Not a great film, poor characterization, very poor dialog

Rating: 7/10 (25 November 1998)

Make no mistake, I am a huge fan of the director Akira Kurosawa. His great films (Seven Samurai, Dersu Uzala, Rashamon) are the finest films in the history of film making. However, this film does not rank with them.
Kagemusha tells a true story set near the end of Japan's feudal period (around 1580). The story is that a clan leader (Shingin) was such a superior general that even though his clan was outnumbered, they could not be defeated while he lived. Knowing this, his close advisors concealed his death for three years, placing a "shadow warrior" or double in his place. However, the situation did not last and when the ruse was discovered, the clan's army was destroyed in battle.
Problems with the film: most importantly, the main character (the double) fails to express himself. The actor, in my opinion, fails to convey any worthwhile qualities, either by word or deed, such that we should care about his situation. I personally think Toshiro Mifune would have been a huge addition to the film. The combination of poor dialog and poor acting removes the very heart from the film. He was weak when he should have been strong, he was silent when he should have spoken.
Another huge problem with the film was the editing. There are many pointless scenes of military units marching up hills and down, this way and that. Visually the marching men have some flair, but it is totally meaningless and lacks any dramatic value. The comparison to Seven Samurai is harsh and unfavorable to Kagemusha. In the earlier film, each action made perfect sense, there was not a wasted shot in the whole movie. In Kagemusha, by contrast, at least 15 minutes of marching soldiers serves no purpose.
Perhaps Kurosawa was trying to tell a deeper story, about how life is random, how you are thrown into situations for which you are not trained and there is no "good way out". As as story, I'll take "The Seven Samurai" any day.