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The Samurai and the Prisoner

Play trailer 2:09 Poster for The Samurai and the Prisoner 2026 2h 27m Mystery & Thriller Drama Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 17 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings

Critics Reviews

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Jordan Mintzer The Hollywood Reporter May 26
Classic and contained (the action rarely ventures outside the castle), this is a samurai flick that ends up denouncing the sacred code samurais used to live by. Go to Full Review Rory Doherty AV Club May 22
B+
A delightful detour for the genre master. Go to Full Review Jessica Kiang Variety May 21
Kurosawa’s highly entertaining adaptation knows that just because you are chained does not make you a prisoner, any more than having wealth and power can reliably make you free. Go to Full Review James Hadfield Japan Times 5d
3/5
The richness of the film’s inquiries and Motoki’s commanding lead performance keep things engaging, if not always exciting. Go to Full Review Ryan McQuade AwardsWatch Jun 11
B+
Kurosawa continues to prove himself as a vital contemporary master of the craft that explores the essential fabric of his past and present in order to understand the future that is coming. Go to Full Review Joonatan Itkonen Region Free May 26
5/5
Kurosawa's latest is a masterwork in form and function, a spellbinding blend of genres that thrills from the opening shot to the inevitable conclusion. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
The Samurai and the Prisoner

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Cast & Crew

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Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Director

Masahiro Motoki

Murashige Araki

Masaki Suda

Kambee Kuroda

Yuriko Yoshitaka

Chiyoho

Munetaka Aoki

Kyuzaemon Araki

Ryota Miyadate

Sukesaburo Inui
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The Samurai and the Prisoner

The Samurai and the Prisoner: Trailer 1 The Samurai and the Prisoner: Trailer 1 2:09 View more videos
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The Samurai and the Prisoner

The Samurai and the Prisoner (2026) View more photos

Movie Info

Director
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Screenwriter
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Production Co
Shochiku, Tokyo Broadcasting System
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Crime
Original Language
Japanese
Runtime
2h 27m