The 100th film by master director Takashi Miike (“13 Assassins,” “Audition”), “Blade of the Immortal” is one blood soaked, gory affair. Following an epic battle, samurai swordsman Manji (Takuya Kimura) is given the “gift” of immortality by an old woman who infects him with blood worms. Flash forward 50 years, Manji is approached by a young girl named Rin (Hana Sugisaki), who seeks revenge for the murder of her parents.
“Blade of the Immortal” is a wild ride. And while the film is a lot of bloody fun, the narrative is lacking in coherence requiring the viewer to take notes to keep up with the story threads. But Miike’s visuals have to be appreciated as Manji does battle with constantly inventive weaponry against an array of increasingly ridiculous, but entertaining foes. If only I cared about any of the characters the graphic displays would have had greater impact. Still, those displays are worth the price of admission.