Yamada: Samurai of Ayothaya

YAMADA, WAY OF THE SAMURAI is another historical Thai martial arts flick along the lines of BANG RAJAN, although it's a far cry from the quality of that movie. This is a low-budget misfire that purports the tell the true story of a Japanese samurai warrior who finds himself fighting on the side of the Thais against some evil oppressors and assassins.

The story's okay but the execution isn't. For an action film, YAMADA, WAY OF THE SAMURAI is remarkably short on fight scenes. There are a few scenes of training and the like, but the action is limited to only one battle scene and the final fight. While the hard-hitting choreography is acceptable, too much of the fighting is hidden behind poor added effects; silly slow-motion to emphasis the hits early on, and rubbishy CGI sword thrusts and spraying blood later. It hardly makes for a realistic viewing experience.

The script is minimalist and the characters largely one-dimensional. Seigi Ozeki has zero screen presence as the lead and his character is largely a bore. The Thai actors fare better, but the kind of elbow-slamming action you'd expect from a Thai martial arts flick is in short supply. Instead we get a predictable story and a dull narrative lacking in genuine incident.

Just because a heroic saga is based in history doesn't mean it's going to be interesting. The narrative of a severely injured Japanese warrior being healed in body and spirit by the kind and wise residents of a Thai village is slow and tedious for a Muay Thai action flick. If you're looking for lots of soothing flutes, pastoral visuals and calm voice-overs of basic moralizing, you'll find plenty. For those less patient, there's still a big payoff. There is a smattering of one-on-one training bouts that are high on style and energy. In the latter half we are treated to two mass fight sequences replete with all the swordplay and hand combat one might hope for. The penultimate battle in daylight by a river is among the most exciting, bloody, superbly choreographed of its kind in all of Asian martial arts fare, vintage and current. My rating of 6 is a split between 4 for the excessive amount of calm setup, and 9 for the too-sparse, yet glorious, action.

This is a beautifully shot film based on the legend of Nagamasa Yamada who was a Japanese Samurai that decided to adopt Ayothaya as his country. The story is largely fictitious, as historic life of Nagamasa is not well known. Japanese actor Seigi Oozeki who moved to Thailand in 2003, and a Thai actor Buakhao Paw Pramuk who's a real life K1 boxer plays the two leads in this movie. Beautiful Thai actress Kanokkorn Jaicheun plays the role of the girl who nurses Nagamasa back to health.

The story takes place in the early 17th century. Back then, Ayuthaya region had a small but solid Japanese community consisting of about 1500 people. Many were of Samurai origin who lost their lord in Japan due to battle, and couldn't find employment in their native country. These Samurais were hired as soldiers by the Ayothaya who found Portuguese ( that also had their own town near by ) to be unreliable soldiers due to various reasons. Ayothaya at the time was being invaded by Burmese Toungoo Dynasty, and Spanish navy, so they needed soldiers. There were also trade between Ayothaya, and the Japanese, and many Japanese swords were imported into the region as hinted in this movie.

In this movie, Nagamasa Yamada ( Seigi Oozeki ) was one of the soldiers working for king of Ayothaya with his fellow Japanese. There are sect of villains that are attacking the people of Ayothaya. They are supposed to be Burmese soldiers, but upon killing them he finds out that they are Japanese disguised as Burmese. Nagamasa also finds out that his lieutenant commander is the leader of this criminal group. He gets ambushed, and nearly gets killed, but Ayothaya warriors shows up and saves his life. People of Ayothaya nurses him back to health, and Nagamasa learns the fighting skills of Ayothaya. He has a score to settle, but he's also a marked man because he's seen the face of the culprit who's spreading terror amongst the people.

The movie states that it's a commemoration of 124 years of relation between the country of Thailand, and Japan, but is also an excellent action movie. If you've seen Ong Bak 2 and 3, you know what I mean. Quality of Thai movies in recent years has skyrocketed, and this movie is of high quality that sports good acting, and beautiful production.

The English translation of this movie wasn't entirely accurate. At parts, Nagamasa is saying something that's totally different from the subtitle. So the cultural element of his love for the country may not have been conveyed properly. It's a story about one man who got accepted into the society, and found it deeply touched his person. Many people points the story's similarity with Tom Cruise's "The Last Samurai" but I didn't find this to be the case. The movie had mood all its own. First of all, Nagamasa is not troubled in any ways about his past. He never found himself to be "captured" by total strangers, and he found friendship with local people immediately.

If you like the new generation of Thai action films, this movie should appeal to you, but it's also a beautiful story of a man who's life was transformed by the culture of the country. It's a great movie with great action, and is recommended for viewing.

This movie was one very good "Ass Kicking" Roller Coast ride of Martial Arts. The Music, Choreography, Historic Period, and Costumes were all 100% Japanese and Thai. I especially enjoyed that awesome Japanese Jazz song with the very large drums that played near the beginning of the movie, but wait! The Thai fighters were serious about their work and exceptional athletes that could kick your butt from the most amazing angles. I'm looking forward to seeing more movies like this one.

As a Kung Fu fan I was totally caught off guard by this movie because I had no idea that "Thai Fighting" was so amazing and artistic.

The acting was very good for a martial arts movie and wasn't overshadowed by the "Bad Ass Martial Arts moves". Thai Martial Arts communicates a rather poetic means of kicking someone's butt and I really dig it.

I believe I'm hooked and will go on a Thai Martial Arts Binge for the next couple of years.

Meanwhile my girly wife also enjoyed the movie and appreciated the very artistic opening credits as well as the cinematic visuals that occurred throughout the whole movie.

Thanks for an "Outstanding Movie" and keeping hope alive for good martial arts flicks!

P.S. I told my wife that I wanted a sweet little girl like the one in the movie.

Based on a true historic figure? Wow, maybe only the in comic book? The screenplay and the scenario are just stupid and ridiculous, I just can't believe this is happening, man. The acting of the main characters are just terrible. A Japanese samurai with a mouth lips like a carp can speak Thai, playing flute as the movie's sound track, well, anything is possible in this comic book movie. The master monk's nonstop chewing is exactly like a chain smoker. But none the less, the whole movie was shot beautifully in Thailand countryside with exotic scenic landscape, but the village was designed and built too modern and so clean that even the inspector from the Health Dept. couldn't have find anything unhealthy or cross-contaminated. The traditional Thai warrior fighting technique in this movie is amazingly effective and aesthetically beautiful, making the so-called Chinese martial arts or Japanese karate more like child play. These Thai fighters should be signed up by the UFC or the Strike force to beat the crap out of those MMA fighters. This is a very stupid and very artificial movie. Just watch the fighting scenes, not the other parts, especially the claimed "historic" crap, but definitely 100% better than Jackie Chan's moronic "Karate Kid"