Zatôichi (2003)

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Zatôichi/Ichi	Takeshi Kitano
Hattori Genosuke	Tadanobu Asano	½
Aunt Oume	Michiyo Ookusu
Shinkichi	Gadarukanaru Taka

Review

A stylistically rich but rather long-winded and unremarkable samurai/ronin story set in 19th century rural Japan. The characterizations are good, particularly our protagoinst Zatôichi as brought to life by writer/director Takeshi Kitano. He's an attractive enigma of amusing superhuman proportions; his combined handicap and invincibility make him both identifiable and unapproachable. Kitano's performance is spot on, but his direction here - despite obvious flair - lacks the tightness which would elevate this ultimately standard vengeance story into something out of the ordinary.