An aged, powerful warrior in feudal Japan plans to retire and divide his kingdom equally among his three sons. When the youngest of the three questions his proposal, he finds himself banished and his doubts soon proving prophetic as a rift develops between the two elder siblings who prepare for battle and witness the toppling of the vast kingdom their father strived so hard to secure. Made in his mid-70s, legendary master Akira Kurosawa's Ran is an epic, full-blooded, dynamic take on King Lear filled with fantastic cinematography, incredible battle sequences, and gripping subplots. Tatsuya Nakadi is mesmerizing as the old warlord.
*** 1/2 out of ****
