Bushi no ichibun 2006

Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: It's an exquisitely crafted melodrama, moving with stately grace toward an understated yet forceful quest for revenge. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: An impeccably made classic Japanese period picture in which a nobility of spirit is tested amid the most beautiful of settings, revealing the harshness and hypocrisy of a feudal society of the utmost formality and rigidity. Read more

Jason Anderson, Globe and Mail: A very satisfying tale that emphasizes one of the genre's key themes: The deepest wound a samurai may suffer does not come from any blade. Read more

Trevor Johnston, Time Out: It's a satisfying story, played out in decorous period surroundings of the classic warrior tale but Yamada's 79th film lacks any hint of surprise or excitement. Read more