Movie

Yojimbo

1961 · 110 min

A wry, gritty samurai tale that unfolds with cool precision, sharp wit and sudden bursts of violence.

Tagline: Kill one or a hundred... you only hang once
Overview: A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.
How it feels: Dark, cynical, tense and satirical. Measured and needs your attention.
About: Crime, corruption, violence, deception
Content: Strong violence. Mild gore and sexual content. No swearing.
Note: Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Full breakdown

Tone: darkstrength 2 of 3
cynicalstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
satiricalstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: crime
corruption
violence
deception
power
Places: small town
countryside
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: twist ending
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language none
Violence strong
Sex mild