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Seven Samurai

Seven Samurai

1954
Drama, Action
3h 27m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 81.69% from 7641 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(7641)
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Rated 27 Mar 2007
90
99th
One of the first classic masterpieces I watched. Everything carved to perfection; Kurosawa's lesson of direction and script, Shimura's wisdom, most of all Mifune's monkeyish presence. This is a movie that has been able attract any person without distinction of culture, purpose or taste.
Rated 20 Jan 2007
97
99th
An astounding film and very, very entertaining. Very good performances from all the actors and the camerawork and direction from Kurosawa is, as usual, absolutely brilliant. A must for any film buff or samurai movie fan.
Rated 09 Feb 2007
6
98th
I went in expecting an epic masterpiece; this movie's reputation precedes itself. What I got instead, however, was a wonderful down-to-earth adventure film, with a great story and brilliant action sequences that move along rapidly and smoothly despite the three-and-a-half hour run-time, along with an unsurpassed amount of character depth.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
99
99th
There are a lot of canonical films that don't really measure up to the hype, but this isn't one of them. It's 50 kinds of awesome and deserves every ounce of praise it gets. It's almost impossible to find fault with it. Unless you're one of those people who just can't stand anything black & white and/or foreign, you ought to love this movie with all your heart.
Rated 17 Mar 2008
99
99th
A film that overcomes age and an immense running time to become one of the greatest action pictures of all time. Seven Samurai is timeless, and shows how talented a director Kurosawa is. Despite having seen so many action movies inspired by this film, it still feels fresh and innovative even today. Deserves its reputation.
Rated 04 Feb 2007
100
98th
Even though it's more than fifty years old, it feels more modern and innovative than any action movie made since. Seven Samurai will never lose its vitality or its power.
Rated 09 Feb 2007
6
99th
I first saw this when I was 14, opening my eyes to world cinema and effectively changing my life. Despite its mammoth runtime and reputation, Seven Samurai is nimble and accessible. It bursts with character, a sprawl of infectious humanism striking a diverse but coherent range of chords. It is dramatic, whimsical, violent, and romantic; a celebration of kinship and a lament of hierarchies which disrupt it. Kurosawa registers this entire gamut of sentiment with poise. Mifune is an animal.
Rated 21 Dec 2009
96
95th
Kurosawa invented the action cinema with "Seven Samurai" and created a brand new genre. A vast number of followers were the result. And even half a century later, this movie don't have to hide behind modern movies. This movie is magic. Story telling, acting, cinematography, sound. Just epic !!
Rated 03 Feb 2007
95
99th
Filled to the brim with action, humor, suspense, plausible and in-depth characterization, and marvelous direction. And the pacing is excellent, as well. A deserved classic.
Rated 13 Mar 2011
95
99th
Looking for a suitable film for my 1000th Criticker entry, I couldn't have made a better choice. A rightful classic, expertly filmed and filled to the brim with wonderful and deep characters, humor, drama and excitement. Mifune totally dominates every scene he is in, and rightly so. No other human in the history of ever could wear that man-thong and still be thát awesome.
Rated 18 Dec 2018
100
97th
Every bit as good as you've heard. It's shocking how fresh and modern it feels even today.
Rated 22 May 2010
10
97th
(2nd viewing) Takes a few minutes to get going, but the 3 hours that follow are unshakably absorbing. A masterpiece about loss, bravery, comradeship and the good of man. The characters are unforgettable, especially Toshirô Mifune (Kikuchiyo) who provided some great characterization and many laugh out loud moments and its portrayal of heroism and death were spot on. On top of those elements, it's also a great action film, one that was way ahead of its time. Highly recommended!
Rated 27 May 2014
95
99th
Absolutely outstanding. I had approached this with some scepticism, as at the time I was not entirely au fait with Japanese cinema, and I am irrationally suspicious of films that receive universal praise. However, this deserves every bit of the acclaim it has attracted. This is rich and captivating experience, with a stellar cast (Mifine and Shimura are exceptional), and stunning direction. A must-see if you like anything about cinema at all. Somewhat dauntingly long, but worth every minute.
