Overview
A poignant tale of survival and friendship unfolds in the wilds of Siberia.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- contemplative
- melancholic
- austere
- quiet weekend
- reflective movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly recognized the film's humanist performances and picturesque wilderness cinematography, while divided responses faulted its sentimentality, slow pacing, and uneven structure.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Arsenyev and Dersu form a durable bond despite their different backgrounds and ways of understanding the world.
The Siberian wilderness, storms, ice, fire, and changing seasons shape the expedition's survival and the characters' inner lives.
Dersu's practical nature lore loses its social usefulness when he accompanies Arsenyev into urban civilization.
Arsenyev's military surveys repeatedly place the group in remote Siberian terrain where navigation, weather, and resourcefulness determine survival.
Films like Dersu Uzala, and why
The Revenant
shared wilderness adventure, humanist drama, and reverence for nature
The Last Emperor
shared contemplative exploration, cross-cultural friendship, and expansive natural landscapes
The New World
shared historical adventure, spiritual connection to the natural world, and visually composed filmmaking
Movie Details
- Director
- Akira Kurosawa
- Release Date
- 1975-08-02
- Runtime
- 141 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (658)
Cast
- Yuriy Solomin
- Maksim Munzuk
- Mikhail Bychkov
- B. Khorulev
- Vladimir Kremena
- Aleksandr Pyatkov
- Svetlana Danilchenko
- Dmitri Korshikov
- Suimenkul Chokmorov
- Daniil Netrebin
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dersu Uzala about?
- An expansive Siberian adventure about a Russian explorer whose friendship with an instinctive hunter reveals the costs of leaving the wilderness for civilization.
- What is Dersu Uzala like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dersu Uzala as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Dersu Uzala violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Dersu Uzala as mild.
- What did critics think of Dersu Uzala?
- Critics broadly recognized the film's humanist performances and picturesque wilderness cinematography, while divided responses faulted its sentimentality, slow pacing, and uneven structure.
- Which films are like Dersu Uzala?
- Films with a similar feel include The Revenant, The Last Emperor, and The New World.
- How long is Dersu Uzala?
- Dersu Uzala runs 141 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dersu Uzala?
- In United States, Dersu Uzala streams on Criterion Channel.
