It is difficult to imagine a more visually stunning film than this one. The landscapes and skies are beyond beauty, and the massive battle scenes dwarf anything I've ever seen, even perhaps Bondarchuk's "War and Peace." This is one of the first films I've seen that conveys a believable sense of thousands (rather than hundreds or dozens) of soldiers in simultaneous combat, and the color-coded armies are both amazing to consider as fighting entities and astonishing to watch as masses of moving color and light. The final half hour is one of the most amazing feats of logistics and color ever put to film. Now if only there were a story worth following. Basically, there are two armies and the two armies fight or pursue each other. There is a minor attempt at personalizing the leaders of each army, but it all seems merely a formality, and a very unsuccessful one. There are no characters such as found in the great war movies, either in small films like "A Walk in the Sun" and "Nobi" ("Fires on the Plain") or in epics like "Ran" or "The Longest Day" or "Lawrence of Arabia." No, we're just told (I repeat told; I refer to the English-narrated version) that these people have enmity one for the other and that there is reason for battle. Then we watch the battles (or more often, the planning sessions). When battle comes, it is spectacular beyond expectation. But in the end, no one, not even the filmmakers it seems, cares who won or whether anyone did.
32 Reviews
visually impressive but dull
planktonrules25 November 2005
This movie has great battle scenes--large, intense and seemingly real. The clash between the red and black colored armies is a visual treat. The problem is that for as great as these scenes are, the film lags greatly on the personal level. The dialog just seems as if it is being filmed at a great emotional distance--and OFTEN, the scenes are actually filmed at a pretty great physical distance. If the movie could have been re-edited with new writing and direction for the non-spectacular scenes, it might achieve greatness. Otherwise, it just seems a little too cold and distant to become engaging. In this sense, it looks, at times, more like a documentary on the History Channel more than a film about PEOPLE and events.
Spectacular Made-in-Canada Samurai
Noel-2422 March 2003
One of my favorites, despite all the historical inaccuracies. As a Canadian, I feel a certain pride watching it repeatedly.
Filmed in Alberta, Canada for its wide open space and abundance of horses. Morley Flats standing in for the Plains of Kawanakajima. 3,000 Canadian extras and 1,000 horses were used for the huge battles. During the filming, several behind-the-scenes TV documentaries were made and I was fortunate to video-tape most of them.
Alberta's superb riders, cowboys and cowgirls, and native Americans, 1,000 of them were employed to appear as mounted samurai. 2,000 other extras were transported by schoolbuses to the shooting location to appear as samurai infantry. Many were young kids, many were young girls, because they were the right height to fit into the thousands of samurai armor used for the film. These extras were trained in spear-fighting and drilled to march in unison.
To hide their Caucasian features, the 3,000 Canadian extras all wore armoured face guards. These technically made them all Samurai. One of the flaws in the film, since the bulk of actual samurai armies were composed of peasant soldiers (ashigaru), whose faces would have been exposed and unarmoured.
As a Canadian, I still get chills watching the spectacular battle scenes. Those Canadians made fine samurai.
Filmed in Alberta, Canada for its wide open space and abundance of horses. Morley Flats standing in for the Plains of Kawanakajima. 3,000 Canadian extras and 1,000 horses were used for the huge battles. During the filming, several behind-the-scenes TV documentaries were made and I was fortunate to video-tape most of them.
Alberta's superb riders, cowboys and cowgirls, and native Americans, 1,000 of them were employed to appear as mounted samurai. 2,000 other extras were transported by schoolbuses to the shooting location to appear as samurai infantry. Many were young kids, many were young girls, because they were the right height to fit into the thousands of samurai armor used for the film. These extras were trained in spear-fighting and drilled to march in unison.
To hide their Caucasian features, the 3,000 Canadian extras all wore armoured face guards. These technically made them all Samurai. One of the flaws in the film, since the bulk of actual samurai armies were composed of peasant soldiers (ashigaru), whose faces would have been exposed and unarmoured.