Rated 04 Nov 2008
10
98th
An epic, near perfect, cinematic masterpiece.
Rated 15 Jan 2012
98
99th
An awesome adventure. An absolute classic! A small group of honorable Samurai join forces to help liberate a small village from the annual raids of a clan of bandits. They rally the townspeople and setup a defense to rid the town of the scourge once and for all. All of the fighting is handled quite well. Many memorable characters, scenes and performances.
Rated 03 Mar 2011
100
99th
Brilliant pacing and richly developed characters. Camerawork that is so influential that words cannot explain. This is a timeless classic that will be enjoyed for generations because the story is universal and each character has unique and relatable traits.
Rated 29 Jan 2010
99
98th
A dense, rich epic that never disappoints. Mifune is rightly praised for his stylized acting and charismatic presence, but Takashi Shimura, as the Samurai commander, gives a subtler and richer performance. Indeed, the entire cast--warriors and peasants--is excellent, every performance is memorably individualized. And--of course--the battle scenes are magnificent.
Rated 09 Mar 2010
100
99th
The characters, action set pieces, and the plot is all memorable and classic. Don't expect any slow-mo geysers of blood or highly stylized fighting but there is definitely lots of suspense and intelligence. Kurosawa smartly kept this film grounded in a degree of realism and used drama to create audience anticipation prior to the action. It's been copied a bunch since then but nothing comes close to the original. No one has depicted a siege as well as this film.
Rated 08 Feb 2007
100
99th
Epic, compelling, and visually beautiful with probably the best pacing of any movie I've seen, even at over three hours. Character-driven and wonderfully acted, Kurosawa's best film is pretty much perfect.
Rated 22 Feb 2007
100
99th
Now this is an epic. The characters are so original, and so deeply texturized, it is extremely hard not to love them. Clocking in at about 3 and a half hours, The Seven Samurai is never really boring. It is in the same league as Lawrence of Arabia, where even though it is so extremely long, the characters, the chemistry between them, and the story make it extremely hard to forget how long it actually is. This film is one of a kind, one you will love for years to come, and it won't age one bit.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
92
99th
Spectacular movie, especially since it was made in 1954. The acting, the plot, the varied shots, the lack of goofs make this an essential meal in your movie diet.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
99
99th
An absolute triumph of a film whose plot alone has become of of the most imitated stories ever -- even A Bug's Life follows the same basic story though from a different angle. Filmwork, acting, shots, everything is perfect.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
8
93rd
I couldn't help but notice that they ripped the basic plot off from Pixar's "A Bug's Life," but it's still a definitive epic. In many ways it set the model for mixing character development, suspense, romance, humor, and leading it all up to an action-packed climax in a formula oft-followed to this day. I can see why Kurosawa was occasionally lambasted in Japan as "too western," but that just makes it all the more entertaining for me!
Rated 12 May 2008
99
99th
The pacing is perfect and the whole thing is a joy to watch. These were the fastest 3 and a half hours of my life.
Rated 19 Jul 2008
100
98th
An absolute triumph! The best action film ever! Everything in this film is perfect, the acting, the shots, everything! Even 50 years later it's the best action movie to date!
Rated 03 Jan 2010
100
99th
The ultimate Western is an Eastern. The storytelling is fantastic. The characters are beautiful portrayed with many details and the actors apparently had much fun playing their roles. Lean back and enjoy every minute of battle between good and bad.
Rated 09 Jul 2010
7
88th
About as exciting and thoughtful as any action film you'll ever see. The battle scenes are spectacular and the story is engrossing thanks to the excellent cast. Not one character feels superfluous or one-dimensional. Mifune, of course, steals the show. I still prefer both Ran and Rashomon over this, but that's hardly an insult. The fastest three hours of your life.
