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Ran

Play trailer Poster for Ran R 1985 2h 40m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
96% Tomatometer 94 Reviews 94% 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.
Ran

What to Know

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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Critics Reviews

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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] Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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… Go to Full Review 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 Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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! See more 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 See more 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. See more Avi P @RT68872000 Aug 11 One of the greatest films ever made! King Lear meets Feudal Japan in this exploration of family, politics, and war. See more Atilla T @Treviewd1nce Jul 26 Remarkable! People that have done evil; thinking they're good and wondering why God won't help them. With a great reply by another. See more 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) See more Read all reviews
Ran

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Cast & Crew

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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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Ran

Poster Art Ran (1985) Ran (1985) View more photos

Movie Info

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)
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