Goemon review

In 16th-Century Japan, master thief Goemon becomes embroiled in a power struggle when a mysterious box falls into his possession.

Yôsuke Eguchi plays the Robin Hood-like title role more Errol Flynn than Russell Crowe – a vaguely camp bounder – and the mix of romance, adventure and hokey comedy is pure summer blockbuster.

Don’t expect the elegant acrobatics of other period martial arts movies; instead, fashion photographer turned-director Kazuaki Kiriya gives us anime-style blood splatter and CGI landscapes.

More garish than stylish, Goemon is best viewed on a screen the size of a small country.