In addition to being a rousing action movie, Sanjuro is also a biting satire of other samurai movies.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Apr 1, 2025

A worthy sequel to Yojimbo.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Feb 5, 2025

Human beings don’t necessarily come off very humane in these films and while they take place in 1860 near the end of the Japanese Edo period, and the movies were made in the early 1960s, parallels with today’s western governments are startling.

| Original Score: A | Jan 27, 2025

The swordplay in Sanjuro is perhaps even more impressive than it is in Yojimbo, though the gentler tone gives the film an altogether softer effect.

| Jan 9, 2025

Kurosawa has never produced a poor picture and Mifune has never appeared in one. Tsubaki Sanjuro is not quite the masterpiece of a Seven Samurai, but it is better than the average period samurai adventure picture.

| Mar 17, 2023

Among Kurosawa's most well-balanced films, Sanjuro resounds with equal parts artistic intent and sheer entertainment value.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 18, 2022

I was afraid the same plot of Toshiro Mifune as the unwashed vagabond who cleans up the town wgs becoming monotonous... But director Akira Kurosawa added something new in the incongruous humor injected.

| Jun 19, 2019

There is no question that Mifune gives another of his superb performances. In fact, this one may be called among his more enjoyable acting.

| Jun 19, 2019

This is fun but, compared with Kurosawa's other 60s efforts, relatively slight.

| Aug 7, 2012

Technically, the film is one of Kurosawa's most impressive, featuring some superbly staged sword battles and exceptional use of complex widescreen compositions.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Aug 7, 2012

Satirical Samurai action of the highest order.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 7, 2012

The relative linearity of the film can't help but come as something of a disappointment after the feast of Yojimbo.

| Apr 20, 2011

Rather than simply repeating the successful formula of Yojimbo, which incorporated humor but largely played it straight, Sanjuro flips the script for a largely comic action picture punctuated by a dark, rug-yanking conclusion. [Blu-ray]

| Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 28, 2010

a textbook on widescreen composition.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 28, 2009

The charm of this fascinating Toho production, stylishly directed by Akira Kurosawa, is the personality of the hero, powerfully played by Toshiro Mifune.

| Mar 26, 2009

For escapist fare, this ranks highly

| Original Score: B+ | Feb 5, 2007

Mifune's smashing performance is the force that makes it all work so well.

| Original Score: A | Jul 23, 2006

Kurosawa was pressured by his producers into directing this sequel to Yojimbo, and rose to the occasion by making his funniest and least overtly didactic film

| Jun 24, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 19, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 8, 2004