Gohatto (1999)

Gohatto stars Beat Takeshi (Battle Royale) as the head of a samurai training academy and militia set in mid-18th Japan. The film is something of an enigma and also a curiosity. The acting, photography and martial arts are first rate. But, I couldn't help but feel a little empty by the end of it. For some reason, the excellent parts don't add up to a satisfactory whole.

The story revolves around a young recruit to a samurai academy. He turns out to be homosexual and, (in no small part thanks to his effeminate looks and nature), soon has a bevvy of sex-starved men chasing him.

To reveal more would spoil the plot, but the final 10 minutes of the film are rather open-ended and ambiguous. It is hard to determine whether this is deliberate or just that the director and writer ran out of steam. It's alright if you don't mind leaving a film without the loose ends being neatly tied up  however, with Gohatto I felt somewhat cheated and wanting more.

On balance, I would recommend Gohatto with the caveat that it is challenging in theme and ambiguity.

Of all the work of his that I've seen, I would recommend Takeshi's directorial work, Dolls - a film that is poignant, reflective and lush.

There's an interesting, in-depth analysis of Gohatto here.

Rating: 7.5/10

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