Rated 02 Jun 2013
3
36th
people call it "lived-in", but i never quite immersed myself in its array of digressions and "small moments", maybe because the characters seem more symbolic than actual. still, when one of the ancient, dignified buildings perserveres stubbornly beneath torrents of rain, or crumbles in the midst of white, spectral flames, there's a striking mixture of age-old fortitude and timeworn vulnerability which evokes endless cycles of existential struggle, extending far beyond the confines of the story.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
91
98th
I give it insane kudos for the time period in which it's made. I try to not give Kurosawa too much credit (because he did inspire a lot, but he was heavily inspired/borrowed from Shakespeare), but this is a phenomenal film.
Rated 29 Jan 2008
100
99th
Best movie ever made. Entertainment, action, unforgettable characters, ground-breaking camera work, solid story and great acting. Every action movie since 7 samurai was influenced in some way by it. And none have yet surpassed it in quality.
Rated 11 Apr 2008
77
73rd
I know it's 'bon ton' to consider this as a masterpiece, but I wasn't that blown away by it. Don't get me wrong it's a beautiful movie, with some realistic and strategic fighting sequences, a good cast and well detailed characters, but it isn't the (action) rollercoaster I expected. Nevertheless it ofcourse deserves some extra credit because of the historical value and the social criticism it had on modernday society.
Rated 05 Jul 2008
100
99th
the story is brilliantly told, fantastic pace, great cast and the characters are well selected and developed
Rated 30 Jan 2009
100
97th
This is probably the best paced movie I've seen.
Rated 22 Jul 2009
99
99th
The film that made me love rice.
Rated 20 Sep 2010
99
99th
There isn't anything I can say that would accurately reflect how good the movie is. I don't give 100 ratings because nothing is perfect to me but I actually considered it here.
Rated 11 Nov 2010
98
99th
Seven Samurai is a phenomenal, unforgettable film whose influence on the cinema world can still be seen today. The characters are all unique and memorable, Mifune and the gang's acting is top-notch, the score is great, the story is original, and the 3 & 1/2 hour running time is used to its fullest. Kurosawa captures the action, drama, romance, and interaction between his characters with total grace and masterful camerawork. A classic in every sense.
Rated 27 Apr 2011
100
99th
Pure fun; executed magnificently. Copied a hundred times (more?); never matched.
Rated 12 Feb 2012
92
98th
This is the nature of war. By protecting others, you save yourselves.
Rated 05 Jun 2016
95
96th
Teamwork makes the dream work. We got the wise sage, the loyal soldier, the joker, the artisan, the silent badass, the young gun, and everyone's favorite - the absolute maniac. It's the Feudal Avengers! Though Kurosawa often cuts on a punchline, every inch of this can be taken seriously. One dramatic shot of Mifune holding a baby in the river as he laments the cycle of violence with a flame-engulfed mill turning behind him instantly sears itself into the mind.
Rated 18 Mar 2007
94
92nd
Seven Samurai is the greatest of all of Kurosawa's masterpieces. It follows seven samurai warriors who try to help out a town of farmers who are constantly being ravaged by bandits. Great fight scenes and wonderful acting make this movie one of the all time greatest.
Rated 01 Jul 2007
95
97th
Absolutely amazing. Each of the seven samurai have their own personality and their interactions among themselves and with the farmers are really well done and keep you interested all the way through. But the true testament of the film's success is the battle scenes. Kurosawa could shoot action like no other and is able to make an hour's worth of fighting fly by effortlessly. A must see if there ever was one.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
95
99th
Quintessential Kurosawa. This movie belongs in any film lover's collection. Mifune shines, as usual.
Rated 01 Mar 2008
100
99th
#8
Rated 13 Mar 2008
96
99th
Epic, enthralling and moving. Seven Samurai deserves every bit of praise it gets. This is one of the only 3 hour movies I've seen that I wish was even longer. The characters are so finely drawn that I don't want to leave them. Rewatching Seven Samurai is like pulling a photo album off the shelf and being reminded of great times you once spent with old dear friends. Such an awesome movie.
Rated 27 May 2008
90
99th
A classic! Over three hours long, but never felt that way. My favorite Akira Kurosawa film so far. The story, the characters, the cinematography, all of it was spectacular.
