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Sanjuro

Sanjuro

1962
Drama, Crime
1h 36m
A crafty samurai helps a young man and his fellow clansmen save his uncle, who has been framed and imprisoned by a corrupt superintendent. (imdb)

Directed by:

Akira Kurosawa

Screenwriter:

Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Shûgorô Yamamoto, Ryûzô Kikushima

Starring:

Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshirô Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, Yûzô Kayama, Reiko Dan, Masao Shimizu, Akira Kubo, Hiroshi Tachikawa, Takako Irie, Kunie Tanaka

Franchise:

Yojimbo

Genres:

Drama, Crime, Action, Adventure

AKAs:

椿三十郎, Tsubaki Sanjûrô

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese
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Sanjuro

1962
Drama, Crime
1h 36m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 73.06% from 1538 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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eveeluneveelun
Rated 03 Feb 2007
86
94th
The most accessible Kurosawa film I've seen so far. The story is tight and consistently entertaining, Mifune is as intriguing and commanding as he always is, and Nakadai makes a great villain. Not a whole lot is new or different from Yojimbo, but it's more polished in a way, and there are some striking sequences (particularly the ending).
Rated 03 Feb 2007
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 26 Nov 2009
9
90th
Mifune's back as the brave, ill-mannered, foul mouthed warrior, without a doubt one of the coolest actors to have ever graced the screen. The action is great and never detracts from the story (though it's a bit confusing at times, hope I don't come off as a racist but they all look alike...). This is another kick ass film from Kurosawa, guy really knows how to make 'em.
Rated 26 Nov 2009
farzanFarzan
Rated 01 Sep 2009
95
96th
Sanjuro starts fast, and has extremely tight and quick pacing, keeping you constantly entertained. Mifune has just as a commanding performance as all his other films, and Nakadai is a great villain. The charismatic Sanjuro has won me over again in this classic, smart samurai film, with an absolutely mindblowing ending. Great!
Rated 01 Sep 2009
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
84th
While Yojimbo stuck entirely with the hero, Sanjuro frequently breaks away from him, when all we really care about is what Sanjuro's up to. As he gets burdened with the nine clueless disciples, so does the audience, and they really get in the way. Mifune is still awesome, the camerawork is still fantastic, and the music is dynamite. It just doesn't hold your attention like the previous film does. There's some marvelous bits of business, one just wishes for a few more.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 12 May 2012
90
92nd
Can't you tell, I'm setting them free *kills an entire room of people* "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK"
Rated 12 May 2012
icarusIcarus
Rated 22 Oct 2007
95
96th
I love this film for its comedic tone and the stunning camerawork. I've seen the bulk of Kurosawa's work, and the way he mixes comedy into this rather dark tale of violence and kidnapping is brilliant. And the camera in Kurosawa's later B&W period is my favorite of his career--Bad Sleep Well, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, High & Low, and Red Beard. His eye for symmetry and the way he positions his characters in relation to one another never ceases to astound me.
Rated 22 Oct 2007
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 05 Jun 2007
4
74th
The plot is hastily contrived and perhaps verging on fluff, at least compared to most of Kurosawa's other work, but nevertheless these cat-and-mouse spy games are light-hearted and fun. Especially notable for its mastery of the widescreen format, the choreography and use of space is just brilliant (and would get even better in the director's subsequent film, High and Low). That last duel is really something, huh?
Rated 05 Jun 2007
doctor7doctor7
Rated 20 Jan 2007
93
96th
Very similar to Yojimbo. It's still an absolutely amazing Kurosawa piece but it's honestly been done before.
Rated 20 Jan 2007
bhmBhm
Rated 09 Sep 2009
90
99th
Witty, funny and moving at the same time. Beautifully filmed and the humor is in the same vein as Yojimbo. Even the blooper with the faulty gore pump at the end fit in, in anotherwise gore-less movie. A huge grin spread across my face when the Yojimbo score kicked in at the end. True samurai movies are meant to be in black and white...
