Classic Reviews: Seven Samurai (SPOILERS)

In the end, we lost this battle too...

It's one of those films that ranks at the top for many people, so there was much anticipation once I finally got around to checking out this beloved classic. I am proud to say that I am eternally grateful to have finally gotten the chance to experience this magnificent film. Seven Samurai is one of those rare films that makes something work out of almost everything. Let's get into why that is the case:

UPS

1. The runtime. When you have a movie that clocks in at over three hours long, you'd hope there would be a reason to justify that. Fortunately, this film is one that benefits from such a runtime. Kurosawa had a grand and epic story to tell and I'm impressed that he was able to tell that story as fully and completely as he did. Because of the runtime, almost everything in this movie feels fleshed out and developed to its most natural place. Case in point...
2. The Samurai. Each of these men are given ample time for the spotlight. We spend enough time with each of them to get a sense of who they are and therefore feel for them as they bond with the villagers, each other, and reflect upon everything leading them to where they are now. Of course, if I had to pick a standout, it would no doubt be Kikuchiyo, whose character could've easily been reduced to comic relief yet instead is balanced with enough complexity to make him, in my opinion, one of the greatest characters in all of film history. Likewise, the rant he has which reveals his backstory is one of the finest scenes in any film I have seen. 
3. How everything concludes. What should feel like a relatively happy ending instead borders on being a downer because even though the bandits are defeated, a majority of the Samurai die and the ones who remain really have nothing left to show for it. As the quote above states, they lost the battle too, and that makes for a really powerful ending to a grand and epic tale. 

DOWNS

1. As excellent as most aspects of this film are, the romance subplot was something I just could not invest myself in. For me, it doesn't do anything to propel the characters who are at the center of it. While it does have an unconventional resolution, this was my least favorite part and because of everything that the film achieved, it glaringly sticks out. 

OVERALL

Seven Samurai is, as you probably guessed, a film that deserves all the praise it gets. Akira Kurosawa put in a lot of heart and soul to craft a film that will be cherished by many for generations to come. If you have not seen it, please do so.

RATING: 9/10 - A

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more coming your way and take care till then :)