Review of Yojimbo (1961) by Keenan S — 30 Mar 2014

Though I'm only a few films into the vast filmography of Akira Kurosawa, he continues to surprise and amaze me with each film of his that I encounter - Yojimbo is no exception to this rule.

Yojimbo is basically a Japanese parody of westerns (Though, ironically, the film would be blatantly and illegally remade in the form of a spaghetti western), and it is a brilliant comedy, adventure, and action film from start to finish.

The film follows a recently unemployed samurai named Sanjuro after the fall of the Tokugawa Dynasty. Now he wanders the land looking for work until he comes across a town that is ruled by two different gangs that constantly wage war against each other to gain more territory. So, for the good of the town (And his own amusement), Sanjuro plays a deadly game where he makes both sides believe that is going to work for them and makes them fight against each other. But things soon get out of hand, and the people he cares about are threatened in the process.

Yojimbo is a brilliant film that seamlessly blends multiple genres together, unlike most other comedies which struggle to find a balance in having multiple genres thanks to the brilliant story, superb acting, and magnificent direction by Akira Kurosawa.

I laughed constantly, and I was engaged by the well developed characters, I was thrilled by the action and adventure, and overall, I had a hell of a time watching it because it was nonstop entertainment. If you love a good comedy, or hell, just a great film altogether, Yojimbo is not one to miss.