* Image is for illustrative purposes only.John Wick: Chapter 4
ジョン・ウィック:コンセクエンス
A 2023 action film directed by Chad Stahelski, the fourth installment in the John Wick series. The katana duel between Hiroyuki Sanada's Shimazu, manager of the Osaka Continental, and Donnie Yen's blind assassin Caine, was widely praised as one of the series' finest sequences.
Description
Overview
John Wick: Chapter 4 is a 2023 action film directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves. It is the fourth entry in the John Wick series. It was released in Japanese cinemas on September 22 of the same year. The story follows the legendary hitman John Wick, who is relentlessly hunted by the assassin organization the High Table, as he fights a final battle for his freedom. With worldwide box office earnings exceeding $400 million, it became the biggest hit in the series.
Katana Duel in Osaka
In the middle of the film, a series of sequences unfolds at the Continental Hotel in Osaka. Hiroyuki Sanada plays Shimazu, the hotel's manager, who is depicted as a swordsman wielding a Japanese sword (katana). Donnie Yen plays Caine, a blind assassin. After his own daughter's life is taken hostage, Caine is forced to hunt John Wick, and he storms into the hotel. While Shimazu's daughter Akira (played by singer Rina Sawayama) evacuates the hotel's guests, a one-on-one duel between Shimazu and Caine comes to pass. Shimazu's Japanese sword clashes with the steel blade that Caine conceals in his sword cane. The characterization of Caine, the blind swordsman, is said to be modeled on the blind swordsman of the Japanese film series Zatoichi.
Commitment to Sword Choreography
In an interview, Hiroyuki Sanada said that the sword choreography for this duel was carefully crafted so that the characters' emotions appear in each individual movement, attack, and defense. He also stated that Shimazu's loyalty derives from bushido. The fight scenes, which combine Caine's blindness with Shimazu's swordsmanship, were highly praised by many film media outlets as one of the top highlights in the entire series.
Reception and Response
The film received high praise from critics, and on Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of critics gave it a positive review. The sword choreography of the Osaka sequence has continued to be cited since its release as one of the peaks of Japanese sword depiction in Hollywood action films.
Real Swords Featured
Homage to Period Films
Screenwriter Michael Finch has said that director Stahelski drew inspiration from Zatoichi and various other films, and Caine, the blind assassin played by Donnie Yen, is said to be a character modeled on the blind swordsman of the Zatoichi series. The very subject of a one-on-one duel with Japanese swords is one example of how overseas filmmakers have repeatedly chosen it as a means of expressing respect for Japanese sword culture and bushido.
See authentic Japanese swords
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This page is intended to introduce Japanese sword culture and is not affiliated with any of the works mentioned.