Seven Samurai (1954)
The blade doesnโt cut deep for this Japanese epic.
Presentation:
As far as epics go, this samurai classic absolutely fits the bill. The amount of people that can fit on the screen is impressive and with a perpetual sense of movement and action in each scene due to Japanese sensibilities of animated personalities. The film follows a group of samurai hired to protect a village from bandits. Despite having a 3 hour runtime, samurai recruitment scenes somehow didnโt efficient utilize time to develop the large cast. The farmersโ backstory was interesting, but for a film lauded as a masterpiece, it didnโt feel masterfully fleshed out nor presented.
Conclusion:
Thereโs a reason this Japanese film has critical acclaim even in the west. Itโs a marvel of epic storytelling particularly for 1954, but itโs doesnโt translate as well today compared to similar action epics. As blasphemous as it sounds, I think polished animes like Samurai Champloo improved upon this. The method the samurai end protecting the farmers was also disappointing. You are kinda expecting more sword slinging, epic duels and showdowns, but the iconic Japanese swordplay had not yet been fully realized. Action is noticeably fake and unconvincing, which is acceptable for the time but ultimately not immersive if you watch in 2024. The story is just okay, but I think future Japanese stories overshadow this classic.
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