Rating: 
Summary: Fantasic Movie
Review: First off I would like to rant a little about the people who say this movie is a "kung fu" movie or a ripoff of of The Magnificant Seven. I would love for people like this to do a little research and even a little brain power before they put thoughts into print.
Okay, now with that off my chest, on with my thoughts on this movie. This movie is a classic and is ranked next to Citizen Kane for the top spot for best film ever made. Excellent character development, directing, acting, atmosphere. The whole film just radiates greatness.
Rating:
Summary: Akira Kurusawa : Magnificent Director.
Review: The Seven Samurai proves to new generations how magnificent director was Akira Kurosawa.
I can easily tell that it wont be interested for me to watch "The Seven Samurai" if I only read the topic of it. It was a chance event how I watched it first time 15 years ago. I can't explain how this 3 hours just passed. The characters, the story, the performers and "Genious" Akira Kurosawa are all magnificent on this classic.
Pls note that you don't like "The Seven Samurai" if you are looking for technological actions on movies..
Rating:
Summary: Time and Space
Review: I will not repeat all of the superlatives that have already been applied to this film or to the directors vision or the actors portrayal, they all defy description. My only offering to this forum is time and space. For a 3 hour movie it is amazing how time moves so swiftly that you don't notice it. It is a well paced film that you can easily lose yourself in. I cannot recommend it more highly than by asking how many of todays 90min hollywood movies would you wish to be 3 hrs long? This film takes the full 3 hours and then when it is done you have no idea where the time went because you were so engrossed in it. Even now after seeing the DVD version 7 or 8 times over two months I can still start it up anywhere in the story and be totally engrossed in the picture. As for the space portion of my title, there must be a space for the DVD version of this film in any film viewers library that appreciates both world cinema and the origins of many of todays film techniques. Along with Metropolis (science fiction), M (crime drama), and The General (comedy), Seven Samuari is a true cinema and world classic in every meaning of the phrase.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Magnificent
Review: Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" has never been surpassed and never will. The plot is a simple, yet interesting: Residents of a village are basically under the control of bandits who come to the village every year to take their keep. So one year, the villagers decide they are fed up with this annual practice. Sometime later, a man (Toshiro Mifune) helps save a child from a madman. This man turns out to be a Samurai. He and others find six more Samurai to train the villagers and help fight against the bandits.
Throughout the first tape, all the groundwork of the film is laid out very smoothly and it's easy to follow. The second tape mainly focuses on the campaign against the bandits. The way that campaign is fought is very impressive. It really takes the element of medievil strategy to the above and beyond. There is a great scene near the end of the film in which the bandits try to charge to the front gate. An opening is left open, one enemy is let in and then the rest of them are closed off by ambushing villagers from the sides of the gap. The cinematography in this film is breathtaking, and not just for its time. One scene early on in which one of the future seven samurai is dueling with a cocky fencer. It uses slow motion, slight angled panning,(something that must have inspired the Matrix) to create quite a thrilling few seconds. Dialogue, though subtitled, is not the least bit corny. But in the midst of the simple plot, there a few of substories.
"Seven Samurai" has all the good stuff put into it: War, Strategy, Romance, Humor, Action, and Honor...
Anyone who likes even one the attributes I listed above must buy this.
Rating:
Summary: Greatest movie of all time?
Review: In one word - YES! So many great things have been said about this movie, that I don't know if I could add anything new. The American remake "The Magnificent Seven" was great, as was Disney's unofficial remake "A Bug's Life". But nothing well ever top the original. I feel sorry for those reviewers with short attention spans that were raised on MTV videos, who find this movie long and boring. Yes, this film is lengthy, but too me, this story is so involving that I simply lose track of time! The great movies do that! This was Toho Studios one-two punch for 1954. Their other big movie that came out that year was the original "Godzilla" which also starred the great Takashi Shimura. Shimura plays Kimbei, the head samurai in "Seven Samurai". This movie also introduced me to Japan's greatest actor, Toshiro Mifune who plays the drunken samurai wantabe, Kikuchiyo. For those who want to watch Mifune at one of his finest, check out "Yojimbo". Another Kurosawa classic! Kurosawa, in my mind is probably the greatest director of all time!
Rating: 
Summary: didnt like it.
Review: didnt like this movie at all. did not find it beautiful, did not find any of the characters even remotely interesting. in fact if you asked me i could not tell you who the main character was. Kurosawa was praised for his camera work, in showing all the major characters, but that's exactly the problem. yes the characters were major but WHO was the main? also, for a film that sets the standard for action films, ive watched almost all of it (prolly 1 hour lefT) and havent seen one fighting sequence. or anything.
Rating:
Summary: A True Classic!
Review: Being a fan of great epics,"Seven Samurai" is one that definitely fit the pattern perfectly. It's long (not that it's a major problem in the first place), involves many different ideas (the dichotomy of samurai as opposed to farmers or peasants, the art of combat, and what it truly means to be honorable in a world that is anything but that), and involves many epic action sequences (such as the rain-soaked climax). Ultimately, it's a movie that works on all ends, inspiring many carbon copies, but they all pale in comparison to this brillant work. The DVD itself is not heavy on extra features, which is fine by me. The movie (along with a interesting commentary on the movie and it's creators) is padding enough to recommend this to film aficionados.
Rating:
Summary: Believe the hype
Review: "Seven Samurai" is one of those movies your hear referred to constantly by full-time film afficionados. Those are the kinds of movies I'm usually leery of. Finally I broke down and rented "Seven Samurai," and found it to be well worth the praise-indeed, worthy of its position as one of the all-time great movies. The story is a rousing one, the cinematography instantly affecting. I liked the dvd so much I purchased a copy. I appreciate Criterion's decision to have commentary from a full-fledged Japanese film fan. He knows the material inside out and provides a wealth of small details, as well as appreciative remarks that no director would feel comfortable making. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding...
Review: I cannot do this masterpiece justice with words... you have got to see it. If you are not the type to sit still and watch drawn-out drama, then this might not be for you. Otherwise, simply outstanding.
Rating:
Summary: Great film
Review: This is a must have for samurai buffs and fans of Akira Kurusawa's films. It's refreshing to see a classic film from a director that inspired numerous of today's directors like Spielberg without all the flashiness and hipness of contemporary Hollywood movies. The film quality is excellent and the commentary that comes with the movie is informative and entertaining. There aren't too many special features, other than subtitle selection and the commentary but it's a great DVD nonetheless.
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