As a Canadian, I still get chills watching the spectacular battle scenes. Those Canadians made fine samurai.
A wonderful Samurai film!
Mike Richards29 January 2004
I happened to get a chance to see Ten To Chi To or Heaven And Earth, as we knew it here, on the big screen when it debuted in Calgary in the spring of 1990. After having worked many long hours on the movie for a good part of the late summer in 1989 as one of the 2000 Samurai infantry extras, it was amazing to see the finished product on the big screen. As mentioned in one of the earlier reviews, for fans of the Samurai movie genre, this is a must see. The large battle scenes are spectacular.
Trivia note. Actor Ken Watanabe was originally cast as one of the lead actors in Heaven and Earth. While filming Ken was diagnosed with acute myelogenic leukemia, a life-threatening disease of the bone marrow, that put an end to his part in the movie. Ken had to return to Japan for treatment that kept him away acting for a few years. He came back in 1994 only to have a relapse, but once again battled back. Ken has been nominated for Best Actor in a supporting role at this year's Academy Awards for his outstanding performance as Katsumoto in The Last Samurai. I wish him all the best!
BTW, I was one of a handful of extras who worked all through the filming from July to early Sepetebmber 1989, here in Alberta. During the last few days of filming there was only about 50 or so of us left. On the final day, final scene, a Saturday afternoon IIRC, some production people came around and handed each of us a cold beer. Director Haruki Kadokawa came out and toasted us. He smiled and said, "Very long. Very hard. Thank you!"
Trivia note. Actor Ken Watanabe was originally cast as one of the lead actors in Heaven and Earth. While filming Ken was diagnosed with acute myelogenic leukemia, a life-threatening disease of the bone marrow, that put an end to his part in the movie. Ken had to return to Japan for treatment that kept him away acting for a few years. He came back in 1994 only to have a relapse, but once again battled back. Ken has been nominated for Best Actor in a supporting role at this year's Academy Awards for his outstanding performance as Katsumoto in The Last Samurai. I wish him all the best!
BTW, I was one of a handful of extras who worked all through the filming from July to early Sepetebmber 1989, here in Alberta. During the last few days of filming there was only about 50 or so of us left. On the final day, final scene, a Saturday afternoon IIRC, some production people came around and handed each of us a cold beer. Director Haruki Kadokawa came out and toasted us. He smiled and said, "Very long. Very hard. Thank you!"
Samurai Wonderland
Tweetienator16 February 2022
The strongest and most redeeming quality of Heaven and Earth is without any doubt the visual quality (reminds me of Akira Kurosawa's Ran) - the settings, costumes, armory and so on. The battle scenes are also decent. The story itself is not that captivating but if you are in the mood to immerse yourself in some samurai wonderland you may like this trip anyway.
Jinx - Nobody's Ever Made Good Movies Out of These Warlords
ebiros210 October 2012
This is the first big budget samurai movie from Kadokawa Movies. Lots of Kurosawa influence is obvious in its visuals. Throughout the opening scene I almost thought I was watching a Kurosawa movie.
Production quality is supremely high, and the cast of actors assembled to create this movie is epic.
That being said, i question the mind of Haruki Kadokawa for choosing Kenshin Uesugi (Kagetora) and Shingen Takeda's conflict to dump the money he did in creating this movie.
I've never seen any movie company do a good job in portraying either lives of Shingen Takeda, or Kagetora Nagao. I don't know why this is the case. They were the epitome of samurai lords, and any betting man would have placed their bet in those days for them to be the ultimate ruler of Japan.
Either man could have been the the ultimate victor in the race to unite Japan. Instead, they never did a big bet battle that would decisively turn the tide in their favor to become the Shogun of Japan.
So although, regarded highly as samurais, these guys were small frys, and attempt to make a story around them only seems to bring out this fact which ends in story that lacks a sufficient climax.
This is a nice movie, but the story is somewhat flat for the above reasons. It's a Kurosawa copy Kadokawa style which didn't succeed either as a Kurosawa movie or a Kadokawa movie.