Rated 09 Sep 2009
joojooJooJoo
Rated 29 Jul 2008
5
81st
Kurosawa does a sequel. it doesn't surpass its predecessor, but a damn fine watch on its own. The choreography of the young samurai group was mesmerizing.
Rated 29 Jul 2008
torontodogtorontodog
Rated 28 May 2008
95
97th
Slightly lighter sequel to Yojimbo. This one explores Sanjuro's strategic skills, as he becomes the "leader" of a gang of young samurai. Although the story is simpler than Yojimbo, at least we get to see Sanjuro involved in more actual battles this time around, with the last one being the high point of the film.
Rated 28 May 2008
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 09 Jul 2007
3
38th
At the most a slight bit worse than Yojimbo; it's hard to separate the two in my mind, considering that they feature the same character (in essence, if not literally). The story here isn't as good, but it's not far behind, and everything else is equally spectacular. One thing I liked in particular was the way that Mifune's character fucked up towards the end, instead of remaining an omnisciently brilliant character. And even then, he outwits his captors and gets out of it.
Rated 09 Jul 2007
trixrabbiTrixRabbi
Rated 05 Feb 2016
84
86th
Makes you wish they made a million of these.
Rated 05 Feb 2016
kasperlKasperL
Rated 01 Sep 2014
40
19th
'Seven Samurai' is a great movie, but I found that 'Yojimbo' had dated poorly, and I liked this even less. I much prefer Kurosawa's police dramas.
Rated 01 Sep 2014
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 21 Aug 2014
8
80th
Toshiro Mifune is a very handsome Japanese man.
Rated 21 Aug 2014
okkervilOkkervil
Rated 21 May 2014
95
99th
I can barely express how much I loved it. Supurbly witty, meticulously shot and rapidly paced, with Mifune owning the screen. But that ending! I genuinely had to calm myself down to get some perspective on the whole film after the sheer mindblowing meganess of the last few minutes! "Good bye".
Rated 21 May 2014
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 26 Jan 2014
5
70th
back to the fun side of kurosawa. a cynical samurai who is curiously omniscient helps a bunch of wild-eyed warriors defeat corruption. biggest flaw would probably be that the moral protagonist of the story was an old woman who spouted a lot of nonsense, but it's an exciting film that has good political interest. in particular the way information can shape perspectives at different times seems to be a motif. not among his best, but enjoyable.
Rated 26 Jan 2014
nobletNoblet
Rated 13 Apr 2011
87
89th
Yojimbo is the stronger film, but I enjoyed this almost as much. This has a slightly weaker narrative but it's funnier and has a better ending.
Rated 13 Apr 2011
anomalyAnomaly
Rated 25 Mar 2011
88
91st
Only a bit of a step back from Yojimbo, there's still plenty in here to love. Kurosawa's direction and the impeccable cinematography are the highlights. Also holy shit that ending.
Rated 25 Mar 2011
pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 14 May 2010
7
68th
Has a very Throne of Blood esque ending which was surprising and very cool and of course memorable. It's basically just Yojimbo lite so if you enjoyed that film you will enjoy this. Mifune is once again a badass.
Rated 14 May 2010
shmendrekShmendrek
Rated 17 Mar 2010
4
83rd
Very enjoyable. Loved watching Sanjuro outwit the greater army, and lead the young greenhorns to victory. Better than Yojimbo, as Sanjuro's cunning here extends beyond the "join one side and lie to them, then rejoin the other" strategy that made the previous film a bit repetitive.
Rated 17 Mar 2010
kahKAH
Rated 22 Jul 2009
3
74th
Kurosawa light. There are some comic reliefs here that should be totally out of place, but somehow it works. Very entertaining, and the ending is of course memorable.
Rated 22 Jul 2009
caimancaiman
Rated 21 Jul 2009
90
92nd
Call me crazy, but I prefer this one slightly to Yojimbo. It has such a fun mood. I also love the unexpected over the top gore at the end.
Rated 21 Jul 2009
crayonCRAYON
Rated 23 Jun 2009
94
95th
I wanted more Sanjuro. The sections of the movie where I got what I wanted were awesome. The sections of the movie where I was left watching the the 9 guys was kind of boring. The action is great. The last duel is amazing and has inspired many, many sword duels since.
Rated 23 Jun 2009
oaicoaic
Rated 08 Jun 2009
90
74th
