Impressive swordplay marks a Japanese spaghetti Western that is also Takeshi Kitano's first period film. Following the success of Hanna-Bi and Dolls, Kitano chooses to make a dark comedy homage to the character of Zatoichi, made famous by Shintano Katsu in a series of films between 1962 and 1989.

A wanderer (Beat Takeshi) walks into town. He looks like an old man; he's blind, hunched and carries a cane. Easy prey to any mugger, you'd think, but swiftly realise that Zatoichi has the wizardry of the samurai. His cane is also a sword and, although blind, he has wonderful precision and uses his other senses, in addition to poise and balance, to dispose of his foes - a master at work, who is also humble out of it.

In a remote mountain town, the local gang has hired a Ronin, their own young pedigree warrior, to use deft swordsmanship as an enforcer. Zatoichi is an outsider, as are two geisha girls (a brother and sister - the brother posing as a geisha), who seem gentle, but are out for revenge on murderous thugs.

A mixture of deft swordplay, rich and liberal bloodletting and occasional black humour, the film pays homage to the samurai genre, as well as to the legendary Akira Kurasawa. It's also an impressive departure for Kitano.

Winner of the Silver Lion at Venice 2003 and a People's Choice award at Toronto, Katoichi won't suit all, being openly gory in places and having a story that isn't always engaging enough. However, it's hard not to admire the wonderful swordplay - the ending is pretty much guessable from the start, but before that, there are plenty of bouts where the Ronin and the Wanderer can demonstrate their skills and show perfect timing at slicing opponents with body blows that would make stronger men shudder.