Production quality is supremely high, and the cast of actors assembled to create this movie is epic.
That being said, i question the mind of Haruki Kadokawa for choosing Kenshin Uesugi (Kagetora) and Shingen Takeda's conflict to dump the money he did in creating this movie.
I've never seen any movie company do a good job in portraying either lives of Shingen Takeda, or Kagetora Nagao. I don't know why this is the case. They were the epitome of samurai lords, and any betting man would have placed their bet in those days for them to be the ultimate ruler of Japan.
Either man could have been the the ultimate victor in the race to unite Japan. Instead, they never did a big bet battle that would decisively turn the tide in their favor to become the Shogun of Japan.
So although, regarded highly as samurais, these guys were small frys, and attempt to make a story around them only seems to bring out this fact which ends in story that lacks a sufficient climax.
This is a nice movie, but the story is somewhat flat for the above reasons. It's a Kurosawa copy Kadokawa style which didn't succeed either as a Kurosawa movie or a Kadokawa movie.
Was an extra in the movie
bolerame-13 May 2006
I had the opportunity to be an extra in this movie. It was an incredible way to spend the summer of 1989. Hours of sitting on a horse in the hot Alberta sun in the river valley near Morley. Most of the horses that were used came from the Morley Indian reservation and some were barely broken in at all. The scenery was as good as it gets with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop and the Bow River flowing nearby. The food provided could have been a lot better but that was a minor thing compared to the magnitude of this production. Watching it for the first time on the big screen was phenomenal. It's hard to believe that it would be such a magnificent movie when you're hot, sweating and dusty in 90 degree temperatures, and that's basically all you see for the whole summer. What a glorious time it was!! I've been wanting to buy a copy for myself and never even thought of Ebay until seeing the other posts on here. Us extras should have a reunion sometime!!
Good!
dk922 September 1999
Without knowing the actual history behind the movie, I watched this film with little expectations and received much in return. The pageantry of the battle scenes, along with the serene nature shots wowed me. But, perhaps the nicest thing about the movie is the depth of emotion portrayed by the main actors in the movie. Nothing seemed strained, or rehearsed, it looked real. The story itself may not be complete or accurate, but I enjoyed the color, the passion, and the depth.
Canadian Samurai??????
PIST-OFF19 October 2003
Having just watched this movie on a whim I was quite impressed with the scope and choreography it must have taken to organize the battle scenes, which are of course tremendously filmed. I am however a prototypical american, and it's nice to see a little blood in battle scenes. I was often thinking while watching about the battle scenes in Braveheart. I wouldn't say that need necessarily be that bloody, but a war without blood seems to miss the point of war. Nothing in this movie looked painful. War just looked like a game of people riding horses in different directions.
I found the non battle scenes in the movie to be a nice balance though the charecters could have been worked on.....why are Kagetora and Nami in love???? What reason? Because she's there?
If this review is coming off negative then I'm not making myself clear. I did enjoy the film and have very little knowlege of 17th century Japan so as not to know of any historical flaws. I find it a bit amusing that it was filmed in Canada....donuts anyone, eh? But all in all pretty much any movie is cool if it has one samurai. When you have five or six hundred you're in for a good movie. I'd recommend this to people who hate black and white too much to sit through the three and a half hours of the Seven Samurai. 8/10
I found the non battle scenes in the movie to be a nice balance though the charecters could have been worked on.....why are Kagetora and Nami in love???? What reason? Because she's there?
