It has been 10 years since director Josh C. Waller last helmed a movie, with him mostly serving as a producer in the time between then and now. In that decade he has been involved in some terrific genre fare, most notably Mandy (2018) and Color Out of Space (2019).
His last film as director was the action thriller Camino (2015), an action vehicle for Zoe Bell that turned out to be much more than just a typical actioner. This seemed to upset some viewers at the time who clearly just wanted a simple genre movie, whereas Waller crafted a film with some important things to say. That is before he eventually got to the blood and guts that action fans had been waiting for.
His latest directorial offering, the genre hybrid Lone Samurai, is very much the same. Rather than just being a simple, straightforward fight fest, Waller instead offers something slightly different than the norm. A simple description of Lone Samurai could be Akira Kurosawa mixed with Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto (2006), and while this may be somewhat apt, Waller makes Lone Samurai his own by not sticking to genre conventions.
In fact, Waller’s film is like having three films in one, with each third of the film being its own genre. That could turn some off, but it is this approach that leaves the film feeling unique. The opening informs us of some historical background, telling us how Japan has been fending off a Mongolian invasion, with the Mongolians being defeated due to typhoons.
It is one such typhoon that has caused our lead character, the titular Lone Samurai Riku (Shogen), to be washed ashore on a seemingly deserted island. Lying with a piece of ship through his leg and a Sword snapped in two, Riku is a broken man. For the next half hour, Waller takes a meditative approach, with the film purely focusing on Riku alone with the elements. With very little in the way of dialogue, we slowly see Riku’s sense of reality fade, with him having several hallucinations.
This section of the film could be the most polarizing, with it having no real narrative momentum. It is mostly just man and nature. Personally, this section was reminiscent of the works of Werner Herzog, having an almost dreamlike quality, with Waller taking full advantage of the beautiful locations, perfectly captured by ace cinematographer Noah Greenberg.
However, this slow approach is clearly intentional, as the film quickly changes into a full blown horror when Riku finds himself captured by a bunch of cave dwelling cannibals. This extreme tonal change may be too much for some, but this juxtaposition from the almost tranquil first 30 minutes is shockingly effective, with the ensuing scenes of brutality bringing to mind the likes of Ruggero Deodato’s Cannibal Holocaust (1980), albeit with better production values.
Lone Samurai is notable as being the first production from Uwais Team, the production company founded by The Raid (2011) leading man Iko Uwais. As well as being one of the film’s executive producers, Uwais’ stunt team were involved in the film’s action. Other than a brief fight during the opening moments, the majority of the film’s action comes in the film’s final third.
Uwais’ involvement, as well as featuring a co-starring role from Yayan Ruhian, brings about certain expectations, ones that Lone Samurai are unable to meet. The level of action is significantly lower than any of Uwais starring vehicles such as The Raid or The Night Comes for Us (2018), which will surely disappoint some. On the other hand, I doubt that it was the filmmaker’s intention to emulate the likes of those films.
The level of action on display here is totally in line with the story being told, with the action choreography being more tailored to the abilities of its characters. Whilst the fight choreography is well done, it is much more of the hack and slash variety rather than the more elaborate Silat that is seen in Uwais’ other films.
As expected, there are some flashier moves on display once Ruhian enters the fray, with his one on one against Shogen being one of the film’s most notable set pieces. Fans of Ruhian may be unhappy that he is only afforded one fight scene, but Ruhian makes the most of it. Outside of the action, Ruhian fares considerably well. With little in the way of dialogue, Ruhian instead allows his facial expressions to speak for him. One particularly impressive scene has Shogen’s Riku taking down multiple opponents in a smoke filled forest, where rather than just solely focus on the action, Waller instead cuts to a long shot of Ruhian’s face where we see his realization that this is no ordinary man that he is up against.
In regards to the film’s leading man, I must admit I wasn’t really aware of Shogen prior to Lone Samurai. Upon checking his filmography, I recognized several titles he has appeared in, but even then my recollection of him would be considered vague at best.
The role of Riku could be a daunting task, with director Waller asking a lot from his leading man. The majority of Lone Samurai rests upon Shogen’s shoulders, especially the first third when he’s the sole focus. The wrong actor could have toppled the entire film but luckily for Waller, the casting of Shogen worked out perfectly.
Riku isn’t a role that gives many opportunities for the delivery of memorable dialogue. It’s a more internal performance, with Shogen initially appearing to be a typical stoic Samurai type. It’s only as the film progresses we get more of an insight into his character, with it becoming obvious that this damaged warrior only really comes alive in the heat of battle. Other than the brief flashbacks, the only time we get to see Riku smile is when he is inflicting harm upon others. As the film progresses it becomes more obvious that while he is an honorable man, he isn’t necessarily a hero.
Rama Ramadhan as the film’s main antagonist Boar also makes quite the impression. Typically Ramadhan works as a stuntman, with this being his first proper acting role. Boar is full of ego and bluster, but he shows when the time comes that he can back it up with some impressive fighting skills. As well as acting in front of the camera, Ramadhan was also involved in the fight choreography along with Erik Rukmanila and Yandi Sutisna, with Faisal Rachman being the overall action choreographer.
As mentioned, the action may not be up to the lofty heights of other films Iko Uwais has been involved with, but there is more than enough well crafted action here to keep genre fans happy.
Speaking of the performances and action, it would be remiss of me not to mention composer Bartek Gliniak’s score, which works beautifully at setting the mood of the film. Perfectly understated when it needs to be, it brings to mind old school Chanbara mixed with modern influences.
I have noted some reviews online being disappointed that Lone Samurai wasn’t the film they expected it to be rather than judging it for what it is. Of course, I do agree that tonally the film is something of a mishmash, but this is ultimately what makes Lone Samurai such a good time. It gives the film a sense of unease, as the audience is never fully clear on what to expect next. Personally, it comes as a definite recommendation and another in a long line of quality action films to be released from Well Go USA.
Lone Samurai is due to be released on the 12th of December 2025 in select cinemas and digitally.
Plot: 4/5
Acting: 4.5/5
Action: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5
