The Legend & Butterfly

One of Otomo's weakest films to date. He's known to make big blockbuster epics, so it's not that my expectations were off, but they tend to come with an edge. An edge that is pretty much absent here. The Legend & Butterfly was a bit too soft and sentimental for my taste, especially considering its runtime.

An arranged marriage to bring two neighboring countries closer together ends up an unsurmountable challenge for the unfortunate couple, who really can't stand each other. When their country is under attack, Oda despairs as his military power doesn't seem able to withstand the enemy. But then his wife comes to his aid and together they draw up a plan to defend their borders.

The back and forth between the couple isn't too interesting, the battles are very oldskool (they reminded me of Kurosawa's work, which in my book isn't positive) and the runtime is excessive. There are still some interesting scenes and the performances are solid, but Otomo can do a lot better.