To say that Ran disappointed me may seems a bit weird, especially considering the rating I give. It disappointed me because I was expecting so much more from this movie after saying many reviews praising this movie as a masterpiece. So, when I started watching the movie, my expectations were high. I can't say that they were all met, but the movie is still a really epic one.

This is my third Kurosawa movie and like the other two, it's timeless. I don't know how he does it, but it seems all his movies aren't affected by time. Ran might be more recent than the other two I watched, but it's still stay a film that will transcend time. Why is it so timeless? I think the scale of the movie explains it. The set pieces, the costumes, the numerous extras; make the movie looks so realistic. The battle we see at the Third Castle is short of perfect; the editing in it is also pretty nice. The story is really good and it actually didn't feel like 160 minutes. For the characters, Lord Hichimonji was probably the highlight; the actor giving a great performance. Lady Kaede was also a stone blood sociopath that is worth mentioning.

Now, as why this movie disappointed me. First, I didn't find it boring, but I expected more battle sequences and I was a tad sad there weren't many. I'm pretty sure Kurosawa would have managed to some really epic sequences when considering the one that happens at the Third Castle. I said earlier that I didn't feel the movie was that long; while this is true, I think it could have been shortened. Especially for the subplot with Sué and her brother, which I didn't give a flying fuck about. I also have some minor complaints about some characters. First, I hated the jester; I just found him annoying and a pain. Secondly, why having Saburo leaving at the start and come back only towards the end? He was the most interesting of the three brothers. He was a bit wasted.

Overall, Ran is a another really solid movie from Akira Kurosawa. Another epic movie with a scale that surpasses many movies. The direction is nearly flawless and just help create a great and realistic ambiance. While I have some issues with the movies, those aren't that important and are, for the most part, rather personal than technical. Even though Ran disappointed me a bit, it still deserves much of the acclaim it gets.