The Last Samurai
[Starring Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Rated R for violence.]
If you only see ONE movie in your life, if you only buy ONE DVD for the rest of the year, and if you ever want to be moved and enthralled by ANY movie containing both action and drama� see The Passion of The Christ.
Then, after you realize that seeing only one movie is a STUPID idea, watch The Last Samurai!
Now, I know what you�re probably thinking,
�Tom Cruise as a Samurai? WTF?! He�s not Chinese!� First of all, Samurai were NOT Chinese. They were JAPANESE. Secondly, the plot is woven in such a way that an American samurai fighting in 1870�s Japan makes PERFECT sense. I�ll try not to spoil TOO much of the movie, just in case you haven�t seen it yet, which is quite likely if you�re reading this review.
Our protagonist is a man named Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a civil war veteran with a rather bleak outlook on life and a death wish to boot. Well known for his exploits, he is called upon by the Japanese government to train Japanese troops in the method of western-style warfare. The newly trained troops are to be used in wiping out the rebellion led by a man named Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), a Samurai who is highly opposed to the Westernization of Japan. He and his band fight with traditional Samurai weapons (The Katana, Japanese spear, bow and arrow, etc.), and refuse to dishonor themselves by using firearms. This is one aspect of the movie which I simply love, because I�ve always adamantly stated that any random fool can pull a trigger, while it takes someone with REAL skill to know how to use a sword.
It�s not long before Captain Algren meets up with Katsumoto, and is taken prisoner. During the months of his captivity, Nathan Algren comes to understand just what it is that Katsumoto and his men are fighting for. He is introduced to a concept long forgotten, and that concept is Honor. Throughout the film Algren undergoes a metamorphosis from detached, apathetic soldier, to honorable, noble warrior. He embraces the way of the Bushido, and truly becomes The Last Samurai.
And now you have the basic premise of the plot. Sound boring? Fear not, for it is not this movie�s plot which makes it great. Obviously, it brings everything together, and is not at any time overshadowed by the gripping action and kick ass samurai armor, but in my opinion it is only half of what makes this movie great.
First of all, and most obviously, the fighting. As a practitioner of the martial arts and user of the Katana I can safely say that this movie contains no flaws. It is perfectly accurate, and after doing some digging, I discovered that Tom Cruise trained for two years to become proficient in the art of the Katana and in speaking the Japanese language. And what a fine job he did. Every cut, stab, and slash that is made in this movie is accurate to a tee. It becomes obvious to the viewer that the men in this movie are not simply underpaid extras � they are TRUE Samurai. (Yes, Samurai still exist. Not as they once did, but I know several, and they could beat your ass into the ground without breaking a sweat if they so desired.)
Next, of course, we must examine the scenery. As the Lord of The Rings series taught us, any movie shot in New Zealand is going to have some beautiful backdrops, and The Last Samurai upholds this perfectly. The village in which the Samurai live is perched high atop a hill, nestled in a mountain range and overlooking an immense valley. The Japanese homes and shops are true to their heritage, with paper walls and all. Hot springs, bamboo, Japanese kimono, and countless other elements all blend together to create a very vivid and convincing picture of Japan in the 1800s. I found myself wishing I were there.
Then there are the characters. There is not a single bad actor in this movie, and every character is incredibly likable. With the exception, of course, of Mr. Omura (Masato Harada), the man responsible for bringing Western weaponry to Japan in the first place. But, you�re SUPPOSED to hate him. Which you will, I promise. All the way from The Silent Samurai (Seizo Fukumoto), the man assigned to be Algren�s keeper during his captivity, to Simon Graham (Timothy Spall), a British Translator who serves as communication between the American commanders and Japanese troops, the characters in this movie mesh together and compliment each other quite nicely. Not a single actor was out of place in this movie, and they all had incredibly visible stage presence.
My first words when the ending credits started to roll were, �That just became my favorite movie.� And I was most certainly not exaggerating. I love this film for more reasons that I can cram into this review, and if you think anything of my opinion, you�ll see it, immediately. I give this movie five Koopas because it is a nearly flawless piece, deserving of any praise any critic decides to get it. There is nothing in this film I don�t like. One more thing which I feel compelled to point out is that this film doesn�t contain a single sex scene, soft-core or otherwise, and provided they aren�t sensitive to blood, this movie is suitable to be viewed by just about anyone. (Within reason. It IS rated R.)
Just keep this one thing in mind while watching the film � Katanas really DO do that.
