“You speak nonsense, I’ll speak truth. We’ll see what comes of it.” —Kyoami
Today’s quick review: Ran. Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai), an aging warlord, reflects on his life of violence and decides to give his throne to his eldest son Taro (Akira Terao). But when Taro’s vengeful wife Kaede (Mieko Harada) convinces him to betray his father, Hidetora is cast out. Facing similar betrayal from his second son Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), Hidetora has no choice but to turn to Saboru (Daisuke Ryu), the third son he banished.
Ran is a Japanese drama directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear. The story follows a proud lord who loses his kingdom when he entrusts it to his treacherous son. Ran is a tragedy of high caliber. In one fell swoop, Hidetora sees everything he fought for taken away from him. At the same time, he is tormented by the years of bloodshed he inflicted, pushing him to the brink of madness.
Ran draws much of its strength from its plot. What begins as a gesture of good will from an aging ruler snowballs into a tangle of betrayal, revenge, and internecine bloodshed. The situation escalates out of control with shocking smoothness, and the film does an excellent job of capturing Hidetora’s fraying mental state as he’s dragged ever lower. Ran’s themes come across clearly, and its characters are studies in human virtue and folly.
The story also plays well on the screen. The battle scenes are never the main focus, but they serve as a climax to the political drama. The visuals of the film show Kurosawa’s careful touch, and it is packed with minor details that add to the story. The scope of the film may be too grand for those who prefer more personal drama, and the characters are not individually appealing, but taken as a whole, Ran achieves its vision with grace and skill.
Ran represents some of the greatest strengths of its genre. The fate of nations, the ruin of kings, and the tragedy of regret all come together into a powerful whole. Not everyone will enjoy its selfish characters, its dour tone, or the exaggerated nature of its plot. But those willing to fall into Ran’s rhythm will find it to be a finely crafted film that is well worth a watch.
For another Kurosawa adaptation of a Shakespearean drama, try Throne of Blood. For a Kurosawa samurai film with a personal touch, try Seven Samurai. For an epic crime drama with a similarly tragic, tumultuous plot, try The Godfather.
[8.2 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089881/). I give it an 8.0 for skillful execution of a powerful story.