I could be crazy but I liked this sequel even better than the very good original.
Rated 08 Jun 2009
prowlerprowler
Rated 27 Sep 2008
82
83rd
toshiro mifune, more like mifunny am i right
Rated 27 Sep 2008
baskilbaskil
Rated 14 Aug 2007
79
30th
Generally entertaining, but ultimately weak Kurosawa film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
ronin167Ronin167
Rated 14 Aug 2007
91
97th
Not quite as good as "Yojimbo", but still a remarkable piece of work. The ending is especially nice.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
auritechauritech
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
83rd
While not as good as Yojimbo, it's still a great, incredibly fun tale.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 07 Feb 2007
80
95th
Excellent another classic from Akira.
Rated 07 Feb 2007
pilgermannpilgermann
Rated 02 Dec 2006
85
87th
An entertaining film, and Mifune steals the show of course. I need an animated .gif of the standoff at the end!
Rated 02 Dec 2006
le_mamile mami
Rated 18 May 2024
80
81st
The last time I have watched a Kurosawa film was, I guess, 7 years ago. Very very silly mistake. He is terrific, and so is sanjuro.
Rated 18 May 2024
yorgoyorgo
Rated 24 Aug 2022
90
85th
Enjoyable and entertaining with a great ending. Toshiro Mifune just masters these type of characters. However, Yojimbo was more interesting with that unique western style of story, characters and the vibe.
Rated 24 Aug 2022
scribScrib
Rated 08 Jun 2022
80
78th
As good as Yojimbo, if not technically better overall. Tighter and more consistent. BUT - Yojimbo wins. Why? It's iconic. It came first, and no amount of uneven pacing can rob it of how killer its final act is. Sorry, Sanjuro. You're real good though. As good as we could ask you to be.
Rated 08 Jun 2022
darrenDarren
Rated 01 Jul 2020
70
54th
The last third is among some of the best work I've seen from Kurosawa.
Rated 01 Jul 2020
shalevshalev
Rated 15 Apr 2020
82
62nd
A bit silly and contrived, but overall fun and engaging
Rated 15 Apr 2020
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 08 Jan 2020
64
27th
There's something about the world Kurosawa creates in his Samurai films that feels passionless and contrived; unfortunately it is also the case here - well staged and technically well crafted, but there is a dire lack of tension and interest amongst these characters; Mifune's mugging for the camera does provide periodic shots of amusement, but he feels out of place with his dour cast mates. Climactic duel and showdown is beautifully and powerfully executed, but by then it's too little too late.
Rated 08 Jan 2020
jpotiijpotII
Rated 30 Oct 2019
54
42nd
Virgem
Rated 30 Oct 2019
napolenbradynapolenbrady
Rated 15 Mar 2019
91
84th
90.50
Rated 15 Mar 2019
oskarhuoskarhu
Rated 23 Nov 2018
82
83rd
Clever and entertaining. The clansmen were disappointingly weak and servile but Mifune's one man show is mostly convincing enough.
Rated 23 Nov 2018
ceekay19Ceekay19
Rated 14 Nov 2018
60
27th
Sanjûrô Tsubaki: "He was exactly like me. A naked sword. He didn't stay in his sheath."
Rated 14 Nov 2018
jonthefanjonthefan
Rated 07 Jul 2018
88
28th
Yojimbo might be the "better" film, but Sanjuro is loads of fun-essentially creating what could be known as a chambara "Robin Hood" story of outcast villagers trying to save the day. Fluff cinema at its best.
Rated 07 Jul 2018
phantom_nookPhantom Nook
Rated 28 May 2018
74
52nd
At least the series is in the running for having the best protagonist of all time
Rated 28 May 2018
sourheartsourheart
Rated 29 Mar 2018
3
36th
Not as good as Yojimbo, but last fight is great, and the parts with the flowers is very smart
Rated 29 Mar 2018
ribcageribcage
Rated 14 Feb 2015
89
90th
mifune is just amazing to watch, he's constantly making hilarious faces as he puts up with the blundering antics of the 9 men he's trying to help out. the pace is great, the humorous twists and bumps are tons of fun
Rated 14 Feb 2015
lonewolf2003Lonewolf2003
Rated 03 Dec 2014
90
96th
suffers a bit from the not as great as his predecessor syndrome, but one it's own it's an excellent early action comedy. (2nd viewing)
Rated 03 Dec 2014
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 12 Nov 2014
82
85th
Damn fine sequel with a crazy spectacular ending but not as tightly written or masterfully crafted as Yojimbo. The more self aware & comedic tone comes at the expense of weight & tension but also feels like a fresh take rather than a retread. Mifune's charisma is unequaled but the supporting cast could be more memorable. Kurosawa's original idea of colorizing the red flower petals along with the blood splatter would've been amazing to see but unsurprisingly proved too painstaking for the time.
