Pardon the amateurish quality of some of these reviews, many of them were written years ago, but I just feel Kurosawa needs something to start with.

The Seven Samurai (1954) - Akira Kurosawa

The beauty of a grand sweeping epic that we thought forever gone. The restoration of Seven Samurai in 1998 proved to be one of if not the greatest miracles of film. Since the initial American release of the film, the picture has been butchered. Enormous amounts of the film were cut, which resulted in a still unsuccessful film. Back was all its splendor and glory, and monstrously long running time. Like all the best epics though, this doesnt feel like three and a half hours.
   It was a monster from the beginning. Akira Kurosawa had gone back to Toho, the MGM of Japan, and he planned to make his first real historical film. He also wanted to put to shame the other historical films that had been crowding Japan. He did just that making an all inclusive epic set in the 16th century. It follows the exploits of three groups of people. There are the farmers, the lower class peasants, with a somewhat honest profession. Then there are the bandits, the dishonest opportunists who prey off of the ill equipped peasants of the world. Then there are the samurai, the defenders of the earth, men of respect and integrity.
   All of these groups though become interchangeable through Kurosawa. Toshiro Mifunes samurai is the best case. His parents were farmers, which means he could have easily picked up their trade. Yet they died at the hands of bandits. He wandered around and probably would have become a bandit, had they not murdered his family. So he ends up a samurai, the most undisciplined one, but the most eager, exciting, and admirable.
   He has nothing in common with Takashi Shimuras head samurai. He is portrayed as next to Jesus in this film. He never makes a wrong decision, and it is no surprise that he is the first samurai approached by the farmers. Had he not been picked first the rest of the group may not have been formed. It is through his respect and dignity that he manages to round up another six master less samurai. Saint he may be, he is still a warrior, which means he does still kill.
   The rest of the samurai have their own personalities, some of which are highlighted better than others. There is the youngest, who craves the adulation of the rest, and tries his best to be older than the rest. Throughout the film we watch him grow up, eventually becoming something of a man. Then there is the samurai who serves as his greatest inspiration. He is always one step ahead of his enemies, and the other samurai. Not surprising that Mifune ends up is slight competition with him, and tries to do what he does.
   The basic plot is that a village of farmers are attacked every year and they have had enough. They hire seven samurai to help fight the bandits and protect them. Although greatly outnumbered, and promised nothing but three squares and the fun of fighting, the samurai accept. It is this that helps support claims that this is pro socialist. No one is motivated by money, other than the seemingly evil bandits, or capitalists. There is also the strength in numbers so common in communism. The farmers cant defend themselves alone. It takes the samurai to get them to work together, and proof that the individual is virtually powerless.
   This may be refuted by the samurai being given personalities. They all have their own quirks and mannerisms. There are also a few farmers shown in detail. There is also the breakdown of the dream at the end when the farmers turn their back on the samurai, forgetting what they have done in order to concentrate on planting rice. Proof that eventually communism wont work. Either way, Kurosawa might not have had any political intentions in mind.
   Not a moment of the film drags, even in the extended version. Kurosawa makes certain of this, keeping his shots short and proceeding. Lots of senseless dialogue is trimmed out, and a great deal is implied rather than shown. The battle scenes are all shown in great detail. They are fast and moving, in more ways than one. Before you know it this film will be over, so dont worry for boredom. Some people do still complain though, oddly enough preferring the John Sturges remake The Magnificent Seven (1960).
   Over the years Seven Samurai has gradually been accepted as Kurosawas best film. Despite many great films to choose from, this still gets the most critical attention. The restored version brought about a whole new enthusiasm for the picture, and Kurosawa in general. Many leading critics consider it the finest Japanese film, and one of the ten greatest pictures ever made. High praise for an action film. Well that may be perhaps because this is more than that, as well as more than any one thing, historical picture, drama, or even comedy. It is everything at once, giving something grand for everyone.