The Jester said it best

Rating: 10/10 (2 April 2004)

Inspired by King Lear, Akira Kurosawa created with this, maybe the most complex and dramatic film of his career, and there's a LOT to choose from. Technically speaking, this was the last great Epic to be made. The scale is massive. Not just because of the huge battle scenes in the end, but mostly because of how massive the story was. There are more than a dozen prominent characters, and within the 2:40, every character is properly developed, and each is very distinct. Tatsuya Nakadai, who plays Hidetora, gives one of the most powerful acting performances I've ever seen. Every second he's on screen, even when he's passed out sleeping, he has your complete attention. But luckily because of the great character development that Kurosawa gave us, each character is equally important to the overall story.

There are so many fascinating and intelligent themes played throughout. Most interesting being the theme of loyalty and betrayal. Ultimately that's what the whole film is about. Strangely enough, the themes of loyalty and betrayal are represented best by the characters of Kurogane and The Jester. They have minor parts compared to Hideotora's family, but their actions and the lines they say best sum up the point of this movie. And this is a very deep, heavy, dramatic, fascinating movie. While it's quite a depressing story, and you can't help but feel depressed for ALL the characters, Kurosawa balances the heaviness with jaw dropping visuals. The script is poetic, moving, powerful, and just plain enjoyable. I first saw RAN on a day when I was bored and very exhausted. That didn't prevent me from getting more involved than I have with any movie in years. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen at any moment. When the whole movie was finished, I literally leaned back and took a deep breath. One question I have though. With Decades of experience, was Akira Kurosawa, the most flawless and polished Director who ever lived, LUCKY when he got those incredible shots of soldiers marching while the shadow of the sun and clouds followed behind them? If you see the movie, you'll notice. My favourite line in any Kurosawa movie comes from RAN,
"Man is born Crying. When he's cried enough, he dies."
That line was spoked by.......... The Jester.