Film Fetish: "Yojimbo"

Yojimbo (1961)
- directed by Akira Kurosawa

Set in nineteenth-century Japan, a wily and cunning ronin known as Sanjuro wanders into a small town under the oppressive rule of two warring gangs. Sanjuro, seeing an opportunity, decides to play the two gangs against one another by proffering his services as a yojimbo (bodyguard). Is his sole motivation personal financial gain? Perhaps a noble display of selflessness to free the town? Who will come out on top in the end?

I should let it be known that I'm a huge fan on Akira Kurosawa, and usually find no fault with any of his work. That being said, I think this is a film that anyone could enjoy. It's pure entertainment from start to finish. It's all at once a comedy, a samural film, an old-time western and a bit of a drama. Toshiro Mifune, a longtime collaborator of Kurosawas, is as compelling as ever as the titular samurai. The story is solid and inventive. The action holds up well after all these years, which is something to marvel at given the kind of choreographed action sequences we've become accustomed to seeing in modern martial arts films.

8/10 A great Kurosawa film! A solid samurai film. Something of a gripping "western". And not a bad comedy to boot! A must-see for sure. :D

DS333, entertained.