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nick S @Nick_S Aug 24, 2026 The beginning of the movie is great. And just as it starts to wane it switches focus and setting. Full of great plot ideas and stimulating glimpses of Tokyo culture. The actors are compelling. Even the extras throw themselves into their work. So much movement and energy the city feels alive. Kurosawa didn't overcook the ending... it was actually a surprise not to get the cheesy surprise twist. I think this is a near perfect movie. See more Jonathan K @aFIREintheattic Aug 23, 2026 Kurosawa is obviously one of the greatest, but I have to admit this was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The first act, the setup and character building around the main dilemma, is so strong and compelling, even though there's not much going on and it's mostly set in one room. The tension is real and the directing is assured, and like always with Kurosawa, the shots, what he does with the camera is just so cool, so creative and artful. That's true throughout the whole movie, his sense of framing is wonderful to watch. But once it gets into the second half, where it turns into basically a crime movie with the detectives trying to find out whodunnit, it lost a lot of steam and momentum for me. I just wasn't as compelled by that kind of story under his direction. And the ending, without giving too much away, didn't really satisfy my curiosity about the motivations of some of the characters. I got it, I understood... [continued on letterboxd] See more Karthik Y. @madkarthi May 30, 2026 an absolute cinematic masterpiece. Akira Kurosawa delivers pure class execution in every single frame. See more Tom F @RT55173143 May 30, 2026 The film starts as a low-stakes corporate power struggle and quickly escalates into a thriller, making scenes we’ve seen a million times still surprising and exciting. See more D P @RT45936356 Mar 15, 2026 A really good story. My American self really, really... really wanted there to be some justice, some compensation, some deus ex machina, some kind of gotcha or UNO reverse card, a scheme, a twist, something! I wanted a happier ending, and I didn't get that. But I understand that it doesn't always work out that way. I'm just used to my movies lying to me about living in a just world. See more Jason R @JasonLovesMoviesForever Mar 3, 2026 A True Masterpiece that stands the test of time 70+ years later! Every film maker and actor should watch this Directors films to get an idea of what quality cinema is. See more Read all reviews

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