If this review is coming off negative then I'm not making myself clear. I did enjoy the film and have very little knowlege of 17th century Japan so as not to know of any historical flaws. I find it a bit amusing that it was filmed in Canada....donuts anyone, eh? But all in all pretty much any movie is cool if it has one samurai. When you have five or six hundred you're in for a good movie. I'd recommend this to people who hate black and white too much to sit through the three and a half hours of the Seven Samurai. 8/10
If Battle Scenes Made a Movie, This would be a 10
alheithinn-vinlander7 August 2006
Visually a stunning film, Heaven and Earth lacks the character development of the later Last Samurai, and in the lead, perhaps suffers from the lack of Ken Watanabe's presence as well. The performances of the lead characters seemed wooden to me - almost stereotypes, staring, sometimes glaring at the camera as they deliver their dialog. Moments of introspection are rare and only once each are they allowed to show what might be considered a "softer side". What redeems the film is the story's pace, which is relentless, the cinematography, the narration - which ties the various segments together - and the outstanding battle scenes. One might wish for the lost minutes in the original Japanese version; perhaps they would provide what the film is missing. Even so, it was engaging and I had no difficulty keeping my attention on the film, and this fact was not due entirely to my need for the subtitles.
Beautiful To See, But Not Much Else
ccthemovieman-11 October 2006
This is one of the prettier films I've seen with some wonderful cinematography and beautiful scenery. It's the reason I kept the film for quite a while, because the story was uninvolving. All the characters sound the same with a lot of the grunting macho male voices. The Japanese seem to show this in a number of films and is so foreign to our culture, it's hard to relate.
This is a story about two warriors - one shown in orange and the other in black, but it really wasn't good guy-versus-bad guy, just two people battling over land. Boy, that sounds familiar, as you know. Countries do the same, unfortunately.
This movie, according to critics, was supposed to have some fantastic action scenes. Well, let's just say that's not the case; the action scenes are very overrated.
Great visuals are the attraction here; not much else. Still, it's a shame something this beautiful is not available on DVD.
This is a story about two warriors - one shown in orange and the other in black, but it really wasn't good guy-versus-bad guy, just two people battling over land. Boy, that sounds familiar, as you know. Countries do the same, unfortunately.
This movie, according to critics, was supposed to have some fantastic action scenes. Well, let's just say that's not the case; the action scenes are very overrated.
Great visuals are the attraction here; not much else. Still, it's a shame something this beautiful is not available on DVD.
Uesugi Kenshin (Kagetora) and Takeda Shingen during the warring states period
MichaelJohnPeterson20 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This film is based on the historical battles between two famous warlords of 16th century Japanese history: Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen. This film is beautifully filmed to give the passing of seasons from the Japanese aesthetical view, and to give an overview of the conflict between these two men. Uesugi Kenshin was adopted by the Uesugi clan, which was a common enough practice in samurai tradition. This review is more of an attempt to give some background into the film so that the western viewer would know that it is based upon both historical fact, popular legend and speculation. There are many books which have been written about the warring states period of Japan, and these two Daimyou (Big Names - Warlords) are prominent before the ascendant Tokugawa / Edo Period. This review doesn't specifically give a spoiler regarding the film, but gives some background information and names the primary location for several major battles fought between Kenshin and Shingen. The outcome of each battle was insufficient to determine a clear winner, although the film does provide it's own look at one battle in which one of the Warlords is wounded. This wound is subject of another film produced by Akira Kurosawa, titled "Kagemusha", which also entails legend from the Warring States Period. Enjoy the film without reading on for a brief history, the exact documentation of whence it comes is lost to me now, or read on to find out a bit more about the battles and the lives of these two men. I believe that the bulk of this information comes from:
The Samurai, a Military History, pp123-130, Macmillan Publishing co, Inc S.R. Turnbull, 1977
During the Warring States (Sengoku) period, the family that suffered most from the Hoojoo's calculated belligerence were the Uesugi, who had practically torn themselves to pieces by the time that Hoojoo Sooun started on them. The last Uesugi to withstand the Hoojoo was Norimasu, who fled from the Kanto in 1551 to Echigo, the wild mountainous province in the Hokurikudoo. Here he was forced to place himself under the protection of his erstwhile vassal, Nagao Kagetora. Like Hoojoo Sooun, Kagetora knew the value of a famous name, so arranged to be adopted by Uesugi Norimasa. The following year, 1552, he had his head shaved and from then on was known as Uesugi Kenshin, one of the most distinguished names in the military annals of the sixteenth century. As heir by adoption to the waning fortunes of the Uesugi family, Kenshin conducted a series of raids against the Hoojoo, but he is best known for his hostilities against another neighbor, Takeda Shingen, and it is to this other worthy, whose name is always linked with Kenshin. that we now turn.
