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The Last Samurai (2003)

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865 comments in total

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160 out of 195 people found the following comment useful :-
Beautiful, 21 May 2005

Author: mstomaso from Vulcan

After my third viewing, I can finally admit that this film has me. I enjoyed it during its theatrical run, enjoyed it more the second time around, and now, I can only say that I love it. The cast is exemplary. Tom Cruise is so good in this film that it is very often easy to forget he is Tom Cruise. Easily his most powerful role and best performance since Jerry Maguire. Ken Watanabe, however, is incredible in every scene - acting with a rare sensitivity and intensity and breathing life into a character much larger and more human than the grand story of which he is a part. Though the entire cast is excellent, I feel that I must also single out Koyuki and Shichinosuke Nakamura for, respectively, the female lead and the emperor, for the subtle strength and believability they each give their very challenging roles.

The story takes place during the early modernization of Japan, in the 1870s and 1880s. The Emperor's power has been weakened by the political and economic power of his cabinet, by his young age, and by the political influence of the United States and other western powers pulling the strings of his cabinet and supplying modern weaponry and tactics to the modernizing Japanese army. Cruise plays Captain Allgren, an alcoholic veteran who has seen and participated in too many massacres of innocent people, and is offered an opportunity to reclaim some of his honor by helping to train the Japanese military in the use of firearms. When he arrives in Japan, we learn that the first test of the Japanese army and its new weapons will be against a rebellious group of samurai who believe themselves to be in the service of the Emperor and Japan, but resist the Emperor's cabinet and the influence of western nations. In the power void left by a passive emperor, Japan seems poised to enter into a civil war against its own values, faith and honor. During the first attack on the Samurai, Allgren is captured by the Samurai and begins a spiritual, physical and philosophical journey which will bring him a level of self-respect his own culture could never supply.

My interpretation of this journey is that Allgren has found a place and people that offer him redemption, where, in his own world, he can find none. But Allgren's is only a small part of the story - which ultimately revolves around what is right for Japan, for the subjectivity of a whole nation, and how to portray such a subject from its own perspective. Traditional Japan is treated with empathy here, not aggrandizing exaggeration, as some of the film's critics seem to suggest. This is not a film about what is objectively right and wrong, but a film about struggling to understand and empower tradition as a means to control and benefit from change. I find no grand moral statement here, but rather an intense, sympathetic, human drama with a strong sense of honor and sacrifice.

Edward Zwick has made a film which operates well at every level, carrying simple but profound philosophical ideas, but avoiding the mistake of making these ideas and the characters that express them super-heroic. Ultimately, this beautifully shot film conveys powerful messages about war, tradition, ethics, honor and culture, which, though not particularly original, are sensitively and intelligently brought forward. There is a lot of action, including some remarkably well-acted sword fighting and martial artistry, but none of it seems unnecessary and the whole film is truly tightly woven. My highest recommendation.

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155 out of 201 people found the following comment useful :-
It's the journey, not the destination, 12 December 2004
Author: Halsy from Toronto

Others here (those PC type people) have erroneously stated that the film is a typically racist one in which the "superior white man" has to save the "noble savages", nothing could be further from the truth. In fact it's quite the opposite. Tom Cruise's character, Nathan Algren, is a deeply flawed and troubled man who hides in a bottle ashamed of his past, and rightly so.

Upon traveling to Japan to modernize the Japanese army - at Japan's request - he falls in battle and is taken captive after displaying tremendous ferocity. A warrior is a warrior is a warrior regardless of his ethnicity. Algren is then forced to confront his past and his demons. With the help of the "noble savages" he does so. It is he that owes a debt of gratitude to them, not the other way around.

If you're going to look at this film from a politically correct point of view (the apologists POV) the film will come up wanting. If you look at the film - correctly - you'll be able to relate to a man who is displaced in society and hiding from himself because he lacks clarity of vision in his life and understanding his purpose. And how by simplifying and focusing he comes to a sort of peace within himself, something we all seek. Ken Watanabe's character, Katsumoto, summarizes this quite aptly (and prettily I might add), "The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life."

