User Reviews

One of the best movies you will ever see in your life. 'Rashomon', directed by Akira Kurosawa and co-written by him alongside Shinobu Hashimoto, stands as an essential work both for those beginning to explore Japanese cinema and for those delving into the legendary Kurosawa’s filmography. Despite its short duration, the film achieves remarkable intensity, packing each scene with a surprising narrative and emotional richness. The screenplay employs a narrative structure that has set a benchmark in the use of flashbacks in cinema history. The way the story is constructed and reconstructed at every moment invites the viewer to question every word, creating a dynamic in which trust and doubt go hand in hand. This technique heightens dramatic tension even during the calmest moments, transforming a "slow" pace into a narrative tool of great power. The characters, perfectly written and portrayed, serve as reflections on the human condition. Each embodies universal emotions and conflicts. None reveals their motivations explicitly or through words alone; everything is conveyed through subtle, finely nuanced performances. This makes the film a constant exercise in interpretation, where every detail carries decisive weight. Kurosawa’s direction ensures that the mise-en-scène remains outstanding throughout, with careful control of rhythm and composition. The contrasts between moments of pause and frenetic sequences feel natural and deeply effective. The result is a profoundly rewarding cinematic experience that engages the viewer both intellectually and emotionally. 'Rashomon' is an absolute reference in cinema. Not only for its ability to innovate storytelling and character construction but also for its emotional impact. It is a film that lingers long after the credits, one you may want to revisit over time to reflect and gain new insights. A work that unquestionably holds a place among the greatest cinematic achievements ever created. Spanish: Una de las mejores películas que verás en tu vida. 'Rashomon', dirigida por Akira Kurosawa y escrita por él mismo junto con Shinobu Hashimoto, se presenta como una obra imprescindible tanto para quienes se inician en el cine japonés como en la filmografía del legendario Kurosawa. A pesar de su corta duración, la película logra una intensidad notable, condensando en cada escena una riqueza narrativa y emocional sorprendente. El guion despliega una estructura narrativa que ha marcado un antes y un después en el uso de los flashbacks en la historia del cine. La forma en que la historia se construye y se reescribe a cada momento invita al espectador a cuestionar cada palabra, estableciendo una dinámica en la que la confianza y la duda van de la mano. Este recurso potencia la tensión dramática incluso en los instantes más pausados, transformando ese "lento" ritmo en un instrumento narrativo de grandiosa fuerza. Los personajes, perfectamente escritos y actuados, funcionan como métodos de reflexión sobre la condición humana. Cada uno representa emociones y conflictos universales. Ninguno revela sus motivaciones de manera explícita o con la palabra dicha, sino que se transmite a través de actuaciones sutiles y matizadas al detalle. Esto convierte a la película en un ejercicio de interpretaciones constante, donde todo tiene su peso decisivo. La puesta en escena se mantiene siempre sobresaliente gracias a Kurosawa, quien sabe controlar el ritmo y la composición, logrando que los contrastes entre las pausas y los minutos frenéticos se sientan naturales y profundamente efectivos. Todo resulta en una experiencia cinematográfica gratificante al extremo, involucrando al espectador no solo intelectualmente, sino también emocionalmente. 'Rashomon' es un referente absoluto dentro del cine. No únicamente por su capacidad de innovar la forma de contar una historia y la construcción de personajes, sino también por su capacidad emocional. Una película que permanece viva incluso después de los créditos. De esas que quieres ver de nuevo en algún tiempo para recordar y darle otra lectura. Una obra que ocupa un lugar entre las mejores creaciones audiovisuales cinematográficas jamás realizadas.

