Mibu Gishi Den

When the Last Sword Is Drawn

(Japan, 2003, 143 minutes)

In 19th century Japan, as the Shogun era is coming to an end, a rural samurai in financial difficulties abandons his clan to head to the city and join the mercenary Shinsengumi samurai militia. Dull, interminable saga that has very little of the expected samurai action and resolves itself into a narratively awkward, manipulative weepie, indifferently filmed; only the acting remains of any interest. 

Shochiku presents a When The Last Sword Is Drawn Film Partners production. Starring Kiichi Nakai, Koichi Sato, Miki Nakatani, Yui Natsukawa, Yuji Miyake. Directed by Yojiro Takita; produced by Hideji Miyajima, Nozomu Enoki; screenplay by Takehiro Nakajima, based on the novel by Jiro Asada, Mibu Gishi Den; music by Joe Hisaishi; director of photography (colour), Takeshi Hamada; production designer, Kyoko Heya; film editors, Isao Tomita, Nobuko Tomita.