|
| • Advanced Search • Help |
The Last Samurai | Year: 2003 Classification: Drama Directed: - Edward Zwick Actors/Actresses: - Tom Cruise - Ken Watanabe - Billy Connolly Ruined by Conventional Hollywood Filmmaking Talk about a movie that could've been sooo much better than it actually was. I didn't dislike all of it; I'm a sucker for anything with samurais in it, and so I found parts of it very entertaining. And being interested in the Meiji Restoration, I felt it was worth seeing. But as a whole, this film is over-Hollywoodized and far too melodramatic to be worth more than a single viewing, in my eyes. The film concerns an American soldier named Nathan Algren, who fought in the Civil War and later became disillusioned during the Battle of Little Bighorn. In 1876, Japan is in the middle of the Meiji Restoration. The old ways are being cast aside for the new, and the samurai has become a relic of the past. A band of samurai, led by the fictitious Katsumoto, probably based on the real-life Saigo Takamori, believes that the old Japan can be saved. They've been attacking railroads and other constructs of Westernization. Frustrated, Japan has asked the United States for officers to train Japanese troops in modern warfare so they can fight the samurai. Algren, played by Tom Cruise, is asked to go. Following a brief training period, the Japanese troops are ordered to fight the samurai. This is one of the best scenes in the film. When the troops are lined up in the forest, with mist all around, and there are weird noises off in the distance, the samurai come riding slowly out of the fog, swords raised, clad in intricate armor and horned helmets, looking like ancient death incarnate... It's an enormous thrill. The troops lose the battle and Algren is captured. He comes to learn the ways of the samurai and to develop a friendship with their leader, Katsumoto. The film is more or less about Algren embracing the ancient ways of the samurai. The film has a decent amount of swordplay. It isn't as graphic as some samurai films I've seen, but blood is shed, heads are chopped off, etc. A few times the film was slowed down so you could see how graceful and skilled samurai swordfighting really is. I have to say that I came away with a slightly greater appreciation for the samurai than I had previously. But hell if they didn't completely ruin the whole enterprise with over-sentimentalized, conventional Hollywood filmmaking. Tom Cruise is a good actor, but I felt that he was wrong for the role. He just isn't complex enough to be believable for what the film demanded of him. I feel like this film would've been the perfect vehicle for a little-known actor to make a name for himself. And as for the fictitious character of Nathan Algren, well, this is quite obviously an American movie for American audiences, if you know what I mean. For example, we're expected to believe that a U.S. soldier with some scabbard training can become a master samurai swordsman in a matter of months. Yeah... As for the plot, it's more or less "Dances With Wolves in Japan." And there's this tacked on love story - or "flirt story" - that had really no reason being in the movie. I Suprisingly Astounding. When the previews first came out, I was utterly disgusted by the idea of the last samurai. Let me say, the previews do no justice. Nor does the heart-throb image of Tom Cruise. Yes, Cruise's name sold the movie. However, his acting also carried it. Of all the films I have watched this year (and I have seen most of the Oscar contenders), this was the first time I actually thought to myself "Wow. This guy is good." Tom Cruise is amazing in this film, as are the rest of the cast, most outstandingly Watanabe (Katsumoto) and Koyuki (Taka). To summarize: Cruise plays a post-civil war soldier who is hired by the Japenese Emperor as a battle advisor against the rebellions of the last remaining samurai. However, the American is taken hostage by the Samurai during a battle and soon befriends the Samurai village. The Last Samurai is a story of love, spirit, and, most of all, a sacred honor which guides us all. The battle scenes, while gruesome (if you're squeamish, you might avoid this one), were amazing. The cinematography is wonderful. However, the actors, the themes, and the BREATHTAKING score carry the film to a superb quality deserving of the highest recognition. Deep down, it is a feel good movie. Despite the death, the sadness, the lost hope, one ultimately cannot help but smile for the beauty of mankind. Never judge a book by its cover. Don't expect too much What's the reason for watching The Last Samurai? The sword-fighting scenes. There are a lot of sword-fighting scenes, they're well-done, and if you enjoy watching them you'll find entertainment value in the movie. Also, the Japanese countryside is filmed beautifully here, so if you have an appreciation for nature, it's another incentive to watch. Otherwise, The Last Samurai is nothing special. The storyline is simplistic; the samurai are all two-dimensional and unquestionably the fine and good people in the film. They can do no evil, truly. For Cruise it's one of those self-righteous roles where he gets to look angsty for the camera. There's one scene at the end for example, where he's kneeling and holding up a sword, and he's trying to look like someone who is under great emotional strain and there are these ludicrous close-ups of his sweaty face - really gratuitous. The movie defintely would have benefited from some editing and character development. Buy The