Seven Samurai Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

ALL IN JAPANESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had been looking forward to seeing this film for some time as my film studies lecturer at Bangor Uni used to rave about Kawasaki's films all the time. This is the 1st Kawasaki film I've seen and I can honestly say I don't want to bother with any others. If it was dubbed it might have notched my approval rating up another star but this is all in Japanese and so you have to keep pressing pause to read all the dialogue - yep! There's a load of talking in this film - and towards the end my thumb was aching so much that I could hardly be bothered. What was supposed to be a 3hr 10min film became, with all the neccessary freeze-framing, a whopping 5 and a half hours. Not bad if you have four eyes or no job to go to in the morning. This is not a PATCH on any of the readily available dubbed Japanese films like Bruce and Ang Lee's efforts. Was prepared to give it a go, under the illusion that even though it is in B&W there must be some pretty impressive fight scenes to justify its reputation, but was left sorely disappointed. The acting is totally unrealistic: everyone just shouts angrily at each other. At one point the village is stunned because some guy is chopping his bobble off - WHAT? For real fans of Japanese cinema I recommend Tom Cruise's virtuoso performance in The Last Samurai. Defintitely give this one a miss, unless you have a beard and glasses and want to dupe a girl into thinking you're cultured as part of some bourgeois seduction technique - but be warned, she might just DIE OF BOREDOM.

The Shogun of the big screen

Akira Kurosawa's magnificent film combines an insightful meditation on the strategies of war with an equally brilliant examination of what drives people in their struggles to survive. Kurosawa's beautiful black and white depictions of battle (including the stunning finale taking place in a rain storm) are offset by some very moving subplots involving forbidden young love and the thankless task of defending those unable to repay and unwilling to respect.

For many people, Toshiro Mifune's rollicking extrovert Kikuchiyo is the most engaging character; but for me, Seiji Miyaguchi's quiet, committed Kyuzo is the film's center: he epitomizes the sacrifice and resolve that audiences gravitate to with admiration. Kurosawa works with passion and intensity but he's quite willing to stop for a moment to admire the natural beauty of the surroundings or to share a hearty laugh with the viewer. The film is always impressive--the wonder of it is that's impressive in ways both epic and intimate.

Pure Brilliance

When you hear a lot of hype about a film you try not to believe much of it, because you're usually let down. This film however lived up to ALL of it's hype. A wonderful black and white movie about a group of 'Hungry Samurai' hired to protect a village from bandits. This movie has plenty of Samurai sword play and some great japanese humour, especially highlighted in Toshiro Mifune's performance of the Farmer come Samurai 'Kikuchiyo'. Later remade as the classic western 'The Magnificent Seven' this is possibly Akira Kurosawa's finest. If you love movies and have never seen this one, you simply must!

not Seven stars...

Everyone has a classic film that they have avoided seeing for some reason. I have friends who have never seen Kane or Meteropolis. For me it was Seven Samurai.

What makes this even more strange is that I'm a huge fan of Asian Cinema.

So why have I waited so long to view - well I was scared it wouldn't live up to my expectations....

It feel it long way short but this film is still worth the watch. Yes the audio and film are grainy at times but the film is shot beautifully with deluges of rain, muddy fields and characters with character.

The characters are very rich, each with their own traits. Courage, Silence and Humour. The action isn't amazing but for a film that has influenced so many - it has to be watched.

Preferred The Magificent Seven

I might have appreciated Seven Samurai more had I seen it before The Magnificent Seven, but I found myself comparing the two and, to be honest, liked the cowboy film better. Seven Samurai was a bit too long for my liking, but I did enjoy it and I'm glad I've now seen it. Don't see myself watching it again, though.

[Highly rated reviewer]

seven samurai

Absolute pants. It's black and white in japanese with english subtitles and very jumpy. Must have been made on a low budget about 200 years ago

[Highly rated reviewer]

seven samurai

didnt watch it....................................

old and rubbish

predictable plot, in sbub titles balk and white and just and! shall is ay more AVOID

A truly cinematic black & white film

For those that enjoy a truly cinematic black & white film, then this is for you. The film is set against the back drop of poverty in early century Japan. A village constantly pillaged by bandits hire Seven Samurai to protect them.

This is the film the Magnificent Seven is based on though the modern version can not hold a candle to the original.

Rent it you won't be dissapointed.

A Classic?

All too often the word 'Classic' just means 'good in its day' or suggests that after watching this you'll feel you've done something worthy as a sincere film-buff, you've caught up with a bit of cinema history, endured the poor sound and dodgy acting and don't quite have the nerve to admit that you got a bit bored. You recommend it because you are anxious to pass that sense of worthiness on, (it gets a bit lonely otherwise.) Your friends also get a bit bored but like you, haven't the nerve to admit it. So that's alright then. 'Seen Seven Samurai,' you all say, 'Oh you must, it's a CLASSIC.' That's probably why I have spent years avoiding this film. And what a mistake. Listen, it is a classic, I mean it really is a great story, beautifully shot, atmospheric, compelling, great performances and, even though I underestimated its length and needed to get up early the next day, I sat there far into the night unable to switch it off. It's fun. It really is. And although some say its set-pieces and all the rest of it have become cliches over the years, in fact there's enough originality still in the cinematography and the narrative to leave a few tricks yet for today's directors to nick from and look good with. So maybe classic isn't the right word here, let's just say it rocks.