Rated 13 Jul 2008
100
99th
Even though this is a very long movie(3 and a half hours), it doesn't have a wasted scene. The fight scenes aren't all that choreographed and it looks morerealistic that way. You get to know most of the characters and you fell very sad when there is a loss. Awesome movie, one of the few I will watch over again if I ever get the time.
Rated 08 Sep 2008
100
99th
Brimming with life, and all the things that make life worth giving a damn.
Rated 22 Oct 2008
58
36th
For some reason I couldn't connect to this movie at all. It seemed boring, too old, claustrophobic with the 4:3 aspect ratio and the audio quality was low. Maybe I'll have to watch this one after a few shots of Red Bull or something...
Rated 20 May 2009
80
88th
A very enjoyable movie, a classic.
Rated 22 May 2009
96
99th
This Were Some Fast 3 1/2 Hours
Rated 08 Jul 2009
96
99th
Kurosawa showing how to tell an engaging story so far ahead of his time. Personally I think this is one of the most important films ever made.
Rated 08 Dec 2009
10
98th
Every time I watch this movie, I hate myself for forgetting how beautiful it is. Framing and movement is done incredibly well, making nearly every moment hold the potential for a lasting image. As a collection of moments, there are few better, every second is stunning. And considering there is very little (I'm willing to say nothing) to strike as a negative, it's hard to not give this entire film full recognition.
Rated 23 Jan 2011
94
97th
So much has been written on Seven Samurai that it would have to be near-impossible to find anything new. Yes, it flows extremely smoothly with a wonderful pace despite its age and running time. Yes, Mifune and Shimura are incredible. Yes, Kurosawa is a master at directing action. Yes, it's epic. Yes, it's down-to-earth. Yes, the characterisation is brilliant. The only "new" thing I can think of is what a wonderful sense of humour it has at times - I was laughing right along with the characters.
Rated 16 Jul 2012
100
99th
I'll never get bored of populating my tier 10 with Kurosawa. I'm grateful Criterion kept the intermission intact, because I really needed a couple of minutes to let the sheer glut of good cinema settle. There wasn't a single wasted frame. Even when nothing happens, you're still completely hooked. Like the bit where the kid samurai is picking flowers, the beginning of the scene where he meets the girl. It's 30 seconds long, and dead silent, but it was just so enthralling and perfect.
Rated 02 Sep 2012
95
86th
This is a long film, drawn out by a master of suspense and control. I urge you to do your best to regard this film with the eyes of 1954, and to see the astonishing vigor from Kurosawa that goes into every frame and meeting. These images and sounds are like moments in Shakespeare. It is a landmark in action films, but in its treatment of heroism, too. These samurai work and some of them die, for mere food. There is no denying or forgetting the faces of these men.
Rated 15 Sep 2014
100
99th
I can't think of anything slightly wrong with this film. Every scene is set up and directed to perfection and its historical, thematical and aesthetic importance and pleasures are a marvel to behold.
Rated 26 May 2020
100
98th
Under Quarantine Film Reviews #100: A milestone film for my 100th quarantine review. I can go on and on about how amazing this film it but I've managed to boil it down to a single sentence; samurai are cool and seven of them are seven times cooler.
Rated 05 Dec 2006
93
98th
I love how this movie depicts the overwhelming pessimism of the old japanese countryside. Kurosawa directs with grace.
Rated 10 Dec 2006
100
98th
It's amazing how god a movie can be when a competent film maker concerns himself with plot and character development.
Rated 12 Dec 2006
93
98th
It does drag a little at times, but quickly picks up after any slow moments and it holds tension incredibly well. The acting is great, the story is great, the action is great and every aspect of the direction is great. It's really all great.
Rated 31 Mar 2007
90
86th
Four-hour samurai adventure film. Still groovy after all these years. BANZAI
Rated 11 Jun 2007
100
98th
This movie has everything. And so simply told. Everything.
Rated 05 Jul 2007
98
99th
A must-see...
