Like all Kitamura films, there’s a common theme of good vs evil. The same is true of Aragami. Two samurai fall upon the doorstep of a temple, greeted by a woman. Only one wakes up, and realises that he’s alive. His friend is nowhere to be found, and he is met by the woman, and a strange looking man.

After a hearty meal, the man tells the surviving samurai that his friend had fallen and could not be saved. He begins to tell the innocent samurai of a tale about the Tengu. The Tengu is a creature that takes the form of a human, and lives to kill and eat humans. At least that’s the folklore; in this the Tengu is known as Aragami. Aragami is a warlord, but has grown despondent of war. He wishes to end his life. As you an probably guess, the tale of Aragami is not just a tale.

There’s not that much to say about Aragami, although it’s perhaps fair to state that this film is 70% sword action and 30% dialogue. The first part of the film is an entertaining and enjoyable conversation between Aragami and the samurai. While drinking a variety of drinks from around the world, the samurai slow observes the diversity of foreign objects in the temple. Gradually talked into listening an understand, he accepts his fate. It’s all carefully and subtly managed without seeming over zealous or too fast. It’s joyfully scripted, and a delight to watch the two discuss, argue and contemplate their situations.

The remainder of the film are a number of fights. There are still some very funny moments as Aragami tries to teach the samurai how to use a gun in the process of trying to kill him. It’s amusing and adds to the whole tongue-in-cheek nature of the characters. The female in the riles is a bit of a mystery and is only mentioned in the context that the duel is something she requires and Aragami is under her control. Little is explained, but it doesn’t really matter, as she’s barely in the film, and her only lines exist right at the very end of the film.

Kitamura manages to direct yet more sword fighting, and this is actually really rather good. The film is perhaps too dark and bleak at times, which makes viewing the duel a little more difficult sometimes. For the most part, the fights are very, very well choreographed, and definitely help pass the time by. The only duel that bored me a little was the one taking place in darkness, where you rarely see glimpses of a class. It’s all a bit of a cop out and fails to really grasp the viewer like the earlier duels.

Acting wise, the two leads are really great to watch. You feel for the samurai, who is now stuck in a situation which is not of his own making, but through trickery and deceit dressed in kindness. Aragami is a funny opponent, with a great sense of humour, and really well acted; the moody, brooding, death-bringer is brilliantly captured. The costumes and the set in which they duel both extravagant and really beautifully designed. Kitamura masterfully directs the action, with swooping cameras and mid-distance shots. It captures the tension and the speed of the battles sublimely.

Ultimately this is a film for boys, and for those who wish to simply watch fantasy sword fighting. You can’t question it’s realism, but it does provide some solid action and the clever delivery of some class one liners. The scene where the samurai is choosing a weapon, and Aragami gives him advice on what’s suitable and what’s not is close to rib-tickling; here’s a character that wants to die, but only through a fight, and he’s giving his opponent the best advice possible to execute him. Ironic, and clever.

With regards to this genre of film, it’s perhaps one of the better examples, and without question of Kitamura’s better executions. When he makes good films, they are really enjoyable, but when they’re bad, they’re God-awful. With Aragami, he’s managed to strike a nice balance of humour and action, with minimalism and understated atmosphere. It’s a fun film, and for the 78 minutes it runs, it provides some worthwhile, brainless thrills.

Considering that Kitamura challenged another director to make a film in a week, with a limited number of characters, and a single set, this is actually a pretty solid effort. The other film was 2DLK by director Yukihiko Tsutsumi, which came across as a Single White Female premise, and not half as fun as Kitamura’s effort.

Verdict: Fun, if shallow, actioner from the director of Versus. Humourous dialogue and wonderful sword play provide enjoyable escapism