Takeda Shingen, or Harunobu as he was called before shaving his head in 1551, is one of the most colorful characters in Japanese history. He was born in 1521, and his first aggressive acts were directed against his own father, who planned to disinherit him in favor of a younger brother. The young Harunobu revolted, and placed his father in the custody of a neighbor, whereupon he assumed full control of the province of Kai. The adventurous young lord then expanded, to use a polite term, into Shinano, which was under the control of Murakami Yoshikiyo. Murakami was defeated in 1547, and asked for help from his nearest neighbor, who happened to be Uesugi Kenshin.
Thus began a series of wars between Kenshin and Shingen celebrated in military romance. Their encounters, reminiscent of Percy and Douglas, had one remarkable amusing feature. They were all fought in the same place, year after year! The battlefield was an area of flat land in Shinano called Kawanakajima where the rivers Saigawa and Chikumagawa meet. in 1553, 1554, 1555, 1556, 1557 and 1563, their forces gave battle on the plain of Kawanakajima. In some encounters, when one side had gained a tactical advantage over the other, both armies withdrew, like a gigantic game of chess with human pieces. Perhaps, in view of the later slaughter in which both armies would become involved, the gentle jousting of Kawanakajima was no bad idea for letting of steam. the Battles of Kawanakajima are a unique episode in Japanese history.
The Samurai, a Military History, pp123-130, Macmillan Publishing co, Inc S.R. Turnbull, 1977
During the Warring States (Sengoku) period, the family that suffered most from the Hoojoo's calculated belligerence were the Uesugi, who had practically torn themselves to pieces by the time that Hoojoo Sooun started on them. The last Uesugi to withstand the Hoojoo was Norimasu, who fled from the Kanto in 1551 to Echigo, the wild mountainous province in the Hokurikudoo. Here he was forced to place himself under the protection of his erstwhile vassal, Nagao Kagetora. Like Hoojoo Sooun, Kagetora knew the value of a famous name, so arranged to be adopted by Uesugi Norimasa. The following year, 1552, he had his head shaved and from then on was known as Uesugi Kenshin, one of the most distinguished names in the military annals of the sixteenth century. As heir by adoption to the waning fortunes of the Uesugi family, Kenshin conducted a series of raids against the Hoojoo, but he is best known for his hostilities against another neighbor, Takeda Shingen, and it is to this other worthy, whose name is always linked with Kenshin. that we now turn.
Takeda Shingen, or Harunobu as he was called before shaving his head in 1551, is one of the most colorful characters in Japanese history. He was born in 1521, and his first aggressive acts were directed against his own father, who planned to disinherit him in favor of a younger brother. The young Harunobu revolted, and placed his father in the custody of a neighbor, whereupon he assumed full control of the province of Kai. The adventurous young lord then expanded, to use a polite term, into Shinano, which was under the control of Murakami Yoshikiyo. Murakami was defeated in 1547, and asked for help from his nearest neighbor, who happened to be Uesugi Kenshin.
Thus began a series of wars between Kenshin and Shingen celebrated in military romance. Their encounters, reminiscent of Percy and Douglas, had one remarkable amusing feature. They were all fought in the same place, year after year! The battlefield was an area of flat land in Shinano called Kawanakajima where the rivers Saigawa and Chikumagawa meet. in 1553, 1554, 1555, 1556, 1557 and 1563, their forces gave battle on the plain of Kawanakajima. In some encounters, when one side had gained a tactical advantage over the other, both armies withdrew, like a gigantic game of chess with human pieces. Perhaps, in view of the later slaughter in which both armies would become involved, the gentle jousting of Kawanakajima was no bad idea for letting of steam. the Battles of Kawanakajima are a unique episode in Japanese history.
