Ran

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Ran

R

1985

2h 40m

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

94 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

At the age of seventy, after years of consolidating his empire, the Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai) decides to abdicate and divide his domain amongst his three sons. Taro (Akira Terao), the eldest, will rule. Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), his second son, and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu) will take command of the Second and Third Castles but are expected to obey and support their elder brother. Saburo defies the pledge of obedience and is banished.

Critics Consensus

Akira Kurosawa's sprawling, epic take on King Lear should be required viewing for fans of westerns, war movies, or period films in general.

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Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

06/09/2025

A level of spectacularity that continues to surprise to this day. [Full review in Spanish]

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David Robinson

The Times (UK)

01/29/2020

Ran takes film spectacle to new heights. Kurosawa continues not only to extend his own powers but to exploit new technical advances.

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Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

01/29/2020

There is not a wasted second. [Here] is proof of what we seldom doubted: Kurosawa is a director who becomes godlike rather than gaga in old age.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 29

4/4

Kurosawa managed to fashion a movie that embodies that most overriding of cinematic oxymorons: an intimate epic.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

07/25/2025

4/5

…Ran means turmoil, and feudal dispute is at the heart of this stunning-looking film…Kurosawa’s swan song is a triumphant final curtain on one of cinema’s key figures for spectacle and story alike…

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Ross McIndoe

The Skinny

07/04/2024

5/5

Rereleased by StudioCanal to celebrate Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary, his breathtaking adaptation of King Lear proves, so far at least, to be as immune to the effects of time as the original

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Brad

06/03/2025

Akira Kurosawas brilliant direction makes this retelling of King Lear one of the best films made in the 80s!

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Wenders F

06/01/2025

Great film as I have seen it before but never on a large screen before. Unfortunately we only saw half the film today as the power went out to the theater

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Spencer Nielsen

05/31/2024

In the same breath one of the most beautiful and bleak spectacles ever filmed. Kurosawa once again gives evidence for being one of the all-time masters of the art.

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Atilla T

@Treviewd1nce 4d

Remarkable! People that have done evil; thinking they're good and wondering why God won't help them. With a great reply by another.

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 Feb 12

Combining Shakespearean tragedy and Kurosawa’s signature scope with color palette strengthens this cultural adaptation debatably as one of the best in performative artistic ranges, though wounded by its undistinguishably characterized slow pacing albeit the expressive study and the tasteless graphical violence that overdid the nevertheless impressive vision. (B)

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Drey P.

@Dreymia Jan 25

Exceptional epic story

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Akira Kurosawa

Director

Tatsuya Nakadai

Lord Hidetora Ichimonji

Mieko Harada

Lady Kaede

Akira Terao

Taro Takatora Ichimonji

Jinpachi Nezu

Jiro Masatora Ichimonji

Daisuke Ryu

Saburo Naotora Ichimonji

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Synopsis

At the age of seventy, after years of consolidating his empire, the Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai) decides to abdicate and divide his domain amongst his three sons. Taro (Akira Terao), the eldest, will rule. Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), his second son, and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu) will take command of the Second and Third Castles but are expected to obey and support their elder brother. Saburo defies the pledge of obedience and is banished.

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Producer: Masato Hara, Serge Silberman
Screenwriter: Masato Ide, Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, William Shakespeare
Distributor: Orion Pictures
Production Co: Herald Ace, Greenwich Film Productions, Nippon Herald Films
Rating: R
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 1, 1985, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 23, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 29, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $352.1K
Runtime: 2h 40m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 4 Track, Dolby Stereo, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)