It is impossible to dive into Japanese cinema without eventually coming across the works of Akira Kurosawa. He is considered one of the most influential directors of all time, inspiring some of the most famous directors in the west, like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. The genre that Kurosawa is perhaps best known for is his samurai films. Today I am going to talk about one of his most highly rated and influential samurai films, Yojimbo (用心棒, meaning “bodyguard”). I will be giving my thoughts on what makes this movie so special, and why everyone should watch it.
The Story
Yojimbo follows a wandering nameless ronin (a samurai without a master), who stumbles upon a town controlled by two warring gang leaders, Seibei and Ushitora. The ronin, who uses the alias Sanjuro decides to try and make as much money off of the two gang leaders as possible by working as a bodyguard. The tension between the two gangs escalates until eventually it turns into an all out war. Ushitora takes things too far and Sanjuro decides to put an end to the fighting in the film’s epic final showdown.
What I Like
The main reason that this movie is loved is instantly clear from the very opening of the movie. Toshiro Mifune’s performance as the wandering ronin Sanjuro is amazing and he fills the character with so much cool and charm that it is impossible not to smile anytime he is on screen. He really owns this character, and you can very clearly see how the character of Sanjuro influenced so many cool vagrant characters that came afterwards. Mifune’s presence on screen is complimented perfectly by the main theme of the movie. Seeing Sanjuro walk into town as this song plays in the background really sets the tone for the whole film. Another stand out character in the film is the villain Unosuke. He acts as Sanjuro’s rival in the film, and he does a great job at having a frightening presence every time he appears. Another highlight of the film is its cinematography. There are so many brilliant shots throughout the film from the iconic wide shots to the clever framing and composition. This movie is simply gorgeous, and visually it stands the test of time.
Final Thoughts
After finally seeing this movie, it is very clear to me just how influential it is and why Kurosawa is often considered the greatest Japanese film director of all time. I have seen a few other Kurosawa films, and I think that Yojimbo might be my favorite one (with Rashomon being a close second). I find it very interesting just how much the classic spaghetti westerns of the 60s borrow from the works of Kurosawa and this film in particular. If you are a fan of the films of Sergio Leone, then Yojimbo is a must see. This film oozes with cool, and I recommend it to all people who like cool things.