Rating: 4.0

Ultimately lacking in great cinematography or even much of a plot, the name of the game is to excite the audience in as many ways possible.

Kitano directs with his usual quirky measured style punctuating the narrative with his classic odd ball humour.

‘Zen of Sword’ has plenty of plot twists, but not so much as to make it convoluted. Performances are good, and the action handled primarily by Philip Kwok pleases.

While those unfamiliar with its history may find fault with the now-dated effects, it remains a credit to everyone involved that ‘Zu’ still looks fresh almost 20 years after it was first conceived.