I just finished watching the Japanese film Harakiri for the first time and I’m happy to say it has become one of my favourite films already. Everything about this film is so well crafted and put together to create an extremely entertaining and suspenseful two hours.
First of all, the performances by all the actors are fantastic, especially the main actor who plays Hanshiro. He makes the sorrow and anger the character feels almost palpable and his perfectly performed monologues elevate this film into greatness. All the other actors were clearly very talented and they were obviously passionate about this production as they give it their all.
The set design and costumes made the film feel so realistic that I was fully immersed in the world for the full two hours and thanks to the pacing and constant plot twists, the film felt much more shorter than it actually is. The plot is exciting and engaging all the way through without any boring moments that pull me out of the experience.
The characters are interesting and likeable. Hanshiro is a man who has lost everything thanks to the brutal reality of the samurai nature. This makes viewers root for him and want him to triumph against the antagonists, even though we know it’s hopeless. The counsellor of the house is a good antagonist, he represents the cruelty and cowardice at the heart of the samurai code of honour. Hanshiro’s family is likeable too, which makes is even more upsetting when they meet their demise.
The theme of this film is the lies and hypocrisy found within the samurai ideals and code of honour. The great noble house which constantly compliments itself on its honour and dignity made a man kill himself with a bamboo sword without even asking why he was trying to get charity off them. The main character who only wants an apology for this (the man was his adopted son) is killed in a cowardly way after he proves to be more than a match for the famous swordsmen working for the house. The days events are covered up and the house refuses to admit their wrongdoing. A grim and brutal ending but one that gets its point across.
The score really added to this film’s numerous merits too. For most of the runtime it’s very subdued but when a climactic moment is being shown it becomes more intense and booming. It made the fight sense more suspenseful and made the emotional moments more heartbreaking than they already were.
Overall, I believe Harakiri to be a masterpiece. With its brilliant performances, engaging and well paced plot, immersive set design and costume work, likeable characters and harsh criticism of samurai culture, this film is a must-see.