The Challenge Review
While undoubtedly a few notches below the best work of its participants, the film brings together the talents of Toshiro_Mifune, John_Sayles, and John_Frankenheimer in a well-executed samurai effort. It's framed around the moral education of an arrogant, burnt-out American boxer Scott_Glenn who gets caught up in a battle between two Japanese brothers: one, a Yakuza, the other (Mifune) a master of the martial arts. Although some may not appreciate the ugly-American clichés of the Glenn character, Sayles' dialogue is light years beyond what is usually found in this genre, in a script that touches on themes of honor, corruption, and the twilight of the samurai tradition. Frankenheimer's merciful decision to use Steven_Seagal only as a martial arts choreographer results in beautifully executed, if at times excessively bloody, battle scenes. Glenn is excellent as the former pug who accepts the discipline of the East, and the 62-year-old Mifune, obviously in fantastic shape, fills his role with an effortless dynamism. Michael Costello, Rovi
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