Fighting fate, demons and daddy - Dororo (2007)

LIVINGJSTYLEDVDREVIEW

War is rife throughout Japan as warlords tear the country apart fighting for supremacy. Wounded and facing certain defeat, Lord Daigo seeks refuge in a temple dedicated to 48 demons. In the darkness the ambitious Daigo (Kiichi Nakai, Owlﾕs Castle and Warriors of Heaven and Earth) strikes a deal at the highest price. In return for the power and revenge he craves, he will give the 48 demons his soon-to-be-born child to be divided among them. Dororo is the story of that forsaken child, Hyakkimaru, as he reaches adulthood.

Hyakkimaru is played by the ever-popular and handsome Satoshi Tsumabuki, who pulls off some pretty good action scenes. He is joined early in the movie by Dororo (Kou Shibasaki), a young girl battling her own demons. Surviving in a tough world through petty theft, Dororo attaches herself to Hyakkimaru on his higher quest to find his own identity.
Filmed in New Zealand, Dororo is based on a manga of the same name by the great Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astroboy and Leo. For those used to Astroboy, donﾕt expect the fluffy characters and clear-cut moral themes associated with the cute robot. Dororo is more like Tezukaﾕs dark work Blackjack, though the film does have its lighter moments.
The fight scenes in Dororo are impressive and would not look out of place in Monkey Magic. Tinting and lighting give the film an odd, ﾒother-worldlyﾓ feel that adds to the story as it unfolds. Dororo, like a lot of Japanese movies, does not end as you would expect and hints at the Buddhist influences in Osamuﾕs work. If you are looking for a movie to keep you in on a Friday or Saturday night, Dororo would fit the bill.