So historically inacurate
ivanxviii30 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
While this film is a solid production with a nice set and costumes it's so historically inaccurate that anyone more or less familiar with the Sengoku period would find it appalling. First off, I don't understand why they refer to Kagetora by his old name throughout the film as he changed it to Uesugi Kenshin upon being adapted by Uesugi Norimasa shortly before the first battle of Kawanakajima. Now it's ok for the director to fantasize about Kenshin (Kagetora) falling in love with Usami's daughter, but the slaying of Usami by Kenshin in the course of a duel is nonsense. Usami drowned at the age of 75. Furthermore, the Lady Yae personage, while very poetic, is an absolute drivel, she never existed. Finally, the portrayal of the famous hand-to-hand combat of Kenshin and Takeda, the tale of valor and glory in Japan, is plain stupid (and the fencing is poorly rehearsed). It wasn't fought on horseback as Kenshin surprised Takeda by ramming into his headquarters by an outflanking manoeuvre. Takeda kept his calm, continued sitting on his chair while parrying Kenshin's mounted attack with his signalling fan until his retainers drove Kenshin away. BTW Takeda was only 40 at the time of the battle, and he was only 9 years older than Kenshin, not exactly an old man he is in the movie.
Naomi Zaizen's play was outstanding
java-110 February 2002
Warning: Spoilers
The movie Heaven and Earth is quite a dramatic one. From it's beginning we can feel the atmosphere of medievil Japan. First I thought it would be boring but then I realised that I wasn't right. First I was shocked with the scene where Yae challenged any of Ochigo warrior to fight her and she was shot by Kagetoro, then thrilled and dissapointed with her death in the final battle. I have seen many movies but Heaven and Earth is really the best. Naomi Zaizen's play was brilliant.
Spectacular!
dpierce513 March 2001
You're in for an action packed treat if you rent this tonight..that is if you can find it. Hey it's a Japanese movie about 2 warlords. One noble and defensive, forgoing all worldly pleasures to protect what he rules. The other, ambitious, ruthless, and even more powerful. The clashes of over 10,000 samuri on the battlefield is breathtaking. Forget historical accuracy...after all wasn't Tombstone just a bit better than Wyatt Earp?
Disappointing
bill-37310 April 1999
Takeda Shingen, a very important figure in Japanese history, has been portrayed with as much accuracy as can be expected from what is known of him from the available historic records in such excellent movies as Kagemusha and Furin Kazan (Samurai banners). This movie (except for the costumes) is a very poor reflection of the historical reality and of the spirit of the man Takeda. The plot is totally unrealistic in the context of feudal Japan and shows the writer's ignorance of these matters. They could have dispensed with the elaborate costumes and battle scenes. The proponents could have worn T-shirts and jeans, the results would have been, at a lesser cost, the same: a mediocre B-movie.
Excellent film
desalvo_j1 July 2007
This is one of the best samurai films I have ever seen, the screen images are out standing and the plot line is solid, this film is truly a hidden gem and should be seen. I have seen this film a few times and have enjoyed watching it each time, which is the mark of a good film. I enjoyed the large battle scenes which rival any scenes from the best Hollywood can produce. It is truly refreshing to see such films from non Hollywood sources. I would have to say that this was the best samurai film in its decade and possibly one of the best films I have ever seen. I would suggest this film to any samurai buff or anybody who enjoys a visually stunning film.
Boring Samurai
simon_booth1 July 2004
The Samurai are great material for films, and some of the finest films ever made have been Samurai films (I'm thinking Kurosawa rather than Tom Cruise). But some Samurai films, I have found, are *really* boring. Heaven and Earth is one of the boring ones. Although the production values are high and the battle scenes with thousands of extras are very impressive, the film completely fails to provide an interesting story. It's like reading a very academic history text, completely void of character or drama. The story is told very drily and none of the characters are remotely interesting. Some of this may be due to cultural differences between Japan and the West, since Japanese society does not traditionally encourage individuality. Indeed, it's said that Kurosawa's films with their very strong characterisation were rejected by Japanese audiences at first because they were "too Western" - perhaps this is what they meant. Ironically, Japanese cinema *does* produce some of the most individualistic cinema in the world (Takashi Miike, I'm looking at you now), but Heaven And Earth is as far from Miike as it is from Kurosawa.
