Shinobi [HD DVD]

This movie looks beautiful and feels very anime like. It's supposed to be based on the Basilisk manga. I enjoyed it but repeated viewings were not as good. Some parts dragged a bit and the ending was underwhelming.

This is a blockbuster film! Get it if you like all-stars action. Original manga fans would be disappointed upon watching the film. But come to think of it, if they were to follow the manga so closely, they would follow the title of the manga too, right? If you're a traditional martial arts/action films, you might be disappointed too. But if you're a crazy anime otaku, or any animation maniac, you might love this film. It consist of breathtaking (Japanese CGI action, first time, no?) actions accompanied by speedy editing and beautifully coloured cinematography. The actors' performance were great too. But how bad can you expect from professional, experienced & huge talents? We all know about how great Odagiri, Nakama & Sawajiri could act. I would have given the film an excellent rating if only the story was better. While being intensed and emotionally engaging, the plot's somehow missing something. That missing thing is probably character development. But I'm not going to write much spoilers. So get a copy of this Japanese blockbuster and judge it yourself!