASAWA KAI BOSS: also believable as a not too evil not too nice leader of a clan.
YUI: pale, stilted, no skill of any kind, no strength, no muscles, no acting ability - cast for the lead role. Totally miscast - she should not have been in this movie - or any movie that requires lifting of anything heavier than a credit card.
TORU ICHIKAWA: Finally the director, for whom if I am ever walking down the street in Japan and happen to see him walking toward me I would run up to him and ask: "Aren't you the director of: 'The Legend of the Red Dragon'??" To which he would reply: 'Hai!' (that's 'yes' in Japanese) and then I would ... kick him in the nuts, Then, as he was struggling to get up, coughing, trying to breath, I would say: "gomenasai sumimasen!" ("excuse me, I'm sorry!") and then ... KICK HIM IN THE NUTS AGAIN! "Why dog?" you may well ask. B/c at the very end of this mildly entertaining movie - a movie I considered giving a 4* rating to - at the single most important scene in this not too bad of a movie; at the defining moment to make or break this movie; at THE CLIMACTIC FINALE - he shoots the entire movie into the trash! (*sigh* I think I would kick him in the nuts each time he tried to get up - 'cause that's what he did to this movie and everyone who made it, worked on it, and saw it.) OK, OK. (breathing) I wouldn't do that at all. But holy mackerel. I have never seen a movie so utterly destroyed by one scene, by the final scene, nor by one person, and especially not the director.
It is entertaining for most of it. The editing is weak, the martial arts even weaker, but there are some saving qualities about this movie which should be mentioned. I will finish this comment by ripping a new one for the director, Toru Ichikawa.
Best to worst: NOTE: neither NETFLIX nor IMDb.com list the actors next to their characters names so I can only refer to the actor by the character they portrayed.
MASTER: first off the actor who played "Master" was perfect. He is utterly convincing both in his relation to Yui (the lead character) and in his sword play. He shines in the last scene.
NIKIMOTO: he played the part of a young yakuza who falls for Yui and he never once left that role. Solid acting.
FEMALE Chinese YOJIMBO OF KURASAWA KAI BOSS: she was wonderful and utterly convincing as a martial artist of the sword. Totally miscast - she should have played Yui.
KURASAWA KAI BOSS: also believable as a not too evil not too nice leader of a clan.
YUI: pale, stilted, no skill of any kind, no strength, no muscles, no acting ability - cast for the lead role. Totally miscast - she should not have been in this movie - or any movie that requires lifting of anything heavier than a credit card.
TORU ICHIKAWA: Finally the director, for whom if I am ever walking down the street in Japan and happen to see him walking toward me I would run up to him and ask: "Aren't you the director of: 'The Legend of the Red Dragon'??" To which he would reply: 'Hai!' (that's 'yes' in Japanese) and then I would ... kick him in the nuts, Then, as he was struggling to get up, coughing, trying to breath, I would say: "gomenasai sumimasen!" ("excuse me, I'm sorry!") and then ... KICK HIM IN THE NUTS AGAIN! "Why dog?" you may well ask. B/c at the very end of this mildly entertaining movie - a movie I considered giving a 4* rating to - at the single most important scene in this not too bad of a movie; at the defining moment to make or break this movie; at THE CLIMACTIC FINALE - he shoots the entire movie into the trash! (*sigh* I think I would kick him in the nuts each time he tried to get up - 'cause that's what he did to this movie and everyone who made it, worked on it, and saw it.) OK, OK. (breathing) I wouldn't do that at all. But holy mackerel. I have never seen a movie so utterly destroyed by one scene, by the final scene, nor by one person, and especially not the director.
