Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5)
Quick Shot: A blind masseur is more than he seems.
What I liked about the movie: There are about three or four subplots in this film, woven together with Zatoichi in the middle. It’s done very well. Plus you can rarely go wrong with Beat Takeshi. Just remember, it does get a little bloody in this film.
What I didn’t like: It took me a while to get adjusted to the cinematography/look of the film. It was very ‘clean’ and modern, not helping to take the viewer back in time which made it distracting. Once the action started it was an after thought. The dance number – yeah, there is a dance number – was a little out of place for me as well. After reading the [IMDB trivia] about this movie, it made a little more sense.