Rashomon

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Rashomon

1950

1h 28m

Drama

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

64 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.

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Critics Consensus

One of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed films, Rashomon features an innovative narrative structure, brilliant acting, and a thoughtful exploration of reality versus perception.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

It’s easy to forget, nonetheless, that the movie offers more rewards than a dazzling superstructure. It’s beautifully shot, vividly performed and is ultimately an arresting pop treatise on the impossibility of objective truth.

Rated: 5/5

Jan 9, 2023

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

Unmissable.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 17, 2010

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Ty Burr

Boston Globe

What Akira Kurosawa and his tiny production team wrought is now an accepted maxim of modern life, a creed by which to live in a world where everyone has a blog and an opinion.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 22, 2010

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Michael Clark

Epoch Times

“Rashomon” isn’t a whodunit thriller. Instead, it’s an observation of the unreliability of human short-term memory, particularly of the multiple witnesses at a crime scene, who are also possible victims or perpetrators.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 21, 2024

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Thoroughly unique, crafting a recognizable template for future films that opt to distort their narratives through the eyes of multiple storytellers and unreliable presentations of facts.

Rated: 6/10

Jul 20, 2024

Full Review

Daniel Barnes

Dare Daniel

The fourth story is seemingly the most objective of them all, and it's probably the closest to the truth. But even in that story, there are big holes. Everyone has something to hide.

Rated: 5/5

Nov 14, 2023

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Peter Santana

The perspective of four sides of the story so original for 1950!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/25/22

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Benjamin

Literally no exaggeration, one of the best movies ever.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/25/22

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Lars N

Genuinely mind bending, it's of course the inventive use of narration that gets the most attention, but the Kurosawa's signature beauty and Shakespearean grandiosity are also as prominente as ever.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/21/25

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Isaiah Y

One of Kurosawa's best films, featuring great performances from Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/08/25

Full Review

Nate S

Fantastic dialogue, blocking, and symbolism throughout the whole movie. Rashomon is an honest and frank look at the world and human nature through a detailed examination of a chance encounter in a secluded grove.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/25/25

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Alexander O.

A masterpiece in storytelling multi-narratives.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/16/25

Full Review

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Akira Kurosawa

Director

Toshiro Mifune

Tajomaru

Machiko Kyō

Masako Kanazawa

Takashi Shimura

Woodcutter

Masayuki Mori

Takehiro

Minoru Chiaki

Priest

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Synopsis

Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.

Director: Akira Kurosawa
Producer: Minoru Jingo
Screenwriter: Ryûnosuke Akutagawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Akira Kurosawa
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co: Daiei Motion Picture Company
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 26, 1950, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Runtime: 1h 28m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Academy (1.33:1)

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