Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection — dvd review
Director: Kazuo Mori
Starring: Raizo Ichikawa, Eijiro Tono, Ayako Wakao
Genre: Action
My review queue has grown quite large over the past few months, but when I received Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection (aka: Shin Shinbi no Mono) in the mail, I bumped it straight to the top. You see, I love the Shinobi no Mono movies, and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Goemon after the amazing cliffhanger ending of the second film. Now, if you haven’t seen the first two films, stop right here. Go pick up some copies, watch ‘em, and come back. You can read my reviews of the first two films if you need some extra convincing.
The rest of you still with me? Okay, let’s move on.
So, the last time we saw Goemon (Raizo Ichikawa, Sleepy Eyes of Death) he was boiling away in a vat of oil, as punishment for having crossed Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It was one of the most amazing cliffhangers I’d ever seen. Its resolution….Well, it wasn’t quite as thrilling as I would have liked (think your standard Batman or Lone Ranger resolution), but it does its job in setting this third installment on its merry way. This time around Goemon targets Toyotomi, both for his attempted punishment and the death of his infant son. And, as is the way with the Shinobi no Mono series, goes about this revenge through a number of direct and indirect methods, attempting a kidnapping of Toyotoi’s toddler heir, and when that fails, doing his best to interfere with Toyotomi’s imperialist operations in Korea and China by way of psychological and political warfare. Along the way he’s aided by his usual co-conspirator, Hattori Hanzo, and of course, his amazing shinobi skills.
Now, as much as I like the series, I must say that after the intensity of the second film, Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection feels surprisingly subdued. While action and intrigue were fairly equally balanced in the previous picture, in this one the intrigue takes precedence over exhibitions of shinobi prowess. And boy is it thick. I’ve made note of the series’ complexity and the need to pay utmost attention to the films’ narratives before, but with this picture I actually had to watch a couple sequences twice to fully understand what was going on. Furthermore, with the third film marking the series’ establishment as a popular franchise, many of the plot developments explored seemed intended toward laying the foundation for future entries as much as creating intriguing situations for Goemon in this one. The fact that the events depicted shadow historical events, and that those events have been depicted in other such genre films helps to provide the viewer some bearings, but if the Shinobi no Mono series is you introduction to the ninja genre, you might find yourself a bit lost.
But lest you think there’s no action to be seen, let it be known there are a number of excellent altercations, including the aforementioned kidnapping, a nighttime forest battle, and the film’s final “home invasion” sequence. So yes, while it might not be as viscerally entertaining as the previous outing, it’s nonetheless satisfying for it.
Shinobi no Mono 3 marks the series’ first directorial turn by Kazuo Mori (he would later return for parts 6 and 7). For the most part, his technique is indistinguishable from Satsuo Yamamoto’s, making the transition between staff completely transparent. For the viewer, this means another competently
shot, well acted film awaits. And speaking of acting, Raizo Ichikawa does his usual excellent job as Goemon, Eijiro Tono (An Autumn Afternoon) does an awesome job as the slimy Toyotomi “Osaru” Hideyoshi, and series newcomer, Ayako Wakao (Revenge of a Kabuki Actor, Hot Springs Lady) proves decidedly watchable as Toyotomi’s mistress, Yodogimi.
In closing, Shinobi no Mono 3: Resurrection is yet another satisfying entry in the Shinobi no Mono series. It may not be as intense as the previous film, but it’s still quite a bit of fun. This being only the third in a series of eight films, you can expect a few more cliffhangers before seeing a concrete ending. I for one, am more than willing to stick around to see it.
The DVD
Everything discussed in my previous reviews hold. I will note here that this disc marks some of the best restoration work I’ve seen yet from AnimEigo. Blacks are inky, whites are brigh, and detail fine. I tested both on my home DVD player (Toshiba) and on my laptop via VLC Media player, and the picture looks great in both places.
All in all, an very nice disc for an awesome film. Pick it up.
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