I would give this five stars, except that the extraordinary fight choreography cannot quite bring the American lead actors to the level of the best martial arts actors. The writing is quite good - probably in the top third of Tarantino's oeuvre, the acting is up to the task, and the cinematography is extremely good. One could argue whether the "tributes" to Lady Snowblood, Shaw Brothers films of the 70s and 80s, and various other sources amount to plagiarism or affectionate nods (I tend toward affectionate nods), but the films hold up and are a blast to watch.
If one has never seen its antecedents, this is a brilliant, innovative film. If one has, it's a delightful pastiche and still very much worth seeing. |
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