Writer: Casey Lee

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Watch this if you liked: "Rurouni Kenshin"

The Good, the Bad and the Inferno:

Sometimes it's easy to please the fan of a source material being adapted. Not all adaptations need the level of thought being put in a Marvel movie, when all they just want to see is a cast with likeness to their favourite characters and touching base with the pivotal narrative touchstones. Do that and it is enough for the fans to give their blessings to the adapters to try whatever they want, as long as it does not step on lines they shouldn't cross. While director Keishi Ohtomo does win the same fan approval as he did in his first live-action adaptation, "Kyoto Inferno" does serve its own firewood to be burned as the less memorable hell it intends to raise in the two-part finale it belongs to.

Without much connection to the previous installment, the story resumes with Himura Kenshin comfortably settling into the domestic life; boarding and helping out in Kaoru's dojo that has been reinvigorated with a new batch of apprentices. As Kenshin's past atrocities gradually fades into legend (to the point of being a theatrical parody), Kenshin receives an unsettling summon from the Home Minister of the new Meiji government, which have been having trouble to establish itself as the order of the day. Central to the problem, as Kenshin learns, is due to one Shishio Makoto; an assassin who was thought to have been killed at the turn of the revolution that paved the way for the new government. Returning with an army of dishonoured samurais and bloodthirsty mercenaries, with even larger ambitions to burn down the new Japan, Kenshin is asked to renounce his vows of never to kill again, and put an end to Shishio's mad dreams of plunging Japan into its bloodstained past.

While Ohtomo still adheres much to the source material as the building blocks to appease the fans, there are whispers of a directorial voice wanting to be heard that has disproportionate ways of sticking to the wall. One of which that falls off though is the insertion of a more gritty tone that Ohtomo tries to prey on Kenshin's killer instincts, but it is unable to escape from the confines of the adaptation. As we sink into the gritty melodrama of seeing the widows and children cry over the corpses left by Shishio's cruelty, we are reeled back into the realm when the towering hairdo of Cho the Swordhunter would not bat an eye in 16th century Japan.

Not that the small voices Ohtomo goes unappreciated. His control of the larger scale set pieces (like that fiery opening scene) makes a strong impression of his credentials as to why he is suited for the job. These impressively crafted visuals, when roused by a pumping score from Naoki Sato, fits in the epic scale that fans attribute this beloved arc to their imagination. The most definite upgrade it has from the previous installment is the decision to go for a more realistic combat (with a sparring use of wires), rather than dodging them with effects. While there is much padding of plot development to slice through, the lightning fast and relentless sword and fist fights choreographed by Tanigaki Kenji easily reaps the most gratification, if we are kept wanting more to the end.

However, if "Kyoto Inferno" is the metaphor for the planned ruse, then "Kyoto Inferno" is a successful one; a diversion that can come out unsatisfying in retrospect, and could have used much less of its over two hour long runtime to leave more room to build up the hasty setup and rushed cliffhanger. The strategy of hoarding many of the main events (and adversaries) carries its own risks, and it is worrisome if the final installment would be able to cramp the remaining juicy bits in less than 3 hours. In that regard, "Kyoto Inferno" is more of a scapegoat rather than a strong prelude, but it's tempting dangling is too hard for fans to resist. Fortunately, as the credit rolls to the rocking theme song by One OK Rock, they are rest assured that they wouldn't need to wait long for the grand finale.

Look Out For:

The fight scene between Aoshi and Nenji.

Trivia:

"Kyoto Inferno" was shot in 11 prefectures across Japan with more than 5,000 extras involved.

Best Watched With:

Fans of the manga/anime.

Cinema Online, 11 November 2014