Martial Arts Madness: Hanzo the Razor: The Snare

By Paco McCullough

Hanzo the Razor: The Snare continues the legacy put forth by it’s preceding film, Sword of Justice, my Martial Arts Madness column from last week. This is both a good and a bad thing. The majority of the strengths I listed before (great setting, fun samurai action, and interesting traps) all return. Unfortunately, so do some major problems. The use of rape as an interrogation method continues in this film, as does the victim’s eventual enjoyment of it. I stated previously what a problem I have with the segments. Fortunately, they are shorter in this film than in Sword of Justice.

Martial Arts Madness: Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice (1972)

By Paco McCullough

I was really excited when Hanzo the Razor: Sword of Justice started. After opening to an epic 70s soundtrack and well built sets of feudal Japan. Things just got better when I recognized the actor who plays Hanzo, Shintaro Katsu, the star of the Zatoichi films and tv show. In this, the first film of a trilogy, Hanzo is a law officer in a small town who stands against corruption. An antihero in the mold of Dirty Harry, he breaks all the rules. To properly investigate the case, he must work with criminals and even commit criminal acts himself. Overall, these elements of the film are incredibly effective and fun. These more conventional samurai elements of the film all make this film worth recommending to fans of the genre.