It's a good film, with superb visuals and music. The only real fluff in this film is the romance between Cruise and the Japenese girl. When will Hollywood learn? We really don't need or want that, when watching this type of film. Leave the romance to romance films.

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158 out of 208 people found the following comment useful :-
Brilliant!, 4 December 2003

Author: FilmLabRat

I was skeptical about this movie because not every high-budget feature with Tom Cruise is guaranteed depth or serious acclaim, although it may gather at the box office. And Warner Bros put me through TORTURE to see this pic - changes of times AND locations, over and over. I felt like was on an survival test, an unbearably annoying treasure hunt over weeks and was frankly ready to give it a negative review (which I'm writing on behalf of a publication). However, I found the movie truly and unequivocally remarkable and cannot contain my review in 350 words.

First, the experience was powerful. Edward Zwick was a masterful director. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The action, sets, scenery and story - even the dialogue - were riveting. Clearly, a ton of historical and cultural research and care went into the script, sets, costumes, casting. They didn't just Hollywoodize Kurosowa's "Seven Samurai" as a Tom Cruise vehicle. Nor was it Dances with Wolves or Seven Years in Tibet, two PC-preaching pics of yesteryear. It was a lot more like Braveheart meets Seven Samurai with elements of inculturation a bit reminiscent of Wolves and Seven Years.

Rarely does a movie have excellent acting across the board, but all the Japanese actors were outstanding, and the Americans and Europeans were excellent ... Tom Cruise was at the top of his game. His Independence Day angst combined with his moral nobility in A Few Good Men and The Firm. Ken Watanabe as co-star exemplifying bravery, wisdom and nobility was outstanding.

In spite of this historical epic being "in vogue" at present, there were surprisingly few cliché story elements. Even the requisite (American-made movie) romance with Take (Koyuki in this role was wonderful) furthered the cross-cultural elements of the plot in such a way that neither culture was violated - and above all the `chemistry' was discreet in Japanese fashion, taking a necessary backseat without overshadowing the main story line, actually adding richness to the process of "going native" for Captain Algren (Cruise). The subplot went far beyond an added market draw. Very tasteful and artful scriptwriting, with many colorful, developing characters.

The thrust of the film was the Western-Japanese cultural divide, differing concepts of value and valor and the political issues surrounding Japan's efforts to "Westernize." [cross-cultural studies have become a cinematic trend: Lost in Translation, Beyond Borders, The Missing, Japanese Story, etc.] Where most of the other films fell short (and The Statement was an abomination], this film succeeded brilliantly. The differences between the two cultures were considered and portrayed without completely bashing one (except in the political arena, but even there, the Japanese seemed to be inviting their own downfall, in many ways). There was no simple scapegoat or cultural domination message. The American Civil War captain, Nathan Algren (Cruise) goes abroad as not only a war hero but also a cross-cultural and linguistic expert. Being in Japan, (at first as a mercenary hired to train Japanese in Western ways of war), he takes on the study of the people and their language. Although Algren's sometimes superhero abilities are a bit of a stretch at times, taking the native language seriously is unique in American filmmaking (and American culture, hence our lowly reputation when traveling). Usually the American walks into the foreign scene and the pic automatically shifts to all-English. I was truly grateful to find the dialog half in subtitles because half the characters were Japanese - and Algren was speaking with them. Secondly, this movie honors both cultures for their recognized strengths, even in their distinctiveness. For example, when the woman who is hosting Algren (in captivity) makes dinner, he helps her. "Japanese men don't do these things," she tells him. "But I'm not Japanese," he says (in Japanese). Algren is not ashamed to uphold his homeland customs (although this was 1876... pre-sensitive 90s man era, long before women's lib let alone men entering kitchens) when his own cultural customs or inclinations are ways of caring rather than domination. Another and more important example: Algren demonstrates American resilience and perseverance when he rises again repeatedly after defeat. This baffles the Japanese who are accustomed to falling on their swords in shame after defeat, for them a noble death. In these and many other ways, the Japanese Samurai (especially Katsumoto, Watanabe's character) and Algren learn to appreciate each other's ways. In many respects, the film moves past the usual PC party line [of Dances with Wolves, Seven Years in Tibet and most others of similar ilk out of Hollywood] and reflects on the beauty and dignity in the midst of difference between the two worlds, and how much they need to learn from one another without money or domination as a motive. The dignity of the young Emperor Meiji finding his own cultural center, at the end, was especially moving. Overall, the film had depth and substance with brilliant work in almost every area of production and performance. The editing was marvelous - although it's long, there's no unnecessary material remaining. Not a moment of boredom. Props all around!

