BC Magazine September 14, 2000

Gohatto is a rather heavy film, which despite the weighty subject matter is enjoyable to sit through if you’re a fan of period films. Loosely translated as Taboo, or as Director Nagisa Oshima — who returned from a self imposed retirement as he recovered from a stroke to make this film — prefers ‘something forbidden’; Gohatto is a deeply psychological film about the complexities and sexuality of being a samurai. …… Gohatto is a beautifully made film where Oshima’s attention to even the smallest details ensures that nothing detracts from this extraordinary film.