REEL JAPAN

Director Yamashita Tomohiko helms an Edo-era heist story that is, at best, an exploration of how poor men under strain of debt turn to thuggery. At worst, it lacks enough substance, stakes, and twists, to justify its passage into cinema. In the hands of a brilliant filmmaking crew, it could have succeeded. However, good performances and good cinematography by Hamana Akira cannot save this film from bad editing and a muddled first act which will leave the viewers scratching their heads wondering what is going on and struggling to keep track of all the characters who inhabit this warren tenements. Koji Endo provides a decent musical score, albeit one which veers distractingly into Irish melody.  Featuring limited swordplay, this film is more a study of an historic underworld and its thugs, comparable to a modern yakuza film. 

Lead Nagayama Eita gives a performance typical for him where he leans into the misery and imbues his street smart Sanosuke with pessimistic strength. However he tends to take this to extremes; there are times, as in other Nagayama Eita films, where you will wonder if he has lost interest in the script. The “fox” is a wily old man played by Hashizume Isao in a performance that deftly juggles friendliness and hostility. He recently embodied a similar role as the shinto priest in GANNIBAL. THE FOX DANCING IN THE DUSK was created to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the “Samurai Drama Channel.” If a director’s cut is ever released with all the missing scenes I would have needed, I’d be happy to watch it. 

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