Duel to the Death

In medieval China, China’s greatest swordsman Ching Wan and Japan’s greatest swordsman Hashimoto meet in a once-a-decade contest, but unbeknownst to Hashimoto, his Shogun has a secret agenda involving a ninja army.

If you’ve ever said to yourself “You know, this movie would be a lot better with some ninjas,” then this is the movie for you.

It’s got ninjas erupting out of sand, ninjas popping out of water, ninjas flying on giant kites, ninjas bursting out of trees, exploding ninjas, disappearing ninjas, naked ninjas—you name it. It’s even got a gestalt ninja.

That’s right—a ninja made of ninjas.

And it’s those ninjas that elevate Duel to the Death. Their bonkers insanity culminates with the ninja leader’s severed head saying “A Zen monk feels no pain,” before exploding. I loved it.

Contrasting that cartoonishness, the Ching Wan and Hashimoto story plays out with stoic determination. When the climactic battle arrives, the script demonstrates unexpected depth. Ching Wan proves reluctant to fight while circumstances have left Hashimoto with nothing but the fight.

We understand both men’s perspectives and recognize their mutual respect. It’s not a trite matter of good versus evil, but of equal masters fighting because they must. This imbues the finale with genuine tension. We care about both characters and the outcome is unsure. Rare in any film, let alone a martial arts entry.

I also loved the location photography. No generic soundstages. The battles happen on real beachfronts and forests. This enhances the visual effect of the ninjas exploding from the sand or trees. And the combats proffer lots of wide shots and interesting camera angles.

The Eureka Blu-ray looks fantastic. Aside from an establishing shot or two, the scan offers pristine clarity. So much that it betrays the wires and makeup seams in some shots. A minor nit.