Starring: Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune, Seiji Miyaguchi, Ko Kimura, Daisuke Kato, Minoru Chiaki, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Keiko Tsushima, Kamatari Fujiwara
Certificate: PG
Genre: Samurai, Action, Drama
Awards: None
Since its release, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai has acquired quite a status, being his most famous film and the most well known samurai film in the history of cinema. It has also been the influence for many other films, from The Magnificent Seven to A Bugs Life.
The story revolves around a village in 17th century Japan, poor and in desperate need of help due to an oncoming attack by bandits which will rob the population of the means of survival. To defend the village, Seven Samurai are hired led by the wise and noble Kambei (Shimura).
Each of the samurai are given varied and enjoyable personalised that justifies their existence as each gives something different to the film. Kyuzo (Miyaguchi) stands out as the aloof master swordsman as does Katsushiro (Kimura) as the young rookie who goes through his first romance. It is Mifune, however, who once again shines the brightest as the hot headed Kikuchiyo, stealing almost every scene he appears in.
The action is often applauded in Seven Samurai and one cannot disagree. It is fast paced and grim, with many of the battles in the village appearing a lot like an ant nest attacking invading ants thus giving it a very animalistic approach. The human drama is just as phenomenal with many characters being shades of grey rather then black and white. The farmers are found out to have killed weak and lost samurai when they have the chance whilst the samurai are not always shown to be the completely honourable characters they are normally portrayed as.
At three and a half hours long, Seven Samurai is still worth anybodies time as it is one of the finest pieces of cinema and storytelling you will find with stunning imagery, a brilliant score, wonderful characters and action scenes that put many modern films to shame. it is not as beautiful as Ran, Kurosawa's later period piece; it is more brutal and realistic. Yet that creates a beauty in itself.
*****Brilliant
