excerpt, more at my location - Japanese cinema is known for producing many things from classic monster movies (Godzilla; 1954) to even more classic samurai epics – Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954), Throne Of Blood (1957) and Yojimbo (1961), to name just three – and most recently, supernatural J-Horror such as The Ring (1998), The Grudge (2002) and Dark Water (2002). However, Shimako Sato's latest feature (her first in over ten years) is none of these, and offers a very different vantage on an increasingly popular national cinema.
K-20: The Legend Of The Black Mask is ultimately a disposable, yet highly enjoyable romp: think Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) made as a costumed action-adventure serial. Deep down, there's nothing particularly new here but the film works on sheer bravado, nostalgia and entertainment value alone. Worth a look.
K-20: The Legend Of The Black Mask is ultimately a disposable, yet highly enjoyable romp: think Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) made as a costumed action-adventure serial. Deep down, there's nothing particularly new here but the film works on sheer bravado, nostalgia and entertainment value alone. Worth a look.