Heaven and Earth (1990)

Better Late Then Never

A Brilliant Conflict

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

This is primarily a film for hardcore Samurai film buffs. But that's it. About a half hour into the movie you sort of just realize that NOTHING IS HAPPENING. They build up to battles and NOTHING HAPPENS. Nami dies but they don't tell you why because NOTHING HAPPENS. The battle scenes are oversold by the write ups I've seen. The sword play is lacking in skill and excitement and the battles are just skirmishes. When the big battle finally happens, it is handled clumsily and slow. Takeda sends in reinforcements and they turn out to be a bunch of chicks beating a huge drum, on a platform carried by unarmed dudes who march past some riflemen who gun them down. Some attack! This film is NOT Braveheart or Last Samurai. If you want to see Samurai fighting watch "The Seven Samurai" or "Throne of Blood" or "Ran". Disappointing for all but the most eager Samurai fans. 3 out of 10.

This movie has great battle scenes--large, intense and seemingly real. The clash between the red and black colored armies is a visual treat. The problem is that for as great as these scenes are, the film lags greatly on the personal level. The dialog just seems as if it is being filmed at a great emotional distance--and OFTEN, the scenes are actually filmed at a pretty great physical distance. If the movie could have been re-edited with new writing and direction for the non-spectacular scenes, it might achieve greatness. Otherwise, it just seems a little too cold and distant to become engaging. In this sense, it looks, at times, more like a documentary on the History Channel more than a film about PEOPLE and events.

I happened to get a chance to see Ten To Chi To or Heaven And Earth, as we knew it here, on the big screen when it debuted in Calgary in the spring of 1990. After having worked many long hours on the movie for a good part of the late summer in 1989 as one of the 2000 Samurai infantry extras, it was amazing to see the finished product on the big screen. As mentioned in one of the earlier reviews, for fans of the Samurai movie genre, this is a must see. The large battle scenes are spectacular.Trivia note. Actor Ken Watanabe was originally cast as one of the lead actors in Heaven and Earth. While filming Ken was diagnosed with acute myelogenic leukemia, a life-threatening disease of the bone marrow, that put an end to his part in the movie. Ken had to return to Japan for treatment that kept him away acting for a few years. He came back in 1994 only to have a relapse, but once again battled back. Ken has been nominated for Best Actor in a supporting role at this year's Academy Awards for his outstanding performance as Katsumoto in The Last Samurai. I wish him all the best! BTW, I was one of a handful of extras who worked all through the filming from July to early Sepetebmber 1989, here in Alberta. During the last few days of filming there was only about 50 or so of us left. On the final day, final scene, a Saturday afternoon IIRC, some production people came around and handed each of us a cold beer. Director Haruki Kadokawa came out and toasted us. He smiled and said, "Very long. Very hard. Thank you!"

This movie has been one that I've been searching for years. It has left that kind of impression on me. The story and historical value of this movie has allowed me to visualize a better understanding of those feudal times.The only problem is that I'm still searching to obtain a copy. If you have any ideas where to look, it would be greatly appreciated.