By the mid point in the film I'd almost totally stopped paying attention to the story, as it hadn't engaged my interest in the slightest. I really didn't care who was fighting or why, and sadly this meant that the technically amazing battle scenes were robbed of the emotional weight they could have had, which rendered them far less enjoyable than a 1 on 1 fight in a Jackie Chan film, for instance. All in all, I'd say the time and money that must have gone into the film was rather wasted.
I'm sure it would have been a lot more impressive on the cinema screen or a decent DVD though - the lousy VHS dupe I saw really didn't do the visuals justice.
By the mid point in the film I'd almost totally stopped paying attention to the story, as it hadn't engaged my interest in the slightest. I really didn't care who was fighting or why, and sadly this meant that the technically amazing battle scenes were robbed of the emotional weight they could have had, which rendered them far less enjoyable than a 1 on 1 fight in a Jackie Chan film, for instance. All in all, I'd say the time and money that must have gone into the film was rather wasted.
I'm sure it would have been a lot more impressive on the cinema screen or a decent DVD though - the lousy VHS dupe I saw really didn't do the visuals justice.
Great movie worth owning.
jyokota27 June 2002
This movie has been one that I've been searching for years. It has left that kind of impression on me. The story and historical value of this movie has allowed me to visualize a better understanding of those feudal times.
The only problem is that I'm still searching to obtain a copy. If you have any ideas where to look, it would be greatly appreciated.
The only problem is that I'm still searching to obtain a copy. If you have any ideas where to look, it would be greatly appreciated.
An excellent movie!
icky013 May 2002
Sure, it might not be historically perfect - but that's not why I watch movies. I watch movies to be entertained, and this movie provides entertainment by the bucketload.
The cinematography is incredible, the story is great, and the war scenes are like none other.
Definitely one for your movie library!
The cinematography is incredible, the story is great, and the war scenes are like none other.
Definitely one for your movie library!
this is a very good film, docbob, or for anyone who happens to think as he does.
alanahspop29 January 2000
the movie was about japanese relationships, warriors or otherwise. the cinematography was great, not just the ficitious battle scenes, but scenes showing us the japanese sense of reflectiveness, cherryblossoms and the snowfall, a moment to reflect on one's life and how trancient it is. when the battle is over and all the soldiers have gone home, the snow is still there in winter and the blossoms have fallen from the trees in spring. a protrayal of a historical person is best seen on PBS and not in a movie made for entertainment. by the way, i could call myself doctor floyd or hurricane floyd, but the former sounds pretensious, the later is more fitting, but i prefer to be know as my daughters father. again this film IS worth another viewing, from the perspective of a japanologist or just a avid
Beautiful Vistas But a Lousy War Film
doug171713 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This is primarily a film for hardcore Samurai film buffs. But that's it. About a half hour into the movie you sort of just realize that NOTHING IS HAPPENING. They build up to battles and NOTHING HAPPENS. Nami dies but they don't tell you why because NOTHING HAPPENS. The battle scenes are oversold by the write ups I've seen. The sword play is lacking in skill and excitement and the battles are just skirmishes. When the big battle finally happens, it is handled clumsily and slow. Takeda sends in reinforcements and they turn out to be a bunch of chicks beating a huge drum, on a platform carried by unarmed dudes who march past some riflemen who gun them down. Some attack! This film is NOT Braveheart or Last Samurai. If you want to see Samurai fighting watch "The Seven Samurai" or "Throne of Blood" or "Ran". Disappointing for all but the most eager Samurai fans. 3 out of 10.
