Kumonosu-jô / Throne of Blood (1957) - Timeless action, drama and war epic - 8/10 (16/06/19)

Throne of Blood is an epic historical drama by renowned director Kurosawa Akira and with charismatic lead actor Mifune Toshiro. The plot revolves around betrayal, conspiracy, greed, honour and megalomania. It is inspired by William Shakespeare's Macbeth intertwined with stylistic elements from Japanese Noh which is a visually appealing but physically static type of traditional musical drama.

The movie tells the story of friends and generals Washizu and Miki who are foretold a bright future by a mysterious spirit in a misty forest. Initially skeptical, the prophecies of the spirit happen to be true when Washizu is named Lord of the Northern Garrison and Miki Commander of the First Fortress. However, Washizu's cold-blooded wife Asaji manipulates her husband into forcing his luck instead of waiting for it to fall into his hands. They plot to assassinate Lord Tsuzuki and then kill Miki but their gloomy plans soon backfire and spiral out of control.

The movie convinces with gorgeous settings such as gigantic Spider's Web Castle. The acting performances are really intense and especially Yamada Isuzu convinces as sinister femme fatale. The plot is filled with interesting conspiracies, intrigues and twists. The film's pace is relatively steady after a slow but necessary introduction. The final quarter of the movie is particularly intense and ends in a brutal tragedy. The movie has aged rather well thanks to its timeless plot.

This movie isn't among Kurosawa Akira's greatest films like Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress but is still in the upper middle section of his impressive works. This dynamic historical drama is a clever take on William Shakespeare's timeless Macbeth and convinces thanks to stunning settings, gloomy atmosphere and intense acting performances. If you like elegant action films, intense dramas or epic war movies, you will certainly appreciate Throne of Blood. This entertaining movie has aged quite well and would serve as an appropriate introduction to the works of both Kurosawa Akira and Mifune Toshiro.