Plots(1)
When winds of change sweep Japan, overthrowing three centuries of Shogunate Rule, Gonzo, a peasant, enlists in the Imperial Restoration Force, which promises to abolish the oppressive practices of the past. When the advance guard approaches his old hometown, he convinces his commander to let him ride ahead and prepare the locals for the advent of the New World Order.
When he triumphantly rides into town wearing the Red Lion Mane of Office he borrowed from his commander, he expects a warm welcome, but gets far more than he bargained for. His friends think he's going to save them, the incompetent local officials think he's after their heads, a secret band of Shogunate fanatics want him dead, and he can't even read his own proclamations!
(official distributor synopsis)
Reviews (1)
An interesting and modernly shot historical film about wartime events that gave birth to modern Japan and destroyed the medieval Japanese shogunate with its samurai traditions and archaic customs. Its structure is interesting because it begins as a comedic story, when an uneducated soldier named Gonzo, a member of the imperial army, is sent as an advance party to his hometown to prepare for the smooth entry of imperial units. However, under the pressure of events and in order to draw attention to himself, he takes on the role of protector of the oppressed and arouses hopes for a better future, which collapse after the new rulers seize power. The film, which started as a comedy, gradually turns into a bloody tragic massacre and ends with the complete disillusionment of the survivors and the trampling of revolutionary ideals. Overall impression: 80%.
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Gallery (13)
Photo © Toho Company
![Red Lion - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/000/142/142920_4fd825.jpg)