feudalism The Americans had just coerced Japan into trading with foreign nations, and the country is now gripped by political strife. There are two forces on the scene, those for the old shogunate and those for the return of the long-forgotten emperor. The principalities of Tosa, Satsuma, and Choshu stand for the emperor, but for a reason - each prince wants to achieve a place of honor under the emperor, not realizing that the principalities themselves will be abolished in this case. The head of Prince Tosa has a subordinate Izo Okada, a professional assassin, ready to deal with anyone if ordered. The prince uses Okada, hoping to eliminate future political opponents. However, Okada, who seems short-sighted at first, once realizes that his loyalty may not be appreciated, that he too, if necessary, can be thrown out like a dog. Then, in order to take revenge on those whom he once served, he takes radical measures, putting himself at risk.
The Killer is a remarkable historical film with a focus on realism in depicting swordfights. Hideo Gosya did not stingy and depicted blood not in the form of ketchup, which was in fashion, but having a real scarlet color. The alignment of political forces before the Meiji Restoration corresponds to history, but, of course, the emphasis here is not on the confrontation of clans, but on the fate of an ordinary pawn in this confrontation. Izo Okada is a soulless killing machine, but endowed with an exceptional sense of honor. Although he must obey his employer in everything, he cannot allow himself to be mixed with dirt. He is forced to go through such a degree of humiliation that it changes completely. This does not lead him to overestimate his own criminal acts, but only to overestimate his relationship with the host, and this shows the exceptional feudal spirit of this film that makes it so remarkable. Princes are carriers of primitive feudal thinking and are unable to see beyond their noses. Thinking only of a powerful position in the emperor, they do not realize that the construction of a completely new and much more powerful country will soon be laid. And this construction will be carried out in part by the destruction of such local princes.
The Killer is the final tribute to feudal Japan and its values of unquestioning submission and service. In these values in place of morality is honor. Murder, of course, is condemned by official laws, but the conviction is usually delayed. The transfer of this feudal world is so convincing that at some point one begins to empathize with the murderer Izo Okada, who turned out to be loyal to his master. Not many works are capable of such a turn of optics in stories about villains.
8 out of 10