Rated 08 Jul 2007
96
99th
The first big, epic action film before the genre even existed. Go watch what so many derive from.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
99
99th
Classic in every sense of the word. Kurosawa invented shots and techniques on this film that are still being used/copied a half century later. One of the most influential action films ever made.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
91st
Without doubt a very fine movie, but for me the experience wasn’t quite as great as it was for most others, it seems. I found it highly enjoyable, but not quite interesting enough to consider it to be anything like a masterpiece, seeming even to my adolescent self like a very Westernised Japanese movie. But I have not seen it for many years, so it is quite possible that if I return to it now, my opinion may change.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
95th
An excellent story.
Rated 19 Aug 2007
95
90th
A great Kurosawa film, highly recommended.
Rated 31 Aug 2007
95
84th
Incredible. Everyone should see it.
Rated 08 Oct 2007
96
99th
Just great. I don't have the words to properly describe it, doesn't feel like 3 hours at all.
Rated 09 Dec 2007
100
98th
GREAT movie.
Rated 18 Apr 2008
88
92nd
Carefully crafted, tightly woven story with distinct characters, great direction and just oozing "cinema classic" appeal. The Michael Jeck commentary on the Criterion DVD is very interesting, too.
Rated 11 May 2008
96
99th
Hands down one of the best movies of all time.
Rated 01 Sep 2008
80
80th
Akira Kurosawa really deserves the fame it has. Although the film does not justify its excessive length, is a good movie, even more if considered at the time it was filmed.
Rated 20 Nov 2008
82
57th
I thought I'd like this more, given its legendary status and my appreciation of Japanese film & Toshiru Mifune. The ending did live up to its reputation, but the first third reduced its score. There was little reason for it to be so plodding and have so many filler shots. Kurosawa seems to have needed to stretch the film out and did so in a cheap way instead of doing character exposition. Had he made us know & care more about each of the 7, the final shot would have had more impact. A pity.
Rated 23 Nov 2008
100
99th
Didn't want it to end, that's just about the best compliment you could pay a three and a half hour epic. ...and then there's Toshiro Mifune, just about as charismatic an actor as you will ever find.
Rated 16 Dec 2008
78
95th
If you watch many movies you should not except something spectacular, it is point in little things (like history of Japan) and influence of this movie like many others one cinematography in the world...
Rated 15 Jan 2009
94
97th
Great movie, it's been done and redone and redone... good story
Rated 21 May 2009
70
70th
Decent but long movie. It was not bad for an old movie. The first part was slow and almost no fights. The second part was better and more action. I must confess that the bandits were not so clever attacking the village.
Rated 24 Jun 2009
95
89th
It's easy to see why this is always at or near the top of critics' favorite films lists. Easily the most influential action movie of all time, it remains the gold standard for action epics.
Rated 19 Jul 2009
98
92nd
Kurosawa's masterpiece.
Rated 25 Aug 2009
100
99th
The genius of Kurosawa's influence on this film is easy to spot even more than fifty years on. For all our supposed advances in the arts of editing, shooting, and lighting motion pictures, Seven Samurai easily surpasses what go for action films today. Mifune was fantastic, Shimura was at the height of his powers, and Kurosawa blends all the elements together to offer not only repeated thrills throughout, but truly affecting and lasting pathos by the film's stunning conclusion. Brilliant.
Rated 30 Sep 2009
10
98th
A long, engaging epic with lots of wonderful and intriguing characters. The absence of the glitz and glam of Hollywood lights means that something can brew in the shadows and those with an eye for subtlety and acute story telling will come back long after the initial viewing and discover more and more, not only about the film but about life and the warrior spirit.
Rated 20 Nov 2009
87
84th
An early masterpiece of cinema with possibly the most epic fight scenes ever to be captured. The cinematography was great and the subject matter even better. It was one of the first, if not the first, band of people fighting for the common good movie ever
Rated 18 Dec 2009
50
22nd
For some reason I couldn't connect to this movie at all. It seemed boring, too old, claustrophobic with the 4:3 aspect ratio and the audio quality was low. Maybe I'll have to watch this one after a few shots of Red Bull or something...
