Film
Zatoichi
Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi is a gleefully inventive samurai film about a blind masseur and swordmaster who stumbles into a corrupt village and remakes it through violence and strange grace. It's playful and brutal by turns, mixing gore with tap-dancing and accordion music. For anyone who wants their action films to surprise them.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love swordplay built on rhythm and wit, where a blind masseur's quick mind and loose charm matter as much as the blade, and a dice game can feel as tense as a duel.
Skip it if you need tight plotting and steady stakes, since the story wanders between cheerful side jokes, tap-dancing interludes and bloody set pieces that don't always sit comfortably together.
What it asks of you: Roughly two hours of playful, colourful action with a light touch, then sudden bursts of violence; it rewards you for paying attention to the small gestures and sound cues.
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Recommended by
Lady Snowblood, The Tale of Zatoichi, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins, Iron Monkey, Black Mask, Samurai Fiction, Killers on Parade, The Rainbow Jacket, Let the Bullets Fly, A Challenge for Robin Hood