BLIND FURY

The west takes over one of the great myths of the chanbara in 26 episodes, readapted in 2003 by Takeshi Kitano, the one from “Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman”. From the start, “Blind Fury” restrains from each Nipponism by turning his hero into a blind Vietnam veteran, initiated by several locals in the art of sword fighting. Back in the US and armed with his disguised crutch, he defends the weak with modesty but efficiency. The humor that was already present in the original Zatoichi series gets a modern twist (i.e. he drives a car in a crowded city center), and Blind Fury” stays nicely down to earth. Rutger Hauer, Paul Verhoeven's fetish actor, is believable and delivers, according to himself, his most powerful performance. For the occasion, he worked together with blind actor and judo champion Lynn Manning, who gave him the advice, “I don't let myself get blindsided”.