Seven Samurai (re-release)
User Score
9.1 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 150 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 142 out of 150
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 150
  3. Negative: 6 out of 150

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  1. AlaricD
    Dec 5, 2009
    10
    Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" is a symphony of cinematic splendor, vibrancy and vision. A talisman of epic action, character and story-telling perfectly harmonized. Pure genius captured and codified on celluloid.
  2. bud389
    Apr 28, 2011
    0
    I agree completely with ReviewerBanana, how does this movie top the classics like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Die Hard, where the acting is at least ten times as better? The soundtrack for this movie is also pretty flimsy at that, whereas films like Die Hard had a strong, robust soundtrack. I'm sorry, but this movie is far from something i would call the greatest action movie ever, it just goes to show how god damn skewed metacritic ratings are.… Expand
  3. septimosamurai
    Apr 17, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Una película maravillosa en todos los aspectos de la producción, basada en una historia con un arco dramático extraordinario y personajes atractivos, bellamente interpretados. Perfecta.… Expand
  4. ReviewerBanana
    Mar 15, 2011
    0
    Its pretty hilarious that people unanimously pretend to like this movie. It may have been amazing almost 60 years ago but today its kind of like watching a play; its not much fun and you realize how bad entertainment must have been back then for people to have enjoyed it. This movie made sense in 1954 japan like Islam made sense in 6th century arabia; understandable people were into it at the time, but today its just a work of fiction composed by a borderline retarded person. This movie makes Bio-Dome look like a magnum opus of cinema, in fact Pauley Shore would have really improved the Seven Samurai, add in a Baldwin and it might be watchable by a non-pretentious non-film student viewer.… Expand
  5. mistercrab
    Feb 1, 2005
    10
    The greatest film ever made in the history of the universe...
  6. DanC.
    May 5, 2004
    10
    This is the greatest action film ever made (closely followed by Raiders of the Lost Ark).
  7. [Anonymous]
    Sep 27, 2002
    10
    Awesome -- a masterpiece that's also really entertaining, vivid, rich, full of detail and real characters.
  8. Mr.hankey
    Apr 19, 2006
    10
    The movie is spectacular beyond all proportions. It helped make a classic western movie known as the Magnificent Seven and spawned a generation of many other brilliant Akira Kurosawa movies. Rashomon was what brought him here. This is what made his movies permanent in western society forever. The movie is extremely clever and grips you like so you can never let go for the 3 1/2 hours. Akira Kurosawa made his classic in 1954 and it will always be a classic to me. Many people may not know of Kurosawa's masterpieces but they may have to find out because they are missing a innovative and a usually exciting adventure.… Expand
  9. TelyS.
    Sep 30, 2002
    10
    In my humble opinion, the best film ever made. No other film I've seen has taken all the emotions possible to enjoy from watching movies, and put them all together in such a fantastic package. Truly, you'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll think. Complete and utter brilliance!
  10. Phatman
    Mar 4, 2003
    10
    Unbelievable. i thought i hated black and white movies, but now my eyes are open.
  11. YoonC.
    Sep 15, 2003
    10
    Kurosawa shows us in small and grand details what it means to be human. Earthy and raw, yet ennobling and starkly beautiful; violent and thunderous yet at times also idyllic and lyrical; epic yet also finely sensitive to detail, it's Kurosawa's best film, his most complex and dynamic. A Japanese farm village acts as the microcosm in which all the virtues and vices of humanity play out. Justifiably called the greatest action film ever and whose action scenes remained supreme up to '69 when Peckinpah finally usurped the title as new grand master of action. … Expand
  12. JordanM.
    May 27, 2004
    10
    Teaches us so much about what is important in life and how to give of oneself for the good of other. The samurai are role models for all of us, some of the most likeable characters ever. Movies like this make me want to go back in time.
