Seven Samurai (1954)

Seven Samurai

• You know, this was pretty good, considering it’s a Japanese remake of a great American film that starred Chris Pratt. I’m kidding, I’m kidding. This was clearly the first version of this type of movie, and its American remakes. I’ve always been a fan of the 1960 version of ‘The Magnificent Seven’, so watching this was a real treat. I’m not sure why I haven’t watched it sooner. If I saw it when I was younger, I probably would’ve thought it was slow and boring, but with my movie sense now, I absolutely loved it. You can see just how much influence this has had on not just modern action movies, but the entire action genre itself. The writing around the characters was fantastic, and I loved how each person (not just the samurai) all have their own personalities that stick out. Seeing everyone get along with each other, as well as clash, was intriguing. I also love some of the character traits presented by each hero. The acting was a little bit exaggerated at times, so sometimes it seemed a tiny bit cheesy, but still very serious and dramatic. Another influence was some filming techniques. Slow motion and well constructed action sequences were a huge highlight. I loved the time and setting, which increased authenticity. Everything happening felt like it was right in front of me, and I was a part of the fight. The runtime was a tiny bit long, but looking back at it, I don’t think I ever felt like I was getting bored. You can feel how long it is, but you get so sucked in that once it finishes, you're not relieved or anything. Finally, the score was really good, with some great parts from the strings and high brass. Overall, this movie was absolutely phenomenal, and *just* barely misses out on being perfect. But not by much. I’d recommend it to all drama/action fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!