Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Too much of everything

Sadly Over-hyped

Must See Movie...

The story nicely entwines two main plots that are unraveling in Munezo's life together. The the plot shift is also nice to see; opens with the honor plot then focus on the love plot and then focus to the honor plot and closes with the love plot. Yet I think that the side plot of the western modernization on the clan's military doesn't really have any significant thing and looks only as a waste of duration time. The character building is very nice, especially on Munezo and Kie, and even also on Hanzama. I like the acting overall, which is a good work for me. Masatoshi Nagase played the movie's focus character very well, encompassing all the needed emotions just enough to keep the samurai pride in them. Takako Matsu also played well enough as the servant. This movie is quite entertaining although I think the duration can be shortened a little bit to excluding all those unimportant parts.

Fabulous movie with a great storyline.The main protagonist's character is very well-developed in the movie as it moves on. I expected to use this movie to help me sleep, and was I wrong big time.I was engrossed fully throughout the movie, and the ending regarding the hidden blade was splendid, I did not expect it at all.It's not an all action movie, it's more drama, but it was like watching through a window looking in to the life of a samurai and those around him, as they lived in their own time.Beautiful work of art ...

An understated Japanese historical drama that explores themes of honour, respect, the inevitably of death and the social caste system in the 19th century. THE HIDDEN BLADE, despite the title, is in no way an action film; there's a single swordfight at the climax (and very good it is too) but until that point this is a human drama through and through.The movie is beautifully shot and extremely artistic. Whole scenes and single frames are captured with precision and skill. The characters are subdued and subtle and yet bring life to the screen; the actors are to be commended for giving such precise performances, particularly in the case of Masatoshi Nagase. There's romance here, and plenty of intensity despite the sedate pacing. THE HIDDEN BLADE makes a perfect companion to the similarly-themed TWILIGHT SAMURAI and deserves just as much commendation.

This film is easily one of the best samurai films to emerge since Kurosawa's 'Ran' in 85. The thin color palette, graceful use of mise-en-scene, dense landscapes (the winter ones are especial beautiful) are resonate in the tone of 60-70s samurai masters like Okamoto. But the story, though traditional, resonates with more modern concerns. It's more a reflection on the past to try to understand the present. The beginning presents the main character as a lower class samurai struggling to adapt to the changing landscapes of Japan. Trying to read English and Dutch and failing to learn how to use firearms and other Western military devices and tactics. It's an intense samurai film in the style of Japanese classics, but dense with application to the modern world struggles. An alternative view of the samurai film that's worth a couple of hours.