Even brothers are subject to fate - you were born to be a ruler - war is your destiny!
lastliberal21 May 2007
No one does spectacular battles like the Japanese; especially when it comes to Samurai. The pageantry, the color, the sound, all frame a battle that is more like a chess match than war.
Tsunehiko Watase (Usami) provides outstanding support to Takaaki Enoki (Kagetora) and Masahiko Tsugawa (Takeda Shingen), warriors who are battling for control of Japan in the 16th Century.
Ken Watanabe was supposed to been one of the leads according to a source, but had to drop out because of illness. It does not suffer any for his absence as the others do an outstanding job.
Some may like their war with blood and guts, but if you like to see war not only as an art of battle, but as an art form, then this is the best you can see.
Tsunehiko Watase (Usami) provides outstanding support to Takaaki Enoki (Kagetora) and Masahiko Tsugawa (Takeda Shingen), warriors who are battling for control of Japan in the 16th Century.
Ken Watanabe was supposed to been one of the leads according to a source, but had to drop out because of illness. It does not suffer any for his absence as the others do an outstanding job.
Some may like their war with blood and guts, but if you like to see war not only as an art of battle, but as an art form, then this is the best you can see.
Just lots of men on horses
digdog-785-71753817 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I'm sorry for all the Canadian folk who joyfully participated in this recreation of yet.another. Sengoku Jidai war, but Ten To Chi To isn't a good film.
Warlords Takeda Shingen and. Uesugi Kenshin decide that they want each other's land. They mount a long offensive, which makes up the vast majority of the film.
A huge number of extras, horses, traditional costumes, which are put to NO USE at all as there is no story (aside from "i want to kill that guy"), exceptionally sparse dialogue, mediocre acting, and absolutely forgettable characters.
I mean, yeah, as a documentary, this wouldn't be bad. But that's it, this isn't a film in your traditional sense. There's no tension, no conflict between characters. We are given no reason to root for one or the other party, but are instead left to watch a long recreation of a medieval battle.
Film need some artifice to keep the viewer interested. They need a protagonist, and evil, villainous antagonist, a love interest, a battle against odds, character arcs, etc .. Of course, not every film needs to follow this formula, but Ten To Chi To not only foregoes traditional storytelling, but also uses only long camera shots, minimal dialogue(of really dubious quality), monotonous palette, barebones acting, and every fault you can pin on a director whose IMDb rating average is less than formidable.
I would not recommend this film. Pretty much every other film about the same time period is more interesting than this, it may not have hundreds of long-distance-shots of men on horses in it, but unless you reeally, really crave your Japanese recreationism, i would avoid Ten To Chi To.
Or, you know, watch something with a story, like The Last Samurai.
My vote: 5.5/10 - boring and .. empty.
Warlords Takeda Shingen and. Uesugi Kenshin decide that they want each other's land. They mount a long offensive, which makes up the vast majority of the film.
A huge number of extras, horses, traditional costumes, which are put to NO USE at all as there is no story (aside from "i want to kill that guy"), exceptionally sparse dialogue, mediocre acting, and absolutely forgettable characters.
I mean, yeah, as a documentary, this wouldn't be bad. But that's it, this isn't a film in your traditional sense. There's no tension, no conflict between characters. We are given no reason to root for one or the other party, but are instead left to watch a long recreation of a medieval battle.
Film need some artifice to keep the viewer interested. They need a protagonist, and evil, villainous antagonist, a love interest, a battle against odds, character arcs, etc .. Of course, not every film needs to follow this formula, but Ten To Chi To not only foregoes traditional storytelling, but also uses only long camera shots, minimal dialogue(of really dubious quality), monotonous palette, barebones acting, and every fault you can pin on a director whose IMDb rating average is less than formidable.
I would not recommend this film. Pretty much every other film about the same time period is more interesting than this, it may not have hundreds of long-distance-shots of men on horses in it, but unless you reeally, really crave your Japanese recreationism, i would avoid Ten To Chi To.
Or, you know, watch something with a story, like The Last Samurai.
My vote: 5.5/10 - boring and .. empty.
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