Shōgun Review: 11 Ups & 2 Downs
8. Up: The Brief But Elegantly Lethal Action Sequences
As noted, much of Shōgun is more measured drama than violent actioner, but that doesn't mean it's without its brilliant use of the various samurai who populate the screen.
Aesthetically lithe and choreographed with a keen focus on character - where they are, what they're fighting for, where and who they want to be - the show's action sequences are bloody and often very brief, shocking audiences as much as those caught in the tumult.
Perhaps the best example of the show's action comes in just the second episode, when an assassin infiltrates the home of Lord Toranaga and silently, ruthlessly cuts her way through the warriors caught off guard by her presence. In episode nine, Mariko also has a particularly bracing stand-off with the guards of Lord Ishido.
These action beats are, yes, brief, but such is their power. And the way they're shot to look so exciting but also to amplify the current situations of the characters in play is nothing short of extraordinary. Watch closely and see their futures spelled out.