When looking at the top movies to stream for free on Tubi last month, I noticed that the free streaming service had added "Ran" to its library, and it immediately caught my attention.
For those who aren't familiar with this movie, it's the final epic from Akira Kurosawa, who, among other things, is notable for being a significant inspiration behind George Lucas' "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope."
But the late, great Japanese filmmaker is famous in his own right, having written and directed acclaimed films such as "Seven Samurai," "The Hidden Fortress" (that's the one that inspired "Star Wars") and "Yojimbo."
Go through the Wikipedia article for any of those movies (and "Ran") and you'll see words like "significant influence" and "greatest and most influential films in cinema history."
"Ran" remains my favorite Kurosawa film, though, even 40 years after its original theatrical release. I first watched it when I was a kid — it was probably the first foreign-language movie I ever watched — and when I saw it was on Tubi for free, I got ready to hit play again.
But then I got an email telling me that "Ran" was being restored in 4K for its 40th anniversary. Even better, it was coming to my local independent theater.
So, of course, I bought a ticket. "Ran" is a visual masterpiece, expertly creating vivid battle scenes of epic proportions, loaded with color. I wasn't going to miss a chance to see it in theaters — and having now seen the 4K restoration for myself, you shouldn't either.
What is 'Ran' about?
"Ran" is loosely an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "King Lear." In that play, the elderly King Lear divides his country between his three daughters, a decision that leads to him disowning one daughter before being outcast by his remaining daughters and wandering the country as a madman as his daughters fight over his lands.
Kurosawa's adaptation holds pretty true to that general plotline. But he chooses to set it in a fictional version of Japan, based on 16th-century Sengoku period Japan.
If that sounds familiar to you, that's also when "Shogun" is set, and you can feel shades of FX's hit period drama when watching "Ran." I'd be shocked if the show didn't draw some inspiration from this movie, even though it's directly based on an existing miniseries that predates "Ran" by five years.
The historical drama epic stars Tatsuya Nakadai as the aged warlord Hidetora Ichimonji, who, like Lear, divides his lands between his three sons: Taro (Akira Terao), Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu) and Saburo (Daisuke Ryu).
Like in the Shakespeare play, the third child refuses to accept this gift with the appropriate level of flattery, and Hidetora disowns him. Based on what I've already told you about "King Lear," you can guess how it goes from there.
'Ran' is a visual masterpiece on the small or big screen
Now, I don't want to spoil much beyond that, because I want you to go see the original version on Tubi or the 4K restoration in theaters once you're done reading this article.
But I will mention that, while the story is compelling enough to hold you're attention, it's the visuals of this movie that make it one of the greatest films ever made.
Specifically, there are a few battle sequences sprinkled throughout the movie that are spectacular in every sense of the word. The first such battle sequence takes place at one of Hidetora's many castles, and has two of the brothers' armies assembled outside trying to breach it.
At the beginning of the film, when we meet Hidetora and his sons, the sons are each wearing a primary color for their outfit: yellow (Taro), red (Jiro) and blue (Saburo). When they fight, their armies also follow this color scheme, and so in this first battle, we get a sea of yellow and a sea of red meeting in front of this imposing castle.
The castle, surrounding lands and even skies are all dreary hues, and it makes the soldiers and their armor pop visually in a truly stunning way. Especially in the 4K restoration.
The good news is that this visual experience still comes through in the original version of the film on Tubi.
The only thing that doesn't quite hit in the same way is the sound of the film, which is immense at times in the theater. You'd want a decent sound setup to get a similar experience at home.
I use a Sonos Arc Ultra, which is our top-rated pick for the best soundbars you can buy right now, and it's plenty satisfying. But the Sonos Beam (Gen 1) I use in my office is also plenty good.
So, whether you see it in all its glory on the big screen or opt to watch it at home on Tubi, make sure to check out "Ran" now for its 40th anniversary. There's never been a better time to experience one of the greatest movies ever made.
Stream the original version of 'Ran' free on Tubi now or check out the 4K restoration at your local theater
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here's what he's been watching lately:
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