Matcollis This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

AboveDeepBuggy Some things I liked some I did not.

Greenes Please don't spend money on this.

Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

Charles Herold (cherold) This sequel to Kurosawa's brilliant Yojimbo is entertaining and amusing, but it's also kinda dumb, something that seems to have been missed by all the user reviews I've read here.The premise is set up quickly and rather abruptly, as a group of samurai talk about their attempt to find an authority figure to rid their clan of corruption. Toshiro Mifune wanders in from a back room to tell them they are all idiots, then protects them by killing a whole bunch of bad guys.The group of samurai are a comical bunch, wandering about like a bunch of newborn ducklings, and Mifune takes the role as their protector because that's what heroes do.But his charges aren't the only idiots. Everyone in the movie is an idiot, except for Mifune and some peripheral women characters. The plot is pushed forward entirely by the stupidity of its characters, to the extent that it's a wonder any of them lived past puberty. While Yojimbo was a movie about a really smart guy tricking less smart people, Sanjuro is about astoundingly gullible people being fooled by the only person in the movie who isn't a half-wit.Still, it's very likable and often funny, particularly in the case of a mellow prisoner and an unflappable mother.The movie also has a whole, "it's terrible that so many people are being killed" moral that reminds me of the old TV series Kung Fu, which espoused peace while serving a steady stream of violence. Like everything else in this movie, it's pretty silly.It's a fun movie, and if you liked Yojimbo and Seven Samurai it's worth checking this out as well. But watch Yojimbo and Seven Samurai first, because they are much better movies.

DuskShadow Sanujuro ( meaning 30) is the name of a ronin ( wandering, masterless samurai) during the modernization period of japan (mid to late 1800's).A sudden political change has occurred with the rise of the middle class and a more modern government not hinged upon an actual , all powerful godly emperor and aristocracy. But during this time much turmoil and corruption ran rampant through the country as outside influences with vested interests propelled the land into " do or die mode"; change or BE changed. Thus the political climate is one of unseemly individuals whom stop at nothing to cement themselves into positions of power and all in the way be damned to JIGOKU ( hell). But in the heat and lust for power a kindly, old fashioned politician is abducted by more devious sorts commonly associated with their station ( not too different form nowadays). So the nephew and loyal young vassals strive to formulate a plan of attack and brave all danger and cast discretion to the wind to save the honorable old man, even at the expense of their lives, for such is Bushido (the way of the samurai). However before embarking upon their errand , a surprise from a familiar face ( with the same name , look, style,,etc) named Sanjuro overhears them and shows them a more strategic way to fulfill their mission.Personally I believe this to be an indirect sequel, but still a sequel to the previous years smash genre hit, Yojimbo. Aside from the painfully obvious facts that the character with the same first name, style, look, vernacular and way of conjuring a family name from what ever he spies around him suggests this to be a sequel , there's also the constant lodging within temples that could point toward the penniless ronins true return to film, as well as the clever usage of the number 30 ( sanjuro) that shares his name throughout both films. Kurosawa did nothing without thought, and this film was very much more thoughtful than the first ( yojimbo).To put it simply: the first film was almost all comedy and farce, whereas the second film this review is primarily concerned with is much more a tale of the times it takes place in; a political intrigue period piece, filled with action, better set design, props, extras galore, moxy if you will. The directors penchant for tongue and cheek is no more than the veritable "spice of life" as I call it, that all humans whom have lived experience in this life. But even with a tad comedic realism, this film has much more character, captivates and requires more attention and intellect to follow and is just an all around superior film. I highly recommend this to anyone seeking older films that do not reek of unnecessary melodic overtones or dance routines. The best black and white films didn't need such things. Now go enjoy a fine film!

WakenPayne As far as sequels go this is not as good as the predecessor Yojimbo. For a fact I only wanted to see this because I watched Yojimbo and wanted to see this. I managed to find it and then sit down and watch it.The basic plot is that 9 young samurai are rebelling against a superintendent who kidnapped the lead Samurai's uncle. Who should help them but the nameless samurai that is more skilled than all of them who comes to their aid.As far as movies go this is worth the watch, it's not as good but it's Good in it's own right.

ShootingShark A wandering samurai by chance overhears a group of men discussing corruption within their clan. It seems the Chamberlain is a crook and they have warned the Superintendent. But when they are suddenly attacked by the Superintendent's men and the nameless ronin comes to their defence, it appears they have things the wrong way around and must now go into hiding, with only their mysterious benefactor to help them ...If you have heard of Kurosawa but avoided his movies because of their heavy reputation I urge you to see this terrific action adventure film, as it has all of his visual style but is easily one of his most laid-back and accessible films. Everything about it is great - the story is a wonderfully woven criss-cross of subterfuge and plots within plots, it's shot through with a wry sense of humour (the scenes with the captured guard are particularly funny), all the performances are terrific, the visuals are dynamic and it has an absolutely unmissable shock ending. What I like most of all about it though is the tone - it's a macho man's action picture with a super-tough-guy but it delights in subverting the conventions of the genre at every possible moment. Our hero is a scruffy opportunist, the fellowship of nine samurai are fairly dumb and cowardly (there's a great midway scene where they argue about whether they can trust Mifune), the Lady Mutsuta character (beautifully played by Irie) keeps admonishing the men with too-perceptive remarks, the bravado plan revolves around picking flowers, and our heroes win through more by luck than skill. Muroto, the chief villain (Nakadai), acts with more honour and principle than anyone, despite being on the wrong side, and so his violent death is all the more ignoble and a tremendous juxtaposition with the events which have come before it. Whilst Mifune's character is nameless, he is clearly repeating his role from Yojimbo - he even has the same theme music - and the movie is a sequel of sorts, scripted by Kurosawa and his regular writers Ryuzo Kikushima and Hideo Oguni, but with a lighter tone and a more conventional narrative than its influential predecessor. Mifune even went on to reprise the role a couple of times, once in one of the Zatoichi series and again in an obscure 1970 film entitled Machibuse. A solid, well-written, thinking man's action film, made by a master of the craft.