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Parents' Guide to

Seven Samurai

By David Gurney, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Famous epic with stylish violence and subtitles.

Movie NR 1956 203 minutes
Seven Samurai Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 11+

Based on 11 parent reviews

age 10+
It's epic, it's Kurosawa? What's not to like?
age 13+

A slow burning classic

Film makers are notorious for stealing and borrowing from each other, but everyone has stolen and borrowed from Kurosawa. Seven Samurai continues to shape action film narratives. Kurosawa brought together what we now consider to be classic film tropes. His work is still spellbinding and compelling...even now almost 60 years later...classic.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (11 ):
Kids say (14 ):

In what many consider to be his masterpiece, director Akira Kurosawa's action sequences are fantastic and, for their time, very innovative. Sweeping camera movements and slow motion are used quite effectively to pull the viewer into the thick of the battles. Of course, the techniques have now become old hat for action films, but Kurosawa got it so right that even now the action seem especially kinetic and involving.

This classic of the samurai film genre will appeal to teens and older who love action. Young viewers may find the human deaths disturbing, as many of the most sympathetic characters meet their demise while protecting the village. For those who can deal with the emotion of loss, Seven Samurai offers substantial rewards.

Movie Details

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