dersu uzala doesn't feel like a kurosawa film and i don't think that it has anything to do with the fact that the film is made in the russian language. dersu uzala felt like it was lacking the edge and energy that most films of his do. in some ways, this film lacks some of the essential trademarks of the director that we have all grown to know and love. but, that does not mean that it is a bad film either. it just becomes a very interesting one. honestly, the best thing about this film is the cinematography and the stunning shots of the russian wilderness that are perfectly framed and just look insanely beautiful. this film is as beautiful as any of the other films that kurosawa has ever made. some of the shots here are ones that i will remember for a long while as the camera takes in the landscapes around it. this film understands that sometimes nature is just so much more beautiful than anything that practical or computer (as if they could use them) can conjure up. perhaps it is this ponderous pace and scenic contemplation that made this film feel like another director, namely andrei tarkovsky, had made this film. in many ways, this film would fit far better in his oeuvre than it would in kurosawa's. there is something interesting in the story that he is trying to tell here about the connection of two different men and calls for a return to our connection to nature. however, it just feels overshadowed by the visuals in such a way that it feels as if the story is of little importance here. which is strange considering that one of the most interesting things about kurosawa is how he uses the stories he tells to really delve deeply into themes. here he doesn't do it and it feels to me as if this is a lesser effort from this great director. however, one of the greatest signs that a director is one of the best is that even his lesser work still is worth visting, maybe multiple times.