Onmyoji: The Yin Yang Master
Pioneer Entertainment (USA) L.P. | Release Date: April 18, 2003 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
53
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
5
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Emerges as an epic tale of love, sacrifice and redemption that attains a Shakespearean aura of grandeur and nobility of spirit. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Superior summer entertainment. Read full review
80
L.A. WeeklyHazel-Dawn Dumpert
Film is a ghostly and gorgeous tale of a court magician, the legendary Abe no Seimei. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
It clearly wants to be more, but it's failed by its lightweight leads. Read full review
63
Chicago TribunePatrick Z. McGavin
The movie is rich with detail, characters and a specific historical context, even if its narrative is incoherent. But its cheap, gauzy veneer and primitive special effects are fun on their own terms. Read full review
60
VarietyRobert Koehler
The effects prove extremely uneven, with sub-par touches alongside astonishing and truly unforgettable shots. Read full review
60
The New York TimesDave Kehr
Has the sense of gritty, practical politics of a Japanese samurai epic combined with the high-flying stunt work and magical special effects of a Hong Kong romp. Ultimately this film by Yojiro Takita is satisfying on neither level, but not for lack of trying. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
The quality of the CGI-heavy special effects is variable and Nomura's fey performance as Seimei gives his relationship with Hiromasa a distinctly homoerotic cast that may or may not be intentional, but the demon zombies and Doson's cackling familiar are crowd pleasers. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
The film de-emphasizes plot and action in favor of lyricism and outbursts of magic-doing, but the results are more dull than enchanting, no matter how many people fly across the room. Read full review
40
Village VoiceMary Jacobi
Succeeds in visual splendor (it was shot on location in Kyoto) but falls flat on characterization. Read full review
25
New York PostV.A. Musetto
Every once in a while the old-fashioned costume drama comes alive, only to sink again into run-of-the-mill special effects and long periods of talkative tedium. Read full review
25
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
The moments of action are interspersed with lengthy plot developments that are hard to follow. Read full review
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