I think that this is a superb tragi-adventure story that stands out well amongst the numerous loose adaptations of Shakespeare that have been made over the years. Kurosawa takes the Scottish play and gives it the "Noh" treatment that delivers an enigmatic and tautly directed rendition of a story of betrayal, power and insanity. Toshirô Mifune is magnificent as "Washizu" who after getting lost with his colleague (Minoru Chiaki) in the doleful "Spider's Web" forest is given a cryptic prophecy that one day he too is destined to rule the great "Spider's Web castle"... Initially reluctant to embark on this path, he soon becomes blinded by this ambition on the misguided advice of his wife (Isuzu Yamada) and so he sets out on a despotic path than can only end in disaster for everyone. The cast work the story well, ably aided by the eeriness of the sets and a sharp pace. It works far better, in my opinion, in monochrome - no colourful distractions from the moody cinematography of the forest nor of the castle architecture and the mobilisation of grand armies - especially in the scenes set in winter; and the general grittiness of the scenarios are easily akin to those of 11th Century Scotland. Once the delirium of the final scenes is upon us, the performances become plausible and in the end , I almost felt sorry for "Washizu". Great stuff.
