Lone Samurai, which appeared in early promotional materials under the shortened title Lone, is now available across digital platforms, with select theatrical screenings also taking place in Los Angeles and Atlanta.
The film is being released by Well Go USA and was financed by a group that includes Josh Waller, Alan Pao, Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, and Doris Pfardrescher.
Red Sea Media served as the broker for the U.S. market. And if a couple of those names stand out, that’s because Uwais and Ruhian famously starred in The Raid and The Raid 2.
Shogen Ito stars as the titular warrior and previously stated, "The story begins with a man who has lost his family and fallen into despair. In search of a place to die, he throws himself into battle, only to survive alone. Stranded on a desolate island, he must contend not only with the harsh elements but also with new threats that challenge him both mentally and physically."
In their review of the film, RogerEbert.com wrote, "Filmmaker Waller is here trying to have things both ways: to pay a sincere tribute to the classic Japanese samurai movies in the widescreen frames and spurting blood it borrows, and also to make a genuine thing, a samurai qua samurai picture...the movie does have enthusiasm, undeniably. But what it’s ultimately best at is whetting one’s appetite for a re-viewing of “Sanjuro,” or “Yojimbo,” or “Lady Snowblood,” you get the idea."
In their review, ScreenRant wrote, "Much of the dialogue in Josh C. Waller's Lone Samurai, heard in Riku's voiceover (Shogen), are poetic trinkets, while the film at large takes the form of the simplistic image-making that defines the Japanese literary tradition. Despair, grief, resilience, violence, glory, peace. All in a day's work for a master swordsman."
A 13th-century samurai finds himself shipwrecked on an island he believes to be deserted. As he contemplates his existence, it seems like a dignified death at his own hands might be his best solution. However, when he is captured by the murderous cannibal tribe that calls this island home, his survival instinct kicks in. Starring Shogen Ito and directed by Josh Waller (Raze, McCanick), Lone Samurai is existential action like you’ve never seen.
Directed by Josh C. Waller Starring Shogen, Yayan Ruhian, Rama Ramadhan, Faisal Rachman, and Sumire Ashina.