Ran (1985)

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Terao, Jinpachi Nezu, Daisuke Ryu, Mieko Harada
Certificate: 15
Genre: War, Drama
Awards: Best costume design

Ran is Akira Kurusawa's great epic, featuring five different armies and a vast array of characters that are each given their time to shine. The story follows Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Nakadai) who decides to give his kingdom to his sons. He outlaws one of them and the other two turn on him which leads him down the path of madness..

Ran is a visual paradise with astounding colours and costumes. The film is masterfully shot to make the film as beautiful as it is epic. The amount of characters is similar to The Lord Of The Rings as characters such as captains, jesters and servants are given as much depth to their character as the main lords.

Ran is an outstanding film with great cinematography that allows it to have amazing battle sequences, haunting imagery and emphasis on the tragedies that are scattered within it while the story is intriguing and shocks with unexpected twists and turns.

*****Brilliant