Review: Kamui

After a couple films that occasionally seemed to induce more napping than anything, I needed some entertainment.  Fortunately, the evening movie on the schedule was Kamui, director Yoichi Sai's version of the legendary tale of a fugitive ninja.

Ken'ichi Matsuyama takes on the role of the title character, who is born low on the social totem pole in 17th century Japan.  As a way out, he becomes a ninja, but unhappy with performing the tasks required of him, he escapes to live a free life.  As it turns out, the ninja society strongly adheres to the "Hotel Calfornia" rule, so Kamui spends a lot of time looking over his shoulder.

As it turns out, in 17th century Japan, ninjas have darned near super human powers.  Kamui can do some neat tricks.  For instance, his signature move is making it look like there are two of him.  He cam also jump about thirty feet.  These are handy skills to possess when you're a fugitive ninja.

Anyway, after some adventures in a forest, Kamui takes to the ocean.  That turns out to be a rough life, and he winds up washing up on shore half-dead after a trippy run-in with a demented fisherman.  The fisherman's daughter helps nurse him back to life, much to the dismay of her mother, who has secrets of her own.  Some pirates show up, identities get exposed, and all hell breaks loose.

I'll leave the details out, in case you happen to catch this one.  It's a fun story with lots of crazy ninja action, and the rather cartoonish low-budget CGI gives it the look of a live action anime film.  My imdb rating: 7/10.