Rated 26 Dec 2009
85
92nd
An epic and absorbing experience. Not to mention that this is a tremendously entertaining feature.
Rated 02 Jan 2010
78
56th
I feel almost as if I should apologize to the world for not liking this as much as I should, but I'm just not an action movie person and this was honestly quite boring at times. I know what having done this in the mid-50s Japan meant, and I respect Kurosawa imensely for it. Also, I don't think I know enough about Buddism to understand it fully. I hope I'm more envolved in a second viewing.
Rated 21 Feb 2010
10
98th
It's easy to half-heartedly claim a film to be the greatest of all time. Seven Samurai is one of the very few that can legitimately compete for that title. Kurosawa manages to achieve the impossible: he takes a 207 minute running time and makes every damn second within important, imposing and irresistibly gorgeous.
Rated 24 Feb 2010
80
80th
This fine film has faded somewhat over the years, and is only a necessary watch because of its film historical relevance. It's lots of screaming - Mifunes overacting is especially straining - qoupled with poorly made fight scene totals. (If you can't show it - don't!) Its a beautifully shot film, and a very intelligent story, but it's hyped by people afraid of having an own opinion. Also the whole samurai thing makes it appeal to that largest of audiences: Sad white men raised by women.
Rated 18 Jul 2010
99
99th
It's a movie about samurais, which I'm not that interested in... it's also extremely long. I thought I would hate it, but I ended up loving it. An amazing story and wonderful characters made it so interesting I didn't feel bored for a second. One of my all time favorites for sure.
Rated 22 Jul 2010
100
97th
If you watch Seven Samurai in this day and age, you'll find yourself all too familiar with its plot line and most of its scenes. But thats just it. A movie from which clichés are born can only mean one thing. It's that good.
Rated 27 Sep 2010
95
99th
It would be hard to find a more watchable and enjoyable masterpiece of world cinema. This is a movie with plot and (for lack of a better word) *push*. It rocks, it rides, it satisfies the movie beast within.
Rated 08 Nov 2010
95
97th
It's a great movie. The characters are amazing and unique, the story is moving and the end is exciting. It's 3.5 hours long and really needs to be because of it's depth, but it's somewhat unfortunate that you have to almost plan your schedule a week in advance if you want to watch it.
Rated 08 Dec 2010
87
85th
I honestly felt this movie was slightly to long, though it is obviously not wise to ignore how insanely influential this film has been during the time since it's release, and how incredibly good Toshiro Mifune is during this film.
Rated 21 Mar 2011
97
98th
This movie is so awesome and engaging that I can barely wrap my mind around it. It is a timeless testament to what could only be one of the most passionate, detailed, lovingly crafted storytelling epics of our time. Do not let the year it was made deter you, there is something in this for any person looking to be moved by the magic of cinema.
Rated 13 May 2012
95
96th
A Bug's Life for men.
Rated 07 Feb 2013
100
98th
It seems unlikely that there will be another story in film which engages, fascinates and immerses the viewer as expertly as Seven Samurai. The battle scene in the pouring rain is my favorite action scene ever filmed.
Rated 17 Mar 2014
100
99th
Possibly my favorite movie. I can't think of a more fulfilling plot and script I've ever experienced. Finishing this epic felt like lifting a weight off my shoulders, and feeling all the positivity from doing so. Akira Kurosawa is known for his warm, humanistic dialogue and characters, but Seven Samurai burns the brightest. Like many Kurosawa movies, Seven Samurai is a celebration of life, and a fair one.
Rated 21 Sep 2014
76
76th
OMG, Kurosawa totally ripped off A Bugs Life! Hack.
Rated 25 Nov 2014
5
70th
disappointing. the characters are well-rounded and the setting is ripe for commentary, but this is mostly a straight action flick. we have bad bandits, desperate farmers, and magnanimous samurai, we have very good battle scenes, we have a romantic subplot, and we even have comic relief in the form of a fantastic mifune. so, it's entertaining, but not very interesting. i can definitely see how lord of the rings was inspired by this.

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