It’s incredible how well this movie holds up today. The story is fantastic, the characters are great, and the dialogue is sharp. The only real drawbacks come in two areas: the acting and the audio. Being an older film, the acting leans heavily into melodrama—something especially pronounced in Japanese cinema of the time. It can be jarring at first, but as the film progresses, it becomes easier to appreciate the performances for what they are. The bigger issue is the audio. The quality is rough, with screechy music, muffled sound, and noticeable audio cuts and abrupt transitions. While it doesn’t ruin the experience, it does stand out as the film’s most dated element. Beyond that, Kurosawa’s mastery of pacing is on full display. He takes his time crafting the story, embracing long shots and still moments to let the weight of the film settle. It’s a testament to his skill that the movie remains just as compelling today. Overall, it’s a great film and absolutely worth watching, 8.1/10

“Admirable, my Lord. You, who would soon rule the world, allow a ghost to frighten you.” The story is about a war-hardened general, egged on by his ambitious wife, works to fulfill a prophecy that he would become lord of Spider's Web Castle. ‘Throne of Blood’ is a gloomy, atmospheric retelling of Shakespeare's classic story of Macbeth. It took me awhile to realize that it’s a loose retelling of Macbeth until halfway through, so most of the time I was noticing certain plot points. Even then, it’s a intriguing interpretation with many elements of general horror, foreboding and dread. That’s director Akira Kurosawa for you. Toshirô Mifune delivers an energetic and fiery performance. Isuzu Yamada (who basically plays Lady Macbeth) is both eerie and almost ghostly. Who would’ve thought Shakespeare would still work effectively without the rhythm and rhyme, set in the backdrop of Japan. A timeless tale.

Nobody uses rain effects like Kurosawa, and in this adaptation of Macbeth he adds wind and fog into his weather-based repertoire to dazzling effect. The environment here pulses with dread and foreboding. The setting translates perfectly--I especially loved the Japanese version of the ghost spirit and that final sequence of arrows was gorgeous.

Pretty boring and tedious to be honest. Knowing the Macbeth story well, there was never any tension in this Yes the visuals and acting are good but it just drags. 4-5/10

The original title of the film is Kumonosu Jô.