Rated 12 Nov 2014
closedmouthclosedmouth
Rated 14 Jul 2014
90
89th
Obviously it's total studio-mandated fan service, but it's just as good, possibly better, than the first. The second half is ridiculously entertaining.
Rated 14 Jul 2014
thereeldealthereeldeal
Rated 17 Apr 2014
80
80th
Though not as interesting or tense as Yojimbo, Sanjuro has essentially everything Yojimbo had, just in lesser amounts. The same appeal exists in watching the clever Sanjuro repeatedly outsmart his enemies with the occasional stunning action scenes. The plot itself isn't as gripping as Yojimbo since it's politically-driven. We only care about Sanjuro's well-being as opposed to the more universal bandit villainy in Yojimbo. The biggest flaw is that Sanjuro himself is the only memorable character.
Rated 17 Apr 2014
ag0stomesmerAg0stoMesmer
Rated 13 Feb 2014
5
98th
It's quite 'talky' and has men hiding behind bushes allot but it's funny, complex and thoroughly entertaining. For me Mifune's what really makes it, brilliant.
Rated 13 Feb 2014
bofbof
Rated 13 Sep 2013
80
83rd
History repeats: first as drama, then as pastiche.
Rated 13 Sep 2013
the_pirateThe Pirate
Rated 12 Aug 2013
86
82nd
I enjoyed Sanjuro the character more than the movie itself. This might be because some of the supporting characters are under developed, or because Sanjuro is literally one of the coolest, smartest, deadliest, most badass movie characters ever! However, because of all this, no one was a match for him, not even Nakadai's character. There was no real challenge for him, though the problems faced by the group and Sanjuro's strategies for overcoming them made for good a plot.
Rated 12 Aug 2013
lexlex
Rated 04 Apr 2013
90
80th
The story is equally well crafted and entertaining to that of the celebrated Yojimbo, but it's just a bit less stylistically appealing and significant. The ending is a bloody awesome conclusion to Kurosawa's coolest character.
Rated 04 Apr 2013
randallodimRandallODim
Rated 03 Feb 2013
88
88th
It's not as incredible as Yojimbo, but Sanjuro is still an amazing film. Even while they share some story beats, it doesn't feel recycled, but rather that Sanjuro simply has plans he always falls back to. Mifune is as strong as he always is, but Nakadai also gives a great performance as Muroto, and the conspirators all work great together. Kurosawa's cinematography is as beautiful as ever, with some shots that are absolutely magnificent. Abayo.
Rated 03 Feb 2013
snallygastersnallygaster
Rated 31 Jul 2012
62
66th
Maybe not in the very top tier of Kurosawa's work, but it really is a top-notch samurai movie by any other standard. Kurosawa's camerawork is as good here as ever, and the swordplay is excellent. It may be silly, but the "I've been listening carefully from inside the closet..." scene gets funnier every time I see it.
Rated 31 Jul 2012
nilkynarfynilkynarfy
Rated 27 Jul 2012
80
78th
Great, but sort of bland. There's a lot of swordplay, it moves well enough, Sanjuro is a great character and it's pretty; however, life in Samurai Town was kind of blah. It has that illusion of population Kurosawa's towns always have, but at the same time I didn't find I had any reason to really explore it. There was no equivalent to Ikiru's night clubs or 7 Samurai's forested hills. It was building, then building, then another building, a garden stream, a garden. It's too clean and suburban.
Rated 27 Jul 2012
yoohooyoohoo
Rated 15 Jul 2012
90
92nd
Compelling and excellent story of a drifting ronin. Excellently shot and the pacing couldn't have been more perfect. Criterion Blu-ray looks fabulous. Will review again upon a further viewing.
Rated 15 Jul 2012
domahdomah
Rated 09 May 2012
95
97th
Sanjuro, the first Jedi Master.
Rated 09 May 2012
derekstarDerekstar
Rated 04 Jan 2012
60
36th
Sanjuro made the mistake of falling into a predictable formula. The men around Sanjuro have a solution to a problem, Sanjuro cooly and disinterestedly intervenes and suggests a much more clever course of action, everything works out, repeat. This saps all of the magic out of the film. Yojimbo had that magic. Sanjuro is just an unworthy sequel.
Rated 04 Jan 2012
rufamRufam
Rated 31 Dec 2011
55
21st
