Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Kamui Gaiden Blu-ray Movie Review

Remove the CGI from the equation, and this would be a recommended title.

Reviewed by Dustin Somner January 8, 2011

Loosely based on Sanpei Shirato’s manga “The Legend of Kamui”, Kamui: Gaiden is a 2009 film directed by Yoichi Sai (Blood & Bones), and starring Japanese heartthrob Ken’ichi Matsuyama (Detroit Metal City). For those with little exposure to period productions originating in Japan, I should make it clear that we’re still witnessing a gradual emergence of artistic filmmaking, often trumped by the stylistic grace of Chinese directors. I’ve yet to see the Japanese equivalent of Hero, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or Curse of the Golden Flower, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in due time. All it really means is there’s a wide gap between artistic vision and studio financing on such films as Shinobi, Ichi, and now Kamui Gaiden, which leaves much to be desired. I’ll touch on this topic in greater detail throughout this review (further clarifying the basis of my opinion), but in the interest of presenting a balanced opinion on the film at hand, I can honestly say there’s a lot to like in the storyline, acting and overall emotional impact of the film. It’s just too bad we’re missing that elusive “wow” factor to elevate this above passable entertainment.

Kamui in the midst of a killing spree.

Brought up among the ranks of ninja assassins, peasant-born Kamui learned at a young age what happens to those who abandon the ways of his kind. Through his own experiences as a pursuer, he witnessed members of his own wandering clan hunt and kill fellow warriors rather than let them seek out a life of peace. As he grew older, he became disenchanted with this brutal life of endless killing, and turned his back on the emotionally distant father figure who developed him into such a skilled warrior. Knowing he’d accepted a life as a “pursued” (ninja who abandon their tight-knit clan), yet believing in his skills as a survivor, Kamui wanders the countryside awaiting his next encounter with those who wish him dead. One day, while observing the camp of a royal official, the young rogue witnesses a mysterious man emerge from the forest and cut off the leg of the a magnificent white horse. After confronting the man as he gleefully escaped with the leg, Kamui decides to accompany him to a remote fishing village, where he discovers the reason for the slaying of the royal horse and runs into an old acquaintance from his childhood. Settling down as a protector and student of the fisherman, Kamui begins to discover the peaceful life he wants to lead, but must reject in order to avoid the watchful eyes of his pursuers. Torn between his devotion to those who’ve shown him kindness and his desire for self-preservation, Kamui gradually learns that living transcends the mere desire to escape death.

In recent years we’ve witnessed the emergence of Japanese filmmaking that focuses on an odd mix of comedy and gore. Thanks to studios like FUNimation, we’re also beginning to discover delicate Japanese productions that tackle topics more at home with the customary sensibilities of a western audience (who often fail to grasp the absurdity and outlandish nature of the previously mentioned shock/comedy genre). Kamui: Gaiden is valiant stab at the latter category, attempting to combine the epic scope of a Hollywood financed film with the tragedy-laced writing of a historical drama. Sadly, while best intentions are certainly endearing, the actual execution is of far more importance. There are simply too many things working against Kamui: Gaiden to earn a resounding stamp of approval, which is unfortunate when you consider the inherent potential in a film of this nature.

The primary flaw in the eyes of most viewers will be the extreme overuse of CG environments and effects that crop up throughout the film. I’ve seen such shoddy work on made-for-cable films, or Hollywood productions dating back fifteen years, but never expected to find a modern release where someone on the crew didn’t speak up and say “Hey, maybe we should scale it back to retain some semblance of realism”. I’m all for fantastic displays of fighting styles or finishing moves (except the oddly barbaric body-slam utilized by Kamui during the opening fight sequence), but there’s a point when the word “goofy” comes to mind more readily than “cool”, and threatens to hijack the entire film. This problem even extends into several scenes where abundant CGI is entirely unnecessary, such as shots of fishermen at sea. I’ll assume the choice to render both the water and background on a computer was either related to budgetary or accessibility limitations, but regardless of the reasoning, it knocks the wind out of the film’s sails far too often.

The second notable detriment to the film is the episodic structure of the storyline, which introduces and dispenses with characters and situations on a whim. As a result, the various encounters and adventures along the way have a tendency to feel a bit anti-climactic within the overall story arch, drastically affecting the pacing of the picture. For instance, there’s a not-so-daring rescue operation around the midpoint of the film that attempts to tie up an earlier plotline, yet fails to generate even an ounce of resolution. I won’t give away spoilers for those of you still willing to give the film a shot, but one could almost say the film is split into two distinct sections (divided almost at the hour mark), with the only real connection found in Kamui’s relationship with the fisherman and his family. Some viewers may not find themselves as bothered by such choices in pacing and structure, but it made the film seem a bit too long for my liking, inviting shades of boredom in the closing 30 minutes or so.