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123 out of 157 people found the following comment useful :-
Cruise and Watanabe conquer with great performances, 14 December 2003

Author: filmbuff-36 from Houston, TX

It is said that the only thing constant is change. Old ideals die off, and new technologies replace the inefficiencies of yesteryear. The young usually have little trouble adjusting to change, but traditionalists are often dragged into the new era either kicking and screaming or silently resolved to remove themselves completely.

"The Last Samurai" manages to capture a little of both, with Japanese men living in a world in transition from ancient bushido rituals of honor into a more modern empire of industry and trade. A sweeping historical epic that hints at the brilliance of Akira Kurosawa's finest work while also invoking the melancholy of a Shakespearean tragedy, the movie is a reminder of the cost of high ideals and danger of industrial conformity.

It's 1876, and Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is an alcoholic wreck of a man. A veteran of the Civil War as well as General Custer's Indian campaigns, he drifts from one situation to another ostensibly looking for work but really seeking refuge from his inner demons of slaughtering innocent women and children.

Opportunity knocks in the form of an old Army acquaintance Colonel Ben Bagley (Tony Goldwyn), who has accepted work with a Japanese businessman named Omura (Masato Harada). Omura has been charged with recruiting American war vets as military advisors to the new Japanese Army. Emperor Meiji, under advise from Omura and other parties, is interested in modernizing his nation's military with rifles and other armaments.

In order to unify the nation, the powers that be must first take care of civil dissidence within Japan. The samurai, led by charismatic chieftain Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), are violently opposing the invasion of Western culture into their islands. Bagley foolishly sends his ill-trained soldiers into combat against the samurai, and during the resulting massacre Algren is captured and taken to the samurai's village.

During the course of the winter, Algren slowly gains the trust of his captors and in turn is given free roam over the village. He fights with Uijo (Hiroyuki Sanada), who dislikes the American from the beginning, and is given food and shelter by Taka (Koyuki), the wife of one of samurai he killed during battle.

Katsumoto meanwhile seeks to learn about his enemy, and begins to respect Algren as a fellow warrior. Also interested in the American is Katsumoto's son Nobutada (Shin Koyamada), intrigued by Western culture. Algren finds the first peace he has known in a long time, and begins to adapt to the ways of the samurai. He acts as a surrogate father to Taka's children, learns to sword fight with a kitana blade and begins to respect the culture that he originally sought to destroy.

But during Algren's absence the Japanese Army has had better opportunity to prepare themselves, and time is soon approaching that will determine the fate of the samurai and the future of Japan.

"The Last Samurai" is beautifully filmed by John Toll, the same cinematographer who worked on "Braveheart." The comparisons are obvious with moments of silent reflection and loud explosions of fury, both powerfully captured on film.

Director Edward Zwick brings the same determination to the screen that he did more than a decade ago with "Glory." The attention to period detail is near flawless and the movie never releases its grip on the audience.

As Algren, Cruise grows from suicidal depression to driven idealist quite realistically, drawing on the standard dishonored warrior archetype while giving him touches of humanity. Cruise's only shortcoming is his lack of dramatic range, and as such it never seems like Algren has any sinister intent even when acting selfishly. Never for a moment is there a doubt that he's destined to be a hero.

