Yojimbo

Name: Yojimbo
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Released: September 13, 1961
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 93
Cast: Daisuke Katô, Eijirô Tôno, Hiroshi Tachikawa, Isuzu Yamada, Seizaburô Kawazu

1961

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Ratings

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Yojimbo

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Movie Details & Credits

Toho Company | Release Date: September 13, 1961 | TV-MA

Starring: Daisuke Katô, Eijirô Tôno, Hiroshi Tachikawa, Isuzu Yamada, Seizaburô Kawazu, Takashi Shimura, Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshirô Mifune, Yôko Tsukasa, Yôsuke Natsuki

Summary: A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 110 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Roger Ebert

[Kurosawa] was deliberately combining the samurai story with the Western, so that the wind-swept main street could be in any frontier town, the samurai (Toshiro Mifune) could be a gunslinger, and the local characters could have been lifted from John Ford's gallery of supporting actors. Read full review

100

Michael Wilmington

One of the great samurai pictures, its darkly brilliant premise--the cynical mercenary/master swordsman or yojimbo (bodyguard) who walks into a town feud and plays both evil sides against each other--has been copied frequently, most notably in the Sergio Leone-Clint Eastwood A Fistful of Dollars. But Kurosawa's treatment remains the most savage, thrilling, smart and hideously funny. [26 Jan 2007, p.C2]

100

James Berardinelli

Yojimbo does not cause viewers to ponder deep issues in the way Rashomon does, nor does it possess the epic grandness of The Seven Samurai, yet it must still be considered in the top tier of Kurosawa's films. Stylish, compelling, and involving, it became as much a blueprint for future productions as it is an homage to past ones. Read full review

The Observer (UK) Philip French

Toshiro Mifune is electrifying as an unemployed samurai exploiting two embattled factions in an early nineteenth-century Japanese country town. [05 Nov 2000, p.11]

Staff (Not Credited)

Though this lacks the epic stature of Seven Samurai, Kurosawa here again shows his mastery of the medium. Read full review

Josh Larsen

The widescreen Tohoscope compositions offer ample opportunities for dramatically staged standoffs, yet Kurosawa also employs them for laughs. Read full review

Bosley Crowther

As in most Westerns, the dramatic penetration is not deep, and the plot complications are many and hard to follow in Japanese. Kurosawa is here showing more virtuosity than strength. Yojimbo is a long way (in the wrong direction) from his brilliant Rashomon. Read full review

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User Reviews

Onlyclassicvg1

Sep 19, 2022

Sauron's forces have laid siege to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, in their efforts to eliminate the race of men. The once-great kingdom, watched over by a fading steward, has never been in more desperate need of its king. But can Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) answer the call of hisSauron's forces have laid siege to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, in their efforts to eliminate the race of men. The once-great kingdom, watched over by a fading steward, has never been in more desperate need of its king. But can Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) answer the call of his heritage and become what he was born to be? In no small… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

pd_42

Aug 22, 2021

Amazing performance by Toshiro Mifune. Yojimbo is iconic and Eastwood-esque.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Broyax

Oct 29, 2022

L’histoire me disait quelque chose… et à chaque tentative de visionnage de cette vieille connerie, ça me mettait un peu plus la puce à l’oreille… mais oui, c’est bien sûr ! Pour une poignée de yens ! euh… non, je veux dire, Pour une poignée de dollars !

On n’en est que plus admiratif deL’histoire me disait quelque chose… et à chaque tentative de visionnage de cette vieille connerie, ça me mettait un peu plus la puce à l’oreille… mais oui, c’est bien sûr ! Pour une poignée de yens ! euh… non, je veux dire, Pour une poignée de dollars !

On n’en est que plus admiratif de Sergio Leone qui a su transposer et adapter cette fameuse histoire au western, créant d’ailleurs soit dit en passant un tout nouveau genre de western : le western spaghetti !

Mais autant, le film italien s’avère brillant, autant le film japonais se révèle d’un ennui… imbattable ! non seulement imbattable mais également d’un humour volontiers imbécile, pour ne pas dire bêtement idiot.

Certes, l’acteur préféré de Kurosawa, le fort sympathique Mifune est encore là mais comme trop souvent, il en fait des caisses et manque de sérieux, ce qui n’arrange pas les affaires de ce vieux film de merde. Je donne 1 point quand même pour avoir inspiré (à l’insu de son plein gré) l’excellent western, premier volet de la fameuse trilogie du dollar !… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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