Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (1978) Kumokiri Nizaemon | Region-Free (Blu-Ray) | Hideo Gosha

Presented in 1080p with English subtitles

Title: Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (1978)

Alternate Title: Kumokiri Nizaemon

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama

Plot Synopsis:
Set in feudal Japan, the film follows Kumokiri Nizaemon, a former samurai who becomes the leader of a notorious gang of thieves. Disillusioned with the samurai class, Nizaemon orchestrates a daring plan to rob his former clan’s castle, leading to a high-stakes confrontation between his bandits and the samurai forces.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Hideo Gosha
• Writers:
  • Kaneo Ikegami
  • Shōtarō Ikenami (novel)
• Cast:
  • Tatsuya Nakadai as Kumokiri Nizaemon
  • Shima Iwashita as Chiyo
  • Kōshirō Matsumoto as Shikubu Abe
  • Keiko Matsuzaka as Shino
  • Teruhiko Aoi as Priest Rokunosuke

IMDb Link:
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (1978)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Jeremy_Urquhart – ★★★☆☆
   “Pretty good, but definitely too long. How can you go wrong with a violent, sleazy, unapologetically dramatic and surprisingly beautiful Japanese action movie called Bandits vs Samurai Squadron? Well, you can make it an extravagant 163 minutes long I guess, ensuring that it certainly overstays its welcome and meanders a bit in places, and is far from a ‘great’ movie overall.”
2. Chris – ★★★★☆
   “A sprawling, epic samurai film that delves deep into the complexities of honor and betrayal. Tatsuya Nakadai delivers a powerful performance as always.”
3. Mason – ★★★☆☆
   “While the film boasts impressive battle sequences and strong performances, its lengthy runtime hampers the pacing. Nonetheless, it’s a must-watch for fans of the genre.”

Meta Description:
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (1978), also known as Kumokiri Nizaemon, is a Japanese action-adventure drama directed by Hideo Gosha. The film stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Kumokiri Nizaemon, a former samurai who leads a gang of thieves in a daring heist against his former clan’s castle. The narrative explores themes of honor, betrayal, and the blurred lines between outlaws and samurai.