Ran

Wow, I mean just wow. Wow because there has rarely been so much poetry and meaning behind visuals and setting like there is in this film. I swear every single shot looks like a unique canvas, and that’s where the craziness begins. It feels that way because they all are. Kurosawa literally storyboarded the whole motion picture by hand. He is a ge-ni-ous. I mean every shot, scene, sequence, I was double guessing how the hell this was filmed. The landscapes, the colors, the blocking, it all was breathtaking, and I mean that. The color grading, and shall I say design, is very well thought out. There are vibrant colors for each of the sons, and the bright red blood looks the best blood has ever looked. The retelling of a Shakespearean play is done so well, and it represents each character clearly enough that you can really understand, maybe not agree with, but understand every move that is made. I enjoy how the visuals work to show not only who is really in power, but also how much darker the story becomes as it progresses. Mainly Hidetora is very compelling, because the tragedy of his character can arguably be justified by his past actions, but is still nonetheless a tragedy that hits hard in the stomach. I like how pessimistic this film feels for almost the whole film except the opening. It so abruptly becomes terribly dark and just keeps going. Masterpiece. It’s gripping, poetic, emotionally packed, and the most breathtaking picture I’ve experienced in so long. Kurosawa, you may take a bow, and we will all applaud while standing.