The Samurai and the Prisoner

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The Samurai and the Prisoner

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2h 27m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Crime

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97%

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72 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

When Lord Murashige Araki (Masahiro Motoki) rises up against the tyrannical Nobunaga Oda (Bando Shingo), he finds himself besieged within the walls of his own castle. Isolated, he is confronted with a series of mysterious crimes that shatter the fragile order of his court, plunging the fortress into fear and suspicion. With Oda's army closing in and a traitor hiding among his ranks, Murashige is forced into an uneasy alliance with Kanbei Kuroda (Masaki Suda), a brilliant yet dangerous strategist held prisoner in the dungeon. Helped by his wife Chiyoho (Yuriko Yoshitaka) and his most loyal generals, Murashige must uncover the truth before the castle falls.

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Critics Consensus

Orchestrated with an intelligence as sharp as a katana's edge, The Samurai and the Prisoner is an elegant mystery that offers further proof of director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's mastery in any genre.

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Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

3d

3.5/5

At the heart of The Samurai and the Prisoner is a deeply moving performance from Motoki (Departures) as a man who cannot deny his fate, even as he puts up a facade that only crumbles around Kanbei.

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Barry Hertz

Globe and Mail

3d

There is a patience and commitment on display from Kurosawa that requires an equal investment and energy from his audience. But it also doesn’t take much to fully give in to this intricately constructed world of vengeance and mercy, order and dishonour.

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Katie Rife

Inverse

3d

This multifaceted film... has the intrigue of an Agatha Christie story and the gravitas of an Akira Kurosawa epic.

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Sean P. Means

The Movie Cricket

20h

3.5/4

"The Samurai and the Prisoner" is sweeping yet intimate, and moves from whisper-soft to bold and brash as Murashige slowly discovers who he can trust in his castle — and the chilling answer is that he can’t even trust himself.

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Andrew Parker

The Gate

1d

8/10

The Samurai and the Prisoner isn’t quite up there with Kurosawa’s all time best, but it comes pretty darn close.

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David Crow

Den of Geek

2d

It’s an opportunity to take a forbearing, painterly, and ever graceful stance on the merits of mercy… and their limits when seeking to be a harmonious aesthete in an inharmonious world.

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Kirk

21m

Extremely slow plot development. And focuses on an asinine mythical Japanese sherlock holmes mystery collection lionizing a tea maker Murashige that obtained status while happening to get away with never fighting Nobunaga.

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Ramsey H

23h

I appreciated the mystery, though I had an early inkling of the resolution. Despite this, I found myself momentarily forgetting my initial suspicions, leading to a mild surprise upon the reveal, rather than a profound shock. While certain scenes experienced pacing issues, the dialogue was consistently strong. The incremental clues leading to the revelation were particularly well-executed. I did observe some elements that appeared artificial, such as the foliage and portions of the architectural structures, but this did not significantly detract from the overall experience.

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Ryan T

@RT01197652 17h

There was a lot to admire about this movie, but it became very confusing at times keeping up with who was who.

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Roy J

22h

You get 4 murder mysteries in one movie. Very entertaining even if sometimes confusing if you don't know the history of these characters and war.

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Randy M

@RT01741323 2d

The Samurai And The Prisoner is the years masterclass in disguising a murder mystery into a feudal Japan epic, with all the Kurosawa signature moves. You’ll be transported to the feeling of sitting in a Japanese cinema in the 1950s or 1960s. I thought films set in feudal Japan were a lost art form. This movie proves they’re not. One of the year’s best films, and a work that proves Kurosawa once again that he's among the greatest directors alive.

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Jonathan S

@RT42880183 3d

Subtle, smart and beautiful from a master of cinema.

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Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Director

Masahiro Motoki

Murashige Araki

Masaki Suda

Kambee Kuroda

Yuriko Yoshitaka

Chiyoho

Munetaka Aoki

Kyuzaemon Araki

Shingo Bando

Nobunaga Oda

The Samurai and the Prisoner: Trailer 1

2:09

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Synopsis

When Lord Murashige Araki (Masahiro Motoki) rises up against the tyrannical Nobunaga Oda (Bando Shingo), he finds himself besieged within the walls of his own castle. Isolated, he is confronted with a series of mysterious crimes that shatter the fragile order of his court, plunging the fortress into fear and suspicion. With Oda's army closing in and a traitor hiding among his ranks, Murashige is forced into an uneasy alliance with Kanbei Kuroda (Masaki Suda), a brilliant yet dangerous strategist held prisoner in the dungeon. Helped by his wife Chiyoho (Yuriko Yoshitaka) and his most loyal generals, Murashige must uncover the truth before the castle falls.

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Producer: Satoko Ishida
Screenwriter: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Distributor: Janus Films
Production Co: Shochiku, Tokyo Broadcasting System
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Crime
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 31, 2026, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $64.5K
Runtime: 2h 27m

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