Kagemusha

“Simple, bold, and colorful on the surface, but very thoughtful.”

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times · 100

“Though the story's Shakespearean underpinnings give Kagemusha the weight of classic tragedy–in this case, the tragedy of a man rendered helpless by larger historical forces–the film astonishes mostly as pure spectacle.”

Scott Tobias, The A.V. Club · 100

“It is filled with lavish battle scenes and sharply scripted intrigue, and is among Kurosawa's greatest triumphs. [17 Apr 2005]”

G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle · 100

“A powerhouse of a film, an epic of sixteenth-century Japan swarming with savage action and even more savage irony. [13 Oct 1980, p.131]”

Jack Kroll, Newsweek · 90

“If Kagemusha falls short dramatically, and many admirers may not share that impression, the sag occurs at an awesome level of filmmaking prowess. Ironically, this tale of a shadow warrior is diminished only by the length and intensity of the artistic shadow thrown by Kurosawa in his prime. [21 Nov 1980, p.F1]”

Gary Arnold,