Critics reviews

Kurosawa’s dense, muscular compositions in Seven Samurai can hardly contain the volatile performance of this Toshiro Typhoon, whose swaggering exaggeration in the early sequences imperils the surrounding rice paddies more than it does the marauders. Mifune’s modulation from manic to tragic in Samurai is one of the great achievements of his career, and signals the depth and range of his acting.

It's fiercely entertaining in a way that might remind viewers just how hard it is to achieve that nebulous goal—to amuse as well as to awe. It may be for this reason that it's referred to as being Kurosawa's most "Americanized" film, though it could likewise be considered his gift to the West.