A useful but uneven turn from Yoshinari Nishikôri

Yoshinari Nishikôri's contribution as Director gives Tatara Samurai (2017) a more specific texture. The performance has a clear idea behind it, but the execution is not equally strong throughout. It supports the film well enough, though it rarely changes the temperature of a scene. I appreciated the intention more than every individual moment. There is some texture here, but I wanted a little more surprise. A few scenes feel specific and grounded, while others fall back on familiar choices. That overall aftertaste is what stayed with me after the credits.