A story about stories. Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950) is one of cinema's greatest explorations of truth, perception, and morality. It tells a single incident, a murder and an assault, from multiple points of view. It’s amazing how this storytelling structure was conceived, and how later the very idea came to be known as the Rashomon Effect. What a legend. I love the film’s minimal setting, its extraordinary direction, and Kurosawa’s masterful use of light and shadow, especially in the forest scenes. Toshiro Mifune’s performance is exceptional. (Just to mention, Ulidavaru Kandante (2014), directed by **** Shetty, is a spiritual descendant of Rashomon. It uses the same Rashomon Effect; Telling one event, a mysterious murder, through different perspectives. It’s less about what happened and more about how each person interprets it.)

No esta mal, tiene una buena historia y unas geniales actuaciones, pero no es de lo mejor que he visto.

Brilliant creation, in-depth testimony of humanity, embellished with great acting, although not devoid of small flaws.

Une enquête, un polar chez les samouraïs alors que passent trois individus dans la forêt : deux hommes et une femme… Un drame s’est produit et on aura de façon étonnamment originale chacun des points de vue de l’impromptu trio, puis celui d’un témoin, le troisième homme… C’est ce que nous raconte ce témoin en compagnie de deux autres gars qui nous relatent également ces « drôles » d’évènements alors qu’ils attendent, abrités, que la pluie diluvienne cesse. J’ai mis des guillemets à « drôle », car ce film est bien plus bizarre que drôle en raison des réactions de chacun des membres du trio dans la forêt : le mari, sa femme et le bandit… Leurs réactions sont en effet absurdes et illogiques et lorsqu’une réaction pourrait se justifier, deux autres lui succèdent, contraires, illogiques et absurdes comme dans un asile de fous qui tourne en boucle. Tout ça pour légitimer cette espèce de « fable » poussive sur l’égoïsme… Les acteurs en font des tonnes mais cela fait partie de la démonstration, ce qui n’en est pas moins fatigant : Mifune cabotine, la geisha est hystérique, le mari méprise, les conteurs font les gros yeux et s’interrogent. Rien à faire, on ne peut adhérer à tout cela même si on reconnaît les qualités de mise en scène mais aussi le ridicule des « duels » (pour mieux montrer la peur au combat, sans doute) qui tournent aux pantomimes désordonnés… A force de se fixer sur les intentions toujours aussi démonstratives, le film tombe donc régulièrement dans la caricature.

THE GOOD: I found the conversations between the three travelers in the temple really profound and interesting. The other subplot is sustained by a great Toshiro Mifune. Ahead of its time on a technical level. THE BAD: I didn't really care about what happened in the woods. I hope it had more moral complexity. Simply disappointed, good but I thought it would be better.

While not my favourite Akira Kurasawa(for not only Japan's greatest director, but one of the finest directors there was) film, like Seven Samurai closely followed by Ran, Rashomon is still a fantastic film. No Kurasawa film is the same without great scenery and cinematography, and Rashomon is no disappointment in that regard. The camera is always moving but never feels like too much due to how subtly composed they (and the editing) are, and the scenery especially the beautifully lit jungle is just as striking, not as epic as Seven Samurai but still making its mark. The music, though I may prefer Ran's score when it comes to scores for Kurasawa's films, is always fitting with the mood and atmosphere of the film, and with its exploration of the relativity of truth the four accounts of the woodland encounter between a bandit and a wealthy couple is written in a compelling and completely credible manner. Kurasawa's direction as ever is superb, as are the performances of Machiko Kyo and Toshiru Mifune. Overall, a truly remarkable film. 10/10 Bethany Cox

A ghastly crime has occurred, but who knows what really happened? This is the common thread of one of the most outstanding films of Japanese cinema. From the beginning it is inevitable to closely follow the perspectives and then draw your own conclusions, with an unexpected ending.

Absolutely striking film.This is very important for cinema film.Kurosawa`s **** you are true cinema fan,you have to check it asap!

Movie gets points for groundbreaking narrative, stylish camerabatics, and strong performances. But only gets a 5 overall from me because, no matter whose story you believe, all their motivations and personalities are all so wacky, it really made it hard to empathize with anyone.

The movie shows that right and wrong and truth is a matter of perspective. One of the best of all time.