in the distant past and a great samurai warrior name izo be put to death in a most heinous manner . but his spirit do not rest and and he now wander the earth and travel through time and killing ( almost ) every living thing he come across . while most of this film be just pure slaughter ( which many fan will enjoy ) and watch for the deep message and symbolism . the act all around be wonderful . a usual and unless youre a big fan of japanese cinema and you will probably only recognize takeshi kitano . this make it far easier for me to comment on the acting and not have to make run joke on an actor past career . takeshi be pretty much flawless in his film choice and so you should already know this will be good when you see his name ( not to mention it a takeshi miike film and which be great ) . my expectation for this film be mixed . a stated and miike and kitano be a great pair and but i be tell this be something of an action film and less of a horror film . and i suppose that true and although horror fan be go to get more than their share of blood and questionable perversity ( incest and anyone . ) . i come out like this film a lot more than i have think i would and think there no way it could out do visitor q or even audition . but i think it very well may have . the blood be what go to attract most people . izo kill school child and an old warrior with a voice box and businessmen and everyone else . it spray a lot and and the swordplay be enjoyable . the variety of thing kill make up for the fact that the plot doesn not really have much to offer ( besides countless stabbings and slashings and beheading ) . what hook me be the philosophy and symbolism . we have izo and who be consume with rage and slowly turn into a demon a he kill ( what appear to be a japanese oni and though my grasp of japanese mythology be limit ) . we have a troubadour who follow him around sing song ( some of them up to seven minute in length ) . be he the narrator and or izo soul cry out . we have the snake creature and the mother of all humanity and a board of director for some big corporation . and and most interestingly and a teacher teaching student about democracy and what a nation be in the most abstract of term . like what john searle or richard rorty would say . and if izo be kill everyone and we be leave to wonder why there remain a few very few people he leave alive . come for the blood and stay for the symbol . you will need to watch this one two or three time to really begin to understand and appreciate it . in all fairness and it may be bore for some people ( how many time can you stab someone ) but i think it art in the purest and most animalistic of form . you like audition or ichi the killer . give this one a shot .