Not terribly bad or anything, just really uninvolving and boring. I seem to be unable to get into most of Kurosawa's films -and I fail to discern the reason they are so lauded most of the times too. Oh, well. At least Mifune was great.
Rated 31 Dec 2011
ttoshittoshi
Rated 07 Nov 2011
78
95th
Toshiro Mifune at his best, playing a comedic samurai.
Rated 07 Nov 2011
worstcasesceworstcasesce
Rated 19 May 2011
1
0th
Oh man, great sequel. It's hard to say whether Yojimbo is better or not. Yojimbo has better "classic moments" and we get to see more Mifune, but Sanjuro also has a goofier tone, better pacing, and toys with more interesting themes. In that sense, they're both great in different ways, and Sanjuro acts a true companion piece (and is barely a sequel, since you could conceivably watch the two in any order). Score is not a grade.
Rated 19 May 2011
mechatiggerMechatigger
Rated 23 Mar 2011
71
50th
Light-hearted sequel to _Yojimbo_. Lots of fun; not as deadly serious as Kurosawa's other samurai films.
Rated 23 Mar 2011
glmglm
Rated 18 Jan 2011
93
97th
93.000
Rated 18 Jan 2011
heapshakeheapshake
Rated 28 Nov 2010
90
94th
I enjoy a good action comedy
Rated 28 Nov 2010
slantmagSlantMag
Rated 17 Oct 2010
30
78th
"The relative linearity of the film can't help but come as something of a disappointment after the feast of Yojimbo." - Rob Humanick
Rated 17 Oct 2010
saptaSapta
Rated 17 Aug 2010
90
90th
very entertaining
Rated 17 Aug 2010
stanthecaddystanthecaddy
Rated 23 Jul 2010
80
62nd
A good followup to Yojimbo, with some well-done action sequences. Though the basic conceit is the same- the protagonist attempts to foil a veritable army through trickery and judicious use of the blade- it's once again used to good effect.
Rated 23 Jul 2010
crazymoronxcrazymoronx
Rated 09 Jul 2010
90
98th
Not quite as good as Yojimbo, but this movie still holds its own.
Rated 09 Jul 2010
purgatospurgatos
Rated 03 Jul 2010
86
84th
An incredibly enjoyable film, the story is so tight and so wonderfully paced, it's easy to get lost in it. Mifune is incredible(as always) with a great supporting cast. It may not have the same action and excitement as Yojimbo, but it's certainly not far behind in terms of how much fun it is to watch.
Rated 03 Jul 2010
okidudeokidude
Rated 21 Apr 2010
5
96th
The final duel really bumped this one up a notch!
Rated 21 Apr 2010
billkerwinbillkerwin
Rated 30 Jan 2010
93
91st
Another definitive samurai performance from Mifune.
Rated 30 Jan 2010
erinmtuttleerinmtuttle
Rated 10 Apr 2009
85
67th
"Killing people is a bad habit." 04/09/09
Rated 10 Apr 2009
eggbeatereggbeater
Rated 13 Mar 2009
67
61st
Satirical comic-book actioner features a typically deadpan Mifune performance.
Rated 13 Mar 2009
paradigmaParadigma
Rated 28 Sep 2008
90
97th
Mifune is really great, and this one is a little better than Yojimbo i think.
Rated 28 Sep 2008
roujinroujin
Rated 31 May 2008
70
78th
I'm not sure I can dislike something with Mifune in it.
Rated 31 May 2008
monstergearMonsterGear
Rated 06 Sep 2007
83
74th
Surprisingly funny, even if the story isn't horribly complex or anything. Lots of fun to watch.
Rated 06 Sep 2007
thedenizenTheDenizen
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
91st
A strong followup to Yojimbo, continuing the adventures of Mifune's roguish and clever ronin. The script is not as funny or sharp, but the visuals and performances are excellent across the board.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
terrymacterrymac
Rated 14 Aug 2007
90
97th
Another great performance from Mifune as the manipulative samurai. The film is perhaps a bit lighter in tone than Yojimbo, although this shifts suddenly at the end, and although I didn't find it as involving as Yojimbo it still stands up well in comparison. The camerawork struck me as excellent. Well worth watching, ideally back-to-back with Yojimbo.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
blayzeblayze
Rated 26 Apr 2007
90
92nd
Playful.
Rated 26 Apr 2007
stainStain
Rated 29 Mar 2007
20
19th
Remarkably dull for a movie with this much blood
Rated 29 Mar 2007
cinematicespCinematicESP
Rated 08 Feb 2007
95
96th
Perhaps even better than Yojimbo. Beautiful photography and another interesting plot. Mifune is amazing as always.
Rated 08 Feb 2007
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 18 Jan 2007
82
70th
Sanjuro estreava há 60 anos no Japão. Sanjuro fica pálido em comparação à obra-prima Yojimbo, mas ainda é uma obra bem digna dentro da filmografia indefectível do Kurosawa. DVD Versátil.
Rated 18 Jan 2007

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