Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Resurrection Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 26, 2024

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Radiance's Shinobi set.

Years ago FUNimation, a label almost exclusively associated with anime, kind of unexpectedly released a live action film (albeit one steeped in an intentionally cartoonish ambience) and I began my Goemon Blu-ray review of that release by kind of joking about the many different cinematic versions of Robin Hood (kind of hilariously, that link points to a version that came out after my Goemon review). I guess I could start this review of Radiance's release of the first three so-called Shinobi films by kind of joking about the many different cinematic versions of Goemon there are, since these three films do indeed center on that legendary Japanese character, who, maybe just a bit like Robin Hood, seems to have been culled from both historical and fictional elements. There's still considerable scholarly debate about how "real" Robin Hood may or may not have been, but there's little question that there was indeed a 16th century ninja named Ishikawa Goemon (Raizô Ichikawa), who really rather quite like the behaviors often attributed to Robin Hood and his Merry Men, "stole from the rich and gave to the poor". Rather interestingly, at least within the confines of my review queue, I'm also currently getting through the new Eureka! release of Prison Walls: Abashiri Prison I-III, another trilogy of Japanese films where several of the supplements discuss the incredibly rapid production pace for those particular films, all coming out within a year of each other. Something very similar was at play with regard to these first three Shinobi outings (there were several more to follow, which one assumes Radiance may be bringing out at some point), with all three debuting between December 1962 and December 1963.

While this third film in the Shinobi series is ostensibly still based on the source novels by Tomoyoshi Murayama that gave birth to the first two films, you can still feel Shinobi: Resurrection subtly but noticeably trying to create a "structure" for what was by then probably a foregone conclusion of a long running series. The result is still viscerally exciting a lot of the time, but there are both content and style differences in this third outing that set it apart from the first two, and it's probably salient to note that this film was directed by Kazuo Mori, taking over from Satsuo Yamamoto, who helmed the first two features.

This film begins with the 1963 equivalent of the "miraculous escape from a cliffhanger" that was part and parcel of old time serials, attempting perhaps fitfully to get Goemon out of the scrape he was in at the end of the second film. That allows our (anti?) hero to continue his quest for vengeance that was begun in the second film, though kind of interestingly in this particular story he's as apt to use so-called "psychological warfare" as he is to kick butt. The result is perhaps more of a character study at times than an out and out action spectacular.

Resurrection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shinobi: Resurrection is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.41:1.Radiance's insert booklet only offers some generic verbiage in its transfer notes, as follows:

Each film in the Shinobi series was transferred in high definition by the Kadokawa Corporation and supplied to Radiance Films as high definition digital masters.

Once again as with the first two films, this is a largely very appealing looking presentation, with the same well define contrast as with the first two outings, but also with the same general darkness that may lead to both crush and a lack of shadow definition in the nighttime scenes featuring ninja, which are actually quite prevalent in this particular film. Otherwise, though, detail levels are typically commendable, especially in close-ups, where even things like supposedly diseased teeth are evident (see screenhot 3). Minor damage can be spotted, as with the first two films. Grain resolves naturally throughout.

Resurrection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shinobi: Resurrection features another DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track in the original Japanese. This was to my ears the best sounding of the three tracks in this set, with much less noticeable overall hiss and better reproduction of some of the high amplitude sound effects and almost screamed dialogue. As with the first two films, the entire track has a slightly boxy sound but no major problems. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly. Optional English subtitles are available.

Resurrection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Radiance has packaged these films with Band of Assassins and Revenge sharing a disc, and Resurrection on its own separate disc, with the following supplements:

Disc One (Band of Assassins / Revenge)

• Shozo Ichiyama (HD; 14:05) is a really interesting piece which features the Program Director of the Tokyo International Film Festival discussing the life and work of director Satsuo Yamamoto, including an emphasis on the Shinobi series. Ichiyami mentions Yamamoto's relatively few period films, but his overall interest in highlighting travails of the so-called "common man". There's some interesting sidebar information about what was going on at various Japanese film studios during the general timeframe of the production of these films. Subtitled in English.

Disc Two (Resurrection)

• A Brief History of Japanese Ninja Films (HD; 18:11) is an indispensable aid by Mance Thompson which helps to explain the context of these films within the history of the Japanese movie industry in general.


• Toshiaki Sato (HD; 14:18) discusses the life and career of Raizo Ichikawa, which is yet another fascinating "tragic life of a movie star" story. Subtitled in English.


• Trailers

  Shinobi: Band of Assassins (HD; 2:19)

  
  

  Shinobi 2: Revenge (HD; 2:19)

  
  

  Shinobi 3: Resurrection (HD; 2:31)

Additionally, Radiance has packaged this release nicely, with a handsome yellow slipbox enclosing two keepcases. One keepcase encloses a very nicely appointed insert booklet with new and archival writing, while the other keepcase encloses six postcards. Radiance includes its Obi strip on the slipbox.

Resurrection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I mentioned in the Revenge Blu-ray review that there really wasn't much of a so-called "sophomore slump" with that second outing, but chances are some may find this film presents a bit of a junior slump, so to speak, though the downturn is arguably pretty slight and never debilitating. Technical merits are generally strong and the supplements appealing. Recommended.