The Samurai and the Prisoner

In the latest genre-bending triumph from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cloud, Cure), Lord Murashige (Masahiro Motoki), a sixteenth-century Japanese warlord leading a revolt from an isolated castle faces division, conspiracy, and mysterious killings within his own ranks, plunging the fortress into fear and suspicion. With no one he can trust, he turns to Kanbei (Masaki Sudda), a cunning and dangerous strategist imprisoned in the castle dungeon for guidance, and together they must form an uneasy alliance to outwit Murashige’s enemies and uncover the truth behind the killings before time runs out. Adapted from the novel by Honobu Yonezawa, The Samurai and the Prisoner is a stunning and twisting mystery/thriller “that feels a bit like Agatha Christie, a bit like Shakespeare, and even a bit like Saumrai Columbo” (Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com). (Dir. by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2026, Japan, in Japanese with English subtitles, 147 mins., Not Rated)