  13. JonathanF.
    May 7, 2005
    9
    This movie is merely an action film, at least not an American one. If you want to see some action you'll have to wait towards the last hour of the film. There is a beautiful build up to the action, which is previewed by good character build up and preparation for a battle. Now, let me say something about the films length. Since it's an Epic it has to be a long film. That's a rule in cinema. However, a good epic will manage to leave you at the end of the film with the feeling that theminutes just flew away, otherwise, you weren't "in" the movie. This is what I felt with "The Seven Samurai". This movie is an historic film, as it deals with the Fuedal society of Japan in the 16th Century. The last scene with the four dead Samurai, and the three Samurai who are left, is an amazing ending. [9/10]… Expand
  14. Mick
    Jan 31, 2009
    10
    This is one of the greatest fims ever made, and my personal favorite. With kurosawa and Mifune you have the greatest director/actor collaboration ever.
  15. PatC.
    Dec 17, 2003
    10
    Really a classic for the ages. If the "B" westerns that copied it had been as good, they would have been "A" westerns. Essential for film students: This is how movies should be made.
  16. MarioA.
    Jan 28, 2004
    10
    A great movie. It's the kind of movie that grows on you, even after it's over.
  17. KennethM.
    May 18, 2006
    10
    Quite simply the greatest movie ever made. If you have not seen it, you are, my friend, incomplete
  18. ChristopherM.
    Dec 26, 2005
    10
    One of the most perfectly put together movies I have ever seen. The plot, characters, the raw emotion that this film portrays is absolutely brilliant. Easily one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. Also the ending is excellent and so perfect it's not even funny.
  19. Sourav
    Dec 31, 2010
    10
    If there is one film by which Kurosawa is recognized by, it is Seven Samurai, and it rightly deserves its place! One of the richest works to ever be committed to celluloid, each of its characters is extraordinarily realized; each has his or her own arc, his or her own vital part to play in the filmâ
  20. JHango
    May 8, 2012
    10
    This is one of the best movies of all time, and it will be for ever. A great movie with a great history and characters. I really dont believe how someone can negativate this movie. It's a shame to know that people like that exist.
  21. FeiLong01
    Jun 30, 2011
    10
    My favorite movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  22. LetzTalkMoveez
    Sep 18, 2011
    10
    "The Seven Samurai" is one of the best movies ever made. It's emotionally resonating, majestic, virtuous, and action-packed. It's 3 hours and 26 minutes of foreign entertainment that never, even for a second, feels like you're reading words in a book as you look at the subtitles.
  23. lasttimeisaw
    Aug 20, 2012
    8
    There is a nuanced feeling between a new release could score an 8/10 (say THE DARK KINGHT RISE 2012) and a classic acquire the same rank, (but if divided more precisely, which I feel compulsory to do but in lack of a potential spur to re-set my entire rating system. TDKR is around 7.8-8.2 while SEVEN SAMURAI is surely wavering around 8.2-8.5). SEVEN SAMURAI, an esteemed masterpiece from the reasonably most eminent auteur, Akira Kurosawa, not only from Japan, but the wholesale film history as well, why my belated first-viewing has a tad underwhelming collision, notably juxtaposed with another Akira… Collapse
  24. distractonator
    Jan 21, 2013
    10
    This is by far the greatest movie that I had the pleasure to view, my only regret is not knowing Japanese. I can not describe how good this movie is just know that it is at least 3 times as good as there will be blood and 4 times as good as once upon a time in the west.
  25. bundak
    Apr 21, 2012
    10
    I love the authenticity and realism of this movie. It might be a tad long compared to today's standard but there is no wasted scene. I love the characterizations and the stories of each of the seven samurai.
  26. Machine2music
    May 8, 2012
    10
    This movie is the reason star wars exists so of course it's a 10 out of 10. For 3 hrs plus I was a little worried the movie would go dull or wonder off a bit.. But The seven-samurai stays on point the whole movie. I wish people could still make movies this good.
  27. pumbaz
    Jun 1, 2012
    4
    Yawn. Tasted like a B Movie. I tried watching it in a few languages that I understand and still it was quite boring. As each scene cuts into the next scene - I would say the development of the characters is fair at best. The story is below average. The Acting is just barely above average.
