It’s a truly excellent adventure film featuring Toshirô Mifune again as the wandering samurai warrior, reprising his part from "Yojimbo." This time, he finds himself in a village struggling with local corruption. The Chamberlain has been set up by the superintendent of a clan, who is attempting to solidify their uncertain standing by eliminating anyone who opposes them. Sanjûrô chooses to assist in protecting these people and quickly becomes involved in a fight that demands every bit of his ability and experience—though they are significantly outmatched. The story skillfully combines local political intrigue with an ambition for control and also portrays the maturation of several villagers, who greatly admire their warrior leader. Takako Irie is noteworthy as the Chamberlain’s wife; she embodies the image of a traditional Japanese woman, but often (and occasionally to Mifune's amusement) delivers surprisingly perceptive and intelligent observations—she seems to understand the samurai remarkably well! I was captivated by Mifune’s performance – he interacts with his companions in a manner akin to a teacher guiding students, sometimes using humor, other times employing discipline, but always showing concern; this reflects how Kurosawa develops the characters—with honesty and dignity. There's still plenty of action, and numerous sword fights propel the story forward until its conclusion. It’s peculiar that, nearly six decades later, it hasn’t been remade in Hollywood – maybe that’s for the best.

Source on TMDB