Taboo
Seen it?1999 | 100 min | Drama, History, Thriller
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (71% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and history buffs. If you loved The Silence of the Lambs, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 40 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Set during Japan's Shogun era, this film looks at life in a samurai compound where young warriors are trained in swordfighting. A number of interpersonal conflicts are brewing in the training room, all centering on a handsome young samurai named Sozaburo Kano. The school's stern master can choose to intervene, or to let Kano decide his own path.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
71% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.6 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 18K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Nagisa Ōshima
- Takeshi KitanoToshizo Hijikata
- Ryuhei MatsudaSozaburo Kano
- Tadanobu AsanoHyozo Tashiro
- Yōichi SaiIsami Kondo
- Shinji TakedaOkita Sōji
- Susumu TerajimaSpy
- Tomorowo TaguchiSamurai Tojiro Yuzawa
- Yoji TanakaSamurai executed by Kanô
- Kei SatōNarrator (voice)
- Jiro Sakagami