Priest of Darkness: A messy, beautiful chain reaction

Should you watch Priest of Darkness? If you dig old-school cinema that doesn't care about being polished and actually lets its characters be messy, then yes. If you need a fast-paced thriller where every plot point is wrapped up in a tidy bow, you’re probably gonna hate this. It’s got that specific, dusty charm that reminds me of The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg in how it treats its characters like real, flawed people rather than plot devices.

The whole thing kicks off because some shopkeeper gets greedy. He steals a knife from a samurai. It’s such a dumb, human mistake, right? The kind of thing that makes you want to reach into the screen and shake the guy. From there, the movie just kind of snowballs. It isn't interested in being grand or epic. It’s just interested in how one bad choice makes everyone else's life miserable.

There’s a scene about midway through where the tension just… sits there. It lingers way longer than a modern editor would ever allow. It’s almost awkward, but that’s why I liked it. It feels real. You can feel the characters sweating, not just from the heat, but from the realization that they’ve stepped into something way bigger than their little shop or their pride.

Setsuko Hara is, well, she’s fantastic as usual. She has this way of saying nothing while saying absolutely everything with her eyes. There’s a moment where she just watches someone walk away, and you can tell she’s already figured out how the rest of the week is gonna go to hell. It’s those small, quiet beats that stick with you, not the sword-swinging stuff.

The pacing is a bit of a disaster, honestly. It slows down when you want it to move, and it speeds up during parts that feel like they needed a bit more breathing room. It’s not a perfect movie. Sometimes it feels like the director just let the camera roll because they liked the way the light hit a certain wall. Honestly? I’m okay with that. It makes the movie feel alive instead of calculated.

Also, keep an eye on the background extras. There’s a guy in the back of the market scene who seems to be struggling with a basket for like three full minutes. I don’t think that was scripted, but it’s delightful. 🧺

It reminds me a bit of the way The Rich Are Always with Us handles social friction, though the vibe here is much darker and sharper. It’s not trying to teach you a lesson or be a masterpiece. It’s just a story about how one shiny piece of metal can ruin a perfectly good afternoon.