I've found a Kurosawa movie that I don't like.

Rating: 8/10 (22 February 2003)

This movie was a big disappointment for me. As a huge Kurosawa fan I bought this on DVD and couldn't wait to see it. But this is by no means a masterpiece or one of Kurosawas best.
I feel that some people who are calling it a masterpiece are only saying that because of who made it.
One of "The Emperor's" strong points was pacing but this movie drags. There are far too many pointless scenes. 1 minute 30 seconds of soldiers marching? In his earlier work he would have cut that down to 10 seconds and conveyed the same emotions.
We never get close to the Shadow Warrior so when he starts to fail we don't feel sorry for him. The other characters are forgettable and the script is pretty flat although it does shine in some places.
One of the biggest disappointments is the battle scenes or lack of them. Even the end battle is poor.
Kurosawas' use of colour is great and some scenes really stand out, especially the opening shots of the messenger running through the castle. But it's not enough.
It could have been a great movie but we end up with a bit of a forgettable mess. 6/10