A Beautiful And Powerful Movie

Rating: 10/10 (30 April 2004)

I'm not very familiar with Japanese film or Akira Kurosawa, the director. However after reading the reviews here I had put this on my must see list.
The scenery and way the film was shot is grand. Costumes are very well designed and visually stunning. I would definitely describe this as an epic. The characters are so well developed and I care about them all, including the minor ones.
One thing I found interesting was how the minor characters supported the plot and ideas presented. I don't think I have ever seen this done to the same extent as in this movie.
****Possible Plot Spoilers****
The plot in this movie flows very well. It starts off with a calm setting and premise. Then things quickly take a change for the worse after Lord Hidetora relinquishes his power over the lands to his three sons.
The dark side of human nature, as well as the good side are presented in such a compelling way that it just draws you in and never lets you go. The major characters have interesting twists to their personalities and behaviors. I was definitely caught off guard by this at first. But the twists make sense as the movie progresses. You start to realize that they are very human in that greed and power takes over their once rational, caring selves. Not every character is like that, just like in real life and that is what makes the character/plot development outstanding.
The one thing that sticks out as a negative in this movie were some of the battle scenes. However these weak moments were so brief and quickly give way to excellent scenes of battle.
****End Possible Plot Spoilers****
If you are into an epic movie, with beautiful scenery & costumes, an intriguing plot and unforgettable characters, you must see this movie!