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The Last Samurai (2003)
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Movie Review by Ash
October 24th, 2006
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The best samurai film ever made by Hollywood.
Review originally written 12/7/2003
The Last Samurai is probably not for everyone. Japanese culture is almost impossible to understand to the western mindset. Feudal Japanese culture is even more difficult. Even though director Edward Zwick does a good job watering most of it down for western audiences, that's just another part of the problem. Now not only do we have a society that doesn't make sense, but now the why's and what-for's are brushed over. One example is the obligatory seppuku (ritual suicide) scene. It was a part of samurai culture, so it is shown, but western audiences are expected just to accept that samurai kill themselves when shamed, and then move on. Fans of samurai lore will be disappointed at this very shallow look into the culture and society.
However, one must remember that this is a 2 1/2-hour film and not a 9 1/2-hour mini-series like Shogun. Zwick makes a smart decision to focus on the story while walking the delicate middle ground of the setting and characters. Even so, the story feels a bit rushed at points, and Cruise turns into a samurai much too quickly. But if we suspend out disbelief just a little, what we get is a mesmerizing, and powerful story about a man who reminds the Japanese of who they are.
Tom Cruise plays Nathan Algren; a washed up, frontier war hero who's committed so much murder and atrocity that he's lost his soul and who's only friend is the bottle. He's hired by the Japanese to train their army in the way of modern gunpowder warfare. When he arrives to Japan, he soon realizes that the Japanese want to use him to erradicate enemy samurai just as his own government used him to erradicate indians.
Ken Watanabe plays Katsumoto; the samurai lord who captures Algren so that he may understand this new enemy and way of warfare he is up against. However, he and Algren form a bond of friendship, and Algren is forever changed by it.
All the acting performances in this film are top notch, and I wouldn't be surprised if Watanabe was nominated for an Oscar. Cruise gives a convincing performance of the transformation from a broken man who cares about nothing to someone who cares so much for these foreign people that he's willing to die for them. The only problem with Cruise is his "stardom." He's such a huge mega-star that it's often impossible to forget you are watching Tom Cruise dressed up as a samurai, which is more than a little distracting.
The Last Samurai is a breathtakingly beautiful film that is sure to land cinematography nominations. When the Japanese conscripts armed with muskets face down a charge of mounted samurai you will feal their fear. Kurosawa would be proud.
While the story is not perfect, and we are forced to endure a few cheesy moments of Algren, it is undeniably powerful and moving. Don't miss this film.
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 | Jessica
Jan 31, 2007 1:17 PM
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| Awesome Review!!! Great Movie !!! |
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