If you like 80's fantasy movies you'll love this

kevn57

The film opens on a bloody battlefield, Kentei year 3048, the battle is over but the slaughter of the fallen continues the conquering general Lord Kagemitsu enters a sealed temple of 48 demons, the Hell Shrine. Kagemitsu makes a deal with the demons to give them 48 parts of his newborn son's body in return the demons are to make Kagemitsu the ruler of the world. The mutilated baby has survived and twenty years later he's looking to take back those body parts as he travels the world slaying demons. His name is Hyakkimaru and he's played by Tsumabuki Satoshi (Orange Days, ), Shibasaki Kou (Galileo, Orange Days) plays Dororo, another victim of the long war Kagemitsu has waged, it's cost her family and home she joins him as he travels battling demons, regaining body parts. Her ultimate aim is to use his demon slaying sword to assassinate Kagemitsu.

The story is based on a manga by the incredible Osamu Tezuka, and the stars of Orange Days, who couldn't have stepped into more different roles. From the sophisticated Detective Utsumi in Galileo to the ragtag thief in Dororo, she great in the role of comic relief and she does her work perfectly. After Hyakkimaru slays the first demon, Dororo is covered in a shower of blood. This happens to her countless times throughout the movie to her frustration. The special effects range from pretty good to fairly bad, one particularly poor effect was demon that reminded me of a man sized rubber-suited Godzilla. Spotty effects aside the film is loads of fun, never taking itself too seriously this is like a Fritz Leiber Fafhrd And Gray Mouser tale brought to film. If you like 80's fantasy movies like Conan, Sword and the Sorcerer, or Deathstalker give this movie a try. If you prefer High Fantasy like Lord of the Rings give this a pass and try the Korean TV drama The Legend instead.

score /10

kevn57 26 January 2008

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1808086/