Horror's Kiyoshi Kurosawa Pivots To Power Plays In The Absorbing 'the Samurai And The Prisoner'

Frequently successful Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “The Samurai and nan Prisoner,” characters insist that nan film’s main setting, a subject compound known arsenic Arioka Castle, is impenetrable. It’s surely beautiful: Lovingly production-designed by Tetsuo Harada, it’s a feast of rich | wood and gorgeous earthy light, an earthly paradise nestled successful nan mountains of Japan successful nan precocious 16th century, its beardown walls seemingly impervious to invaders.

But nan longer we walk clip astatine Arioka, nan much that paradise starts resembling a prison. The dangers are mounting extracurricular and distrust simmers within.

Based connected Honobu Yonezawa’s 2021 caller and already a smash successful Japan, nan movie centers connected feudal conflicts and nan ever-present threat of war. But structurally, “The Samurai and nan Prisoner” revolves astir a bid of mysteries that unfold, 1 aft another, complete nan people of astir a year. Recently turned 71, Kurosawa is renowned for scary classics for illustration 1997’s “Cure” and 2001’s “Pulse.” Yet nan writer-director has worked successful different genres and his latest finds him trying his manus astatine a whodunit wrong nan trappings of a humanities drama. In nan process, he’s made a warfare movie pinch almost nary conflict scenes and a characteristic study successful which audiences whitethorn not cognize really they consciousness astir nan protagonist by nan end. “The Samurai and nan Prisoner” contains nary scares but is suitably haunted.

Masahiro Motoki plays Murashige, a real-life warrior of nan era whose clan collapsed pinch nan hawkish Oda (Bando Shingo), seeking refuge successful Arioka Castle. Although surrounded by Oda’s soldiers conscionable beyond Arioka’s walls, Murashige’s men guarantee him not to worry. But he is visited by Kanbei (Masaki Suda), an envoy from a different clan, who tells him that much and much factions are siding pinch Oda, pronunciation definite punishment for Murashige. In response, nan leader of Arioka orders Kanbei beryllium thrown successful nan castle’s impeccably dingy dungeon. It’s a stinging insult: By nan samurai code, Kanbei should beryllium killed, not imprisoned — Murashige couldn’t person landed a much devastating slap than by letting him live.

Soon, however, personification other ends up dormant wrong Arioka, prompting Murashige to motorboat an investigation into nan murder. Told successful 4 chapters, each 1 corresponding to a abstracted play and a unusual happening, “The Samurai and nan Prisoner” seldom leaves nan castle grounds arsenic Murashige progressively turns to Kanbei arsenic an improbable (and not wholly willing) advisor.

Although nan movie is simply a somber introspection of violence, it tin besides beryllium dryly funny successful its depiction of what Murashige must endure. The little said astir each section nan better, but 1 involves a comic hunt for anyone who mightiness ain a front and arrow, while different concerns nan unexpected trouble of figuring retired which decapitated caput belongs to an enemy. The occasional beard conflict notwithstanding, “The Samurai and nan Prisoner” is much comfortable pinch terse speech exchanges arsenic warfare wages offscreen and bizarre crimes lead Arioka’s inhabitants to fishy location mightiness beryllium a traitor successful their ranks.

Throughout, Kurosawa emphasizes nan castle’s awesome interiors, enhancing nan consciousness that Murashige’s men are trapped, nan top enigma being erstwhile Oda’s forces will yet breach Arioka’s defenses.

Motoki portrays Murashige arsenic curiously recessive — personification who has laid discarded to myriad foes and has now mislaid his sensation for bloodshed. That evolving cognition is reflected successful his determination to spare Kanbei’s life, though nan alteration of bosom worries his troops, who judge he will beryllium perceived arsenic anemic successful Oda’s eyes. Those closest to Murashige person trouble reference him: “For nan life of me, I cannot spot into your heart,” his loyal woman Chiyoho (Yuriko Yoshitaka) confesses early on. In a infinitesimal of specified awesome uncertainty, Kanbei becomes nan 1 personification Murashige tin trust, though his counsel mightiness incorporate a hidden agenda.

Those who adore Kurosawa’s unsettling earlier films whitethorn beryllium thrown disconnected by his caller movie’s comparatively muted approach. And to beryllium sure, “The Samurai and nan Prisoner” tin beryllium a spot languid arsenic its stretches to astir two-and-a-half hours. But nan movie connects to his oeuvre successful its nickname of humanity’s limitations — specifically, our wont of destroying ourselves and others. Its detached, dispassionate attack vaguely recalls nan activity of different Kurosawa: Akira, who turned 75 soon earlier releasing his late-career stunner “Ran.” That 1985 movie was suffused pinch staggering conflict scenes, but it shares pinch “The Samurai and nan Prisoner” not conscionable a feudal-Japan mounting but besides an older man’s dim position of our species’ vain stabs astatine glory done conquest.

At its thought-provoking finale, “The Samurai and nan Prisoner” holds retired a sliver of dream for nan quality title and it’s telling that it coincides pinch Murashige stepping ft extracurricular nan castle, his early arsenic wide unfastened arsenic nan sun-draped fields astir him.