Destiny's Son

A classic samurai flick that isn't particularly remarkable, but benefits from a relatively short runtime and some decent cinematography. It's certainly not my favorite Japanese cinema niche and Destiny's Son doesn't do much to change that, but I've seen a lot worse.

When the wife of a lord kills his concubine, thinking it's the only way to save her clan, a string of fateful events is set in motion. The lord is forced to kill his wife and vows to become a monk, while his son is sent to a foster family. His son grows up to be a very skilled swordsman, when he finally learns about his past he sets out to find his father.

The film is quite peaceful, considering the somewhat tragic plot. Stark framing, gentle camera work and a soothing soundtrack result in a surprisingly subdued film. The story isn't all that interesting though and there's more drama than action, which makes that the limited runtime is a real blessing. Not terrible, but not very memorable either.