Cruise is also overshadowed in every scene by Watanabe, who makes Katsumoto a honorable man who is shocked by all the dishonor threatening to overthrow his country. Philosopher, poet, family man and warrior - Katsumoto wears many hats, and is realized through Watanabe perfectly.

Other smaller roles are captured by strong performances as well, including Goldwyn who brings class to the standard villain role as Bagley, Koyuki who plays Taka with quiet sadness and torn loyalties between her fallen husband and his killer who she is growing to love, and Koyamada who makes Nobutada young and headstrong but still sympathetic and honorable.

"The Last Samurai" only suffers during a protracted finale that screams of studio interference. The ending smacks of being safe, clean and Hollywood, something that almost betrays to whole film.

The movie is still strong enough to become a modern day classic. Like "The Wild Bunch," it speaks to those curious of what became of warriors who outlived their time. Timeless issues of honor, loyalty and redemption as well as the clashing of ancient culture versus new technology remain omnipresent. To remain in the past in foolish, but to forget it entirely is disgraceful.

Nine out of ten stars. Destined to be remembered for some time, this movie honorably deals with its subject matter.

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88 out of 137 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the most beautifully crafted films ever made., 15 January 2005

Author: Leigh Jeffries from United Kingdom

If you have NOT seen the film then stop reading this review and go rent, buy or borrow it right now! What are you waiting for? This is a 10 out of 10 must see.

The casting, location, storyline and direction of this film is simply excellent. I say this is Tom Cruise's finest acting hour. A story of honour, integrity, tradition, courage and love entwined with great battle scenes, beautiful scenery and superb acting, especially in the lead roles of Cruise and Ken Watanabe.

For me personally I have no faults with this film. I do not possess a vast knowledge of Samurai history other than what we see on TV and read in magazines so cannot comment on it's depiction of true Samurai legend. A real gem.

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81 out of 128 people found the following comment useful :-
Wonderful Film, 13 March 2005

Author: mileniumanimator from United States

I disagree with a lot of the reviews of this film. Yes, it is true that it does glorify a lifestyle in an exaggerated and unfairly sublime way, but I think we're missing the point. This film is romanticism vs. modernism. It's purity vs. corruption. It's not so much the premise or believability, but the substance behind it.

Tom Cruise is an actor who is both idolized (by fans) and ridiculed (by critics) In this film he dazzles us as a drunken U.S General haunted by a bloody past. I was pushing for him to get an Oscar Nod, but alas, None came. "The Last Samurai" wasn't particularly well received and that was disconcerting to me. I'd recommend it to anyone with a taste for romance and for anyone who simply longs for a little less "celebrity wedding" and a little more "help the old lady across the road".

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41 out of 57 people found the following comment useful :-
The Last Samurai - a labor of love dedicated to the spirit of the Samurai warriors, 2 October 2005

Author: Ruby Liang (ruby_fff) from sf, usa

"The Last Samurai" 2003 and "The Last of the Dogmen" (1995 d: Tab Murphy, with Tom Berenger and Barbara Hershey in the lead) are both films with the theme of the 'last' of warrior spirits (one is Samurai, one is Cheyenne). The production of The Last Samurai is well worth seeing - the glory of a large-scale Hollywood production it is. From the research of the historical Japanese Meiji period, the mannerisms, the way different classes of people dress, the settings, the battle weapons and armory, how the Samurai train and fight, to the study and appreciation of the Art of War - where men of honor and integrity in service to the Emperor is the thing to die for. The film title in three Kanji characters means The Way of the Warrior (Samurai). The one character shown on screen at the very beginning (romanization: Sze) meant in the service of the King. Hence the definition of Watanabe's Samurai lifelong one true goal - to serve his Emperor, one and only, and to die in the service of the Emperor would be an honor.

The film, directed by Ed Zwick, is truly a combined labor of love of everyone involved. From the producer-lead actor Tom Cruise and Zwick's film-making partner Marshall Herskovitz, cinematography by John Toll and film score by Hans Zimmer, to the costuming details, diverse casting, location scouting all the way to New Zealand and training of the supporting cast - even the official Web site with extensive production notes - all provide enhanced appreciation of this remarkable film. The storyline and drama of "The Last Samurai" evoke various level of emotions, pulling the heartstrings of the audience with high emotional energy - suspense, sadness, smiles, empathy, joy.

"Kagemusha" by Akira Kurosawa, of course, is the ultimate grandeur of a historic Samurai epic. "The Last Samurai" is comparable in drama and treatment if not with equal passionate efforts all round. Both are available on DVD with special features of audio commentary and the making of 'featurette' and more.

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41 out of 57 people found the following comment useful :-
"Success is a journey, not a destination" - Zen saying, 30 August 2004

Author: sterling-6 from the heartland

The Last Samurai is a strictly by-the-numbers samurai epic set in 1876-1877 Japan. All the necessary ingredients are here - beautiful Japanese landscapes and costumes, larger than life battlefield sequences, and eastern philosophy.Although the pageantry is not as beautiful as such samurai epics as "Heaven and Earth", it is more than adequate.

Do not, however go into this film expecting "Kill Bill", grindhouse type swordplay nor the poignancy of a Kurosawa piece. Instead, "The Last Samurai" occupies the middle ground; a human story of one Westerner learning to embrace another culture kind of a mixture of "Dances With Wolves" and "Shogun", films from which it derives almost directly. And this is the films greatest flaw. It is utterly predictable. No spoilers here, we all know what happens to the samurai. If not, the title ought to give you a clue. Every scene is one that you were expecting to see. And the ending is the ending you expect.

But Zwick and co. still manage to weave an engaging story with panache, and a climactic (despite it's predictability) ending, and that is why "The Last Samurai" is such a great film. As the Zen saying goes, "Success is a journey, not a destination". It is equally applicable to the samurai in the film, and the film itself. A success. 8/10.

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48 out of 72 people found the following comment useful :-
gripping and visually stunning, 26 March 2004
Author: Special-K88

Powerful, well-crafted epic set in the 19th century about a disillusioned American Army Officer who's hired to train a group of inexperienced Japanese soldiers and lead them into battle against a rebellious samurai. Having been defeated and held captive by the enemy, he gradually begins to understand and develop a great respect for the man who should be his adversary. Long, but faultlessly performed and richly detailed with compelling battle scenes and breathtaking scenery. Cruise, sporting authentic Japanese tongue, is excellent, but Watanabe steals the film in a moving and forceful performance as the fierce but honorable samurai warrior. Only letdown is the finale, which seems a bit too conventional, but it's still a remarkable tale of life, honor, and courage. ***½

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40 out of 67 people found the following comment useful :-
Pretty damn good., 24 November 2003

Author: jt1999 from Lost Angels, CA

In the hands of a great filmmaker, "The Last Samurai" could have been a great film. As it is, it's a good film -- at times even a very good film -- and that's certainly no small achievement.

Director Ed Zwick, of course, is no David Lean -- though "Glory" and "Courage Under Fire" are excellent films ("Legends of the Fall" is decent, while I consider "Leaving Normal" one of the most mundane films ever made). Here Zwick has attempted a traditional epic, and as with "Courage Under Fire", depicts the horrors of war through a story of personal redemption. Into this basic story he also injects themes of honor, pride, cultural clashes and technological change versus ancient tradition.

Unfortunately, though, no matter how lofty the ambitions, the bottom line here is that in order to transcend the fairly standard hero-goes-on-a-journey-and- undergoes-change plot that we've all seen many times before, something pretty new and special has to be added. It's a little late to rehash the old "Searchers"/ "Emerald Forest"/"Dances With Wolves" tale of the white man being captured by enemies and siding with his captors -- unless it's aimed primarily at people who have never seen "The Searchers" or "The Emerald Forest" (Arthur Penn realized this thirty years ago, and made the hero and the journey of "Little Big Man" primarily comedic -- one of the main reasons the film works as well as it does).

