| A rather curious piece about the Yellow Emperor with a Japanese flair. We see plenty of movies with Chinese playing Japanese, but here's your chance to see how Japan views the historical Emperor. The title character is played by Shintaro Katsu, that famous blind swordsman "Zatoichi" of later fame. Shintaro has a menacing presence that suits well the character's inner drive; hay, to be king means you have to be ruthless at times. The story gradually unfolds from his ideals to end war, to ego driven madness. Everything he's known for is here: the Great Wall, burning of books, consolidation of territory, money, language, etc. Lots are covered in this hollywood-esque style epic. The general flavor is something on the order of Richard the Third meets Ran---complete with odd blends of costumes ranging from samurai to medieval Europe. Don't expect Shintaro or his surroundings to look anything like the sets in Emperor's Shadow--technical accuracy isn't important here, the story is. You can even catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji if you're quick. But, despite these quarks, the story has an epic quality with enough tortured spirits to give an excellent overview of a very troubled and self driven man. Thumbs up! |
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