There have been many Japanese movies made about the blind warrior named Zatoichi. But none of them have been directed by the popular director Takeshi Kitano. In
This Zatoichi adventure concerns the arrival of the blind swordsman in a small town where bad guys have been brutalizing the townsfolk. Like the hero in a Clint Eastwood western or an Akira Kurosawa samurai epic, Zatoichi becomes the equalizer in a fearful and oppressed community. Full of bizarre and abrupt changes in tone and style, and populated with memorably zany supporting characters, Kitano's film is entertaining, but disposable.
Josh Hurst (Reveal) says, "
J. Robert Parks (Looking Closer) calls the film "a serviceable genre effort that will please the sword fighting fans among us. But there's also not much substance to it. The movie's final scene is a fantastically energetic dance sequence that might be worth the price of admission. If only the rest of the film lived up to that."
Most mainstream critics seem more impressed by the film.