The Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei) Reviews

Page 1 of 2
Top Critic
Marta Barber
Miami Herald
September 24, 2004
The story sometimes slips into soapy territory, but when you think the schmaltz is going to ruin it, Yamada gives it just enough of a twist to make you realize this is not your regular romantic film.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/4
Top Critic
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
September 17, 2004
Beautifully captures the end of an age.
Original Score: 4/5
Top Critic
Erik Lundegaard
Seattle Times
July 23, 2004
A small, respectful corrective.
Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4
Top Critic
Scott Von Doviak
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
July 2, 2004
An affecting look at the vulnerable side of a warrior
Top Critic
Charles Ealy
Dallas Morning News
July 1, 2004
As Iguchi, Mr. Sanada epitomizes the kind of man who can still dream and be true to himself amid the daily grind and turmoil. That's a welcome role model in any age.
Full Review | Original Score: A-
Top Critic
Bob Longino
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
June 17, 2004
About the last days of an era, whittled to a poetic vision of a worthy, solitary man.
Original Score: A-
Top Critic
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
June 4, 2004
This is an old man's movie in all the good ways: gentle, humanistic, rich with observation, quietly aware of all that can't be solved by the sword.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/4
Top Critic
Mark Jenkins
Washington Post
June 4, 2004
Viewers who stick around will be rewarded with a complex, moving domestic drama -- and a couple of duels.
Full Review
Top Critic
Stephen Hunter
Washington Post
June 4, 2004
This is an absolutely brilliant film but in a quiet way.
Full Review
Top Critic
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
May 27, 2004
[Yamada] does an exquisite job of balancing emotions, even throwing in a little levity without detracting from the impact of the narrative.
Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4
Top Critic
Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post
May 21, 2004
Well worth watching.
Original Score: 3/4
Top Critic
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
May 21, 2004
The Twilight Samurai is one action movie older movie audiences should love as much as younger ones.
Original Score: 3.5/4
Top Critic
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
May 21, 2004
The closing third of the film is magnificent in the way it gathers all we have learned about Seibei, and uses it to bring depth to what could have been a routine action sequence, but is much more.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/4
Top Critic
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
May 21, 2004
For audiences raised on Akira Kurosawa movies, Twilight Samurai feels like something of a revelation, a movie in which the hero's struggles hardly seem epic.
Original Score: B
Top Critic
Andrew Sarris
Observer
May 20, 2004
Rich in the kind of economic and social detail that explains how most samurai managed to live out their lives with only infrequent bursts of martial glory.
Full Review
Top Critic
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper
May 17, 2004
... works on all levels.
Top Critic
Carla Meyer
San Francisco Chronicle
May 14, 2004
Presents its own, somewhat revisionist samurai legend as a thoughtful and moving domestic drama.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/4
Top Critic
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
May 2, 2004
Welcome to Yoji Yamada. After decades of comedies, he arrives -- in this country, at least -- with a uniquely touching samurai film.
Top Critic
Manohla Dargis
Los Angeles Times
April 29, 2004
The film creeps into your affections with admirable stealth.
Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5
Top Critic
Hazel-Dawn Dumpert
L.A. Weekly
April 29, 2004
Perhaps because this is director Yoji Yamada's 77th movie, every aspect of his filmmaking is placidly assured and meaningful.
Full Review
Page 1 of 2