Sword of the Stranger (2007)

Sword of the Stranger (2007)

A striking samurai adventure anime about being the master of one’s self

The Very Best

8.0

Movie

Japan
Japanese, Mandarin
Action, Animation, Drama, History
2007
MASAHIRO ANDO
Ai Orikasa, Akio Otsuka, Cho
103 min

What it's about

Pursued by formidable Chinese assassins, young Kotaro and his dog run into No Name, a mysterious stranger who gets pulled into the chase. The unlikely companions form a bond over saving the dog from a poison attack, but chaos erupts when the assassins find Kotaro, and No Name must face his past before a horrible fate is met again.

The take

Striking, epic, and occasionally gruesome, Sword of the Stranger is an excellent film about ronin redemption. From the title alone, the film promises and delivers thrilling sword-fighting sequences from the titular stranger Nanashi (or “no name” in Japanese). His bouts with Ming Chinese warriors, as well as the Caucasian Luo-Lang, are so graceful, yet at times, so brutal that it ends with wrecked buildings, copious bleeding, and (on occasion) amputated limbs. However, the gore isn’t what makes these fight scenes work. Nanashi’s will to preserve his honor and self-determination drives the film. It’s the reason why his fight against these invaders feels so compelling. It’s the reason why he reluctantly guards the orphan Kotaro and his cute shiba inu. And when the film finally reveals the cause of that will, rooting for him is inevitable.

Comments

Add a comment

What did you think? Who should watch it?

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

The Limey (1999)

A formally inventive neo-noir thriller that also acts as a fascinating reflection on cinematic history

8.6

Pauline at the Beach (1983)

A characteristically perceptive X-ray of human nature courtesy of a conversational movie master

8.4

Blaze (2022)

A unique drama whose visual inventiveness does little to deepen its sensitive subject matter

5.3

Big George Foreman (2023)

This formulaic biopic isn’t nearly as remarkable as its titular champion

6.8

Paradise (2023)

A German anti-capitalist sci-fi thriller that lacks compelling & consistent characters

6.0

The Guilty (2018)

A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.

9.0

The Saint of Second Chances (2023)

A playful and imaginative story about one man’s love for the all-American sport

8.0

System Crasher (2019)

A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.

9.0

The Initiated (2023)

A Colombian neo-noir mystery that makes up for its narrative shortcuts with an intoxicating atmosphere.

7.1

Once Upon a Crime (2023)

There’s no justice when Little Red Riding Hood plays detective in this campy Japanese murder mystery

5.5

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2023 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.