  28. seancriswell
    Jan 26, 2013
    7
    This was my first Kurosawa film and I was not disappointed. I am not one to talk about film length very often, I think a film should be however long it takes the director to tell the story. I will admit however when I fired up Seven Samurai on Hulu and 3:46 appeared at the bottom I was very worried. Making it through a 1954 foreign language action film of this length did not seem like something i was ready for. Kurosawa however doesn't waste a scene in this film even if many scenes are a little more on the nose than I would prefer.

    My problems with the film are the same problems that I have with a lot of classic films. All of our characters are one dimensional which makes them fairly predictable. We know what purpose they will serve in the plot almost from the moment we meet them, to the point where we can predict which characters are probable to live and which will likely die.

    I also have an issue with the portrayal of the peasants in this film. The peasants are the center of our story and are treated with disdain by all of the characters around them. While this is understandable in the context of the film, I felt throughout that Kurosawa treated them the same way. Every peasant, except possibly one, in this film is treated like a fearful moron. Often they are seen running around aimlessly babbling incoherently to each other. When they do engage our heroes in conversation they have nothing to add to the process that is transpiring. There is no better evidence of this than in one of our seven heroes. As soon as we meet this character we know he will be a part of our group, yet he is always treated like a punch line. He is treated like that by the other characters because he is written like that by our story teller. In one of the plot twists midway through the film it is revealed he is a peasant. This comes as no surprise because of the seven samurai he is the most peasant like. Each character must fit into a stereotype. What engaged me in this film is the glimpse into the culture as well as the cinematography. For a movie made in 1954 it looks amazing. We are transported into this world through the landscapes, through the poverty that is portrayed visually, and through the way the characters interact with one another. Kurosawa also does a fantastic job with the action in this film. In a movie that the plot revolves entirely around a village protecting itself it would have been easy to just piece action scene after action scene together. Kurosawa never does this, the action is always handled in a very intelligent way. Giving us just what we need to get the next part of the story.

    Overall I enjoyed this film quite a bit, and am looking forward to seeing more of Kurosawa's work. I am reluctant to give classic films like this star ratings, as they rarely engage me the way they need to emotionally to warrant consideration in my favorites, or multiple viewings. This film reminds me of Citizen Kane in that I respect it more than I love it, and will probably reference it more than I will watch it.    … Expand
  29. Crusard
    Jul 21, 2012
    10
    I wonder what is must have been like to watch this film back in the 50's. We marvel at modern tech and the advanced cinematography but when you take all that away, strip it from current movies, you have very little left to marvel at. This movie needs no wizardry, it wins with a perfection that most modern day directors could never achieve even with an unlimited budget...you can't buy a movie this good...it just happens.… Expand
  30. ZeTomes
    Jun 27, 2012
    9
    I'm sorry, but it shouldn't be allowed to score a movie as 0, simply because "0" represents non-existence; a movie should be scored at least as 1, at least for its existence. Therefore I'm pretty convinced that the few people that scored this movie as "0", are reflecting their own "0" score of cinema knowledge or they're sentencing their own IQ. I'm kidding, at least they deserve 1 for being able to write something, well, 2 for constructing an idea... ok, 3 for appreciating "Raiders of the Lost Ark"... by the way! Do they know that Spielberg and Lucas were deeply deeply influenced by Akira Kurosawa's "7 Samurai"? Will they ever be able to realize that "Star Wars" and the Jedi concept were inspired on Japan's samurai culture and also on this movie? Sabre, lightsaber, no?… Expand
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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
99 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 5 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: J. Hoberman
    90
    Rich in detail, vivid in characterization, leisurely in exposition, this 207-minute epic is bravura filmmaking -- a brilliant yet facile synthesis of Hollywood pictorialism, Soviet montage, and Japanese theatricality that could be a B western transposed to Mars.
  2. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    100
    Moves like hot mercury, and it draws a viewer so thoroughly into its world that real life can seem thick and dull when the lights come up.
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  3. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not credited)
    100
    Much imitated, still unsurpassed. By critical consensus one of the best movies ever made, The Seven Samurai covers so much emotional, historical, and cinematic ground that that it demands to be viewed over and over again.
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