Kamui Gaiden Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 35Mbps), Kamui: Gaiden is a bit inconsistent on Blu-ray. I'm confident this has little to do with the actual encoding of the transfer and more to do with the cinematic choices of those behind the camera lens, but when a visual presentation fails to impress its audience (no matter the reason), there little room for sympathetic praise. Beginning with fine object detail, viewers will notice a sharp contrast between the unspoiled beauty of segments that don't incorporate CGI and those that unsuccessfully do. This softening of the image is entirely a byproduct of the blending which must occur as the filmmaker attempts to mask the appearance of fake effects. Unfortunately, high definition is not nearly as forgiving of such attributes, which likely appeared less flawed on the DVD release. Equally concerning, I found the use of color filtering a touch on the heavy side during several of the seaside scenes. Drenched in yellow tones that lend skin tones a sickly/dark appearance, these moments stand out like a sore thumb after the naturalistic palette of the opening forest sequence, leaving us wondering why the same gorgeous spectrum couldn't remain in place throughout the duration of the film.

Though the colors and detail are a bit underwhelming from time to time, the real strength in the visuals comes in the form of contrast differentiation, black level depth, and the lack of digital artifacts. Those with an aversion to film grain may be put off by its appearance during a number of daytime and nighttime sequences but I'd rather the video engineers leave such nuances intact rather than face the tampering effects of digital noise reduction. In the end, we can take the transfer for what it is - a faithful reproduction of average source material, which neither delights nor disappoints.

Kamui Gaiden Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Unlike FUNimation's recent release of RoboGeisha, Kamui: Gaiden delivers a one-two punch in both language formats, offering a 6.1 presentation on the Japanese side of the coin, and a lossless 5.1 option on the English dubbed side. Neither option is a slouch when it comes to volume balance and crystal-clear clarity, but I can't report the same glowing praise for the overall level of immersion in the track. Many elements in the mix are centered heavily in the front sound stage, and aside from some of the more creative fight sequences, the rear speakers tend to get lost in the shuffle. This is a shame when you consider the opportunities present in such a film (projectile weapons, gravity-defying stunts, and mystical maneuvers should deliver the "cool factor" we look for in an audio presentation), but as with the below average CGI, one can assume there were budgetary forces at work here. Regardless of the understated surround use, most fans will find either track a passable experience as a whole, but shouldn't expect anything in the vein of the Blu-ray perfection we long for in the format.

Kamui Gaiden Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Behind the Scenes (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 12:34 min.): This featurette focuses on the year-long training regimen undertaken by Ken'ichi Matsuyama (Kamui) in preparation for his stuntwork in the film. During that period of time, you witness him undergo a subtle transition from a self-proclaimed "city boy" to an individual capable of pulling off the agility of a film ninja.
• Making of Kamui: Gaiden (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 32:36 min.): Consisting largely of behind-the-scenes footage of the cast and crew on set, this supplement provides a chronological recap of the production schedule, shedding light on the struggles and successes encountered during the shooting of the film.
  
  Rounding out the extras, we have a collection of trailers for other films in FUNimation's catalog (Hana, Mushi-Shi, Hong Kong Connection, Shinobi, Love and Honor, Genghis Khan, Robogeisha, and Synesthesia).

Kamui Gaiden Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kamui: Gaiden isn't an awful film by any stretch of the imagination, but as the sweeping epic it attempts to emulate, it simply can't stack up. I know there may be some among you that feel I'm being unfair by comparing the quality of Japanese cinema to Hollywood or Chinese standards, but I feel such comparisons are warranted when the same tricks are used filmmakers working within the same general genre (CGI, wire-fu, etc.), yet one fails to achieve the same level of quality as another. Just because films such as 300 or Watchmen broke the boundaries of CG rendering doesn't mean others need to follow suit, especially when they can't possibly gain access to the same resources Zach Snyder found at his disposal. If we remove comparisons to such films from our equation and limit the resulting field only to action-heavy Japanese films, Kamui: Gaiden falls within the average to good category. If you enjoyed Ichi (not to be mistaken with Ichi the Killer) or Shinobi, then by all means place this on your list of films to watch. For all others, this should be considered rental material at best, with a firm understanding that you keep your expectations at an attainable level.