But in the post-Altman/Ashby/Penn era -- where nearly all films -- especially action/adventure films -- have returned to the grandiose seriousness of their 1950s counterparts (with little or none of the wit and satire that crept through in the 60s and 70s), it is therefore pretty much expected that we will get the typical grandiose, serious, high-gloss and overlong treatment all the way through, with very little humor. And that's too bad. Because a lighter touch could have gone a long way towards getting the audience more involved, and making Cruise's character more likable (indeed, the few humorous lines and scenes he has are among the film's most memorable moments; they humanize his character and endear us to him).

And this is one reason "The Last Samurai," despite a bunch of probable Oscars, is going to miss its target of becoming a beloved classic, an action/adventure epic for the ages. Just as Sam Mendes did with "Road to Perdition," Zwick has tried a little too hard to impress. By pouring on the big, movie-type moments, he merely reminds us that he's emulating the greatness of classic directors, without ever equaling them. Zwick -- as I'm sure he will readily admit -- is merely a student of great filmmakers such as Lean or Kurosawa; he will likely never be one himself. The sensibility just isn't there, the life experience is missing.

Cruise, similarly -- despite his talent -- will never be any kind of substitute for a Flynn or a Gable or a Bogart; Cruise is, after all, the kid from "Risky Business" who danced around in his underwear. The grinning jock with the big nose from "Top Gun." The goofball pool hustler from "The Color of Money." The difference between someone like Cruise (or De Niro, or any of today's top stars) and a complex personality such as Stewart or Fonda or Bogart or Gable is simply immeasurable. The heart and soul of those great actors is somehow missing from most of today's performers. So by making a film like "The Last Samurai" in an old-fashioned, traditional way, it constantly invites comparison -- to great stars, to great directors, to the great age of studio filmmaking which, like the Samurai, is now gone -- never to return.

The sad fact is that the great movie-makers are dying off, leaving us with imitators, not originators. In the last ten years we've lost Fellini, Kurosawa, Kubrick, Wilder, Frankenheimer, Fuller. In the last six months alone we lost John Schlesinger and Elia Kazan. Is anyone really expecting to see some sort of masterpiece by a T.V. producer/director named Ed Zwick?!

Still, "The Last Samurai" manages to succeed in a number of ways -- mainly in presenting nineteenth-century Japan in a remarkably realistic way, and in its brutal battle scenes, shot in gory "Braveheart"-style by the great cinematographer John Toll. It is in these terrifying, agonizing moments of sword-versus-rifle battle that Zwick comes closest to emulating his obvious hero, Akira Kurosawa, and manages to comment on the tragedy and insanity of war.

Flashbacks are used unnecessarily to try to enforce Cruise's sense of guilt in participating in the the slaughter of the Indians (so we will understand his desire to defend another endangered species, the Samurai). As the apparent title character, Ken Watanabe pretty much steals the show as Katsumodo, the sage warrior leader whom Cruise befriends. A Japanese actress known only as Koyuki plays the heartbreakingly beautiful wife of a Samurai Cruise kills, who Cruise grows close to. But perhaps most amazing of the Japanese cast is the small boy who plays one of her sons. Unexpectedly expressive, emotional, and charming, he's the type of face you would expect to see in a film by the great Kurosawa. Or Lean. Or Ford.

All technical aspects, from production and costume design to visual effects, are excellent. Hans Zimmer's score, incorporating traditional wood flutes and thunderous drums, is at times touching and evocative, at times bombastic and unnecessarily loud. All in all, "The Last Samurai" is an impressive production. And even if it misses being the cinematic classic it strives towards, all involved can be proud of their accomplishment.

And whatever its faults, it's almost a miracle when a Hollywood studio today turns out something even a fraction this good.

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