The Last Samurai (Full Screen Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Cruising Japan
Review: Tom Cruise appears in yet another film where he rises to the occassion at just the right time, as he has done in many of his previous films, dating back to Top Gun. It a repetitive, tiresome theme that would have me looking for another role if I were him. Don't get me wrong; I like some of his work (Far and Away is one of his best works to date).

As for this film, the cinematography and supporting actor roles are it's primary attraction. It's apparent a lot of research was done to pull off this period piece. The settings and costumes are beautiful. Watanabe plays superbly as the Samurai warrior Katsumoto. He is the real star of this movie.

Unfortunately, the plot is entirely predictable. Cruise is an alcoholic fromer Union Captain named Nathan Algren. He is sent to Japan to train the new Japanese Imperial Army to fight off the diminishing Samurai warriors. He leads his Army into battle against the Samurai and is soundly beaten. Katsumoto spares Algren's life and brings him back to health (queue the music). Algren learns the way of the Samurai warrior and earns the respect of his Samurai brethren. Eventually he has to face the very Japanese Army he helped train, this time fighting on the side of the Samurai.

This is where it goes from unlikely to absurd. Cruise and hundreds of remaining Samurai face off with the Imperial Army in a showdown copied several times over since Mel Gibson's Braveheart. Samurai drop like flies as they charge the inexperienced but better equipped Imperial Army soldiers. As it turns out (no surprise here), Watanabe and Cruise are the last survivors of the battle. Though severely wounded by gunfire, Katsumoto squeezes his abdomen tightly to allow a few more pints of blood to nourish his brain while he performs his farewell speech to Cruise. He dies and leaves Cruise as.....you guessed it! The Last Samurai. I heard that Japanese movie audiences were passing out at the very sight.

On a side note, it's rumored that Nathan Algren returned to America and travelled together with Kung Fu through the desert southwest, metting out some pain to those who crossed them. Unfortunately, Algren returned to the bottle, and in a drunken rage one friday nite, eviscerated Kung Fu at a bar in Tucumcari. Ironically, Algren died shortly thereafter while drinking numerous Grasshoppers. He lies in an unmarked grave just outside of Ft. Sumner, New Mexico.


Rating:
Summary: intriguing life
Review: I first caught the last half-hour or so and it hit me hard. I had to watch the whole thing. It wasn't about who was in the film but more of about a different culture, a different life that not many people know about. It had me from the start till the end. It made me realize that sometimes things have to change but one cannot give up their past because it defines who they are. All the actors did a great job in my opinion. Not one stood out as the dominant figure. I have since watched this about 8 or 9 times and will definitely watch it again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Epic movie in the traditions of "Braveheart"
Review: Wow, what a movie! First of all, the story line is so intersting. It is around 1876 and Japan is on course to introduce western lifestyle in the country. However, the Samurais, the traditional Japanese warriors they do not want to except this novice. Thus emperor of Japan confront them military. In order to train the Japanese military the US army captain (portrayed by Tom Cruise) is invited. During one of the confrontations he is taken as a prisoner by Samurais. He spends in Samurai village several month. He studies their lifestyle, their traditions and realizes that he was on the wrong side of the battlefield. Thus he decides to stand next to the Samurais and fight with them for their freedom.
This is an epic movie. It probably can be compared to "Braveheart". Tom Cruise is brilliant, his acting is amazing. This is must have for movie lovers. I still do not believe that Oscar committee prefered "The Lord of the Rings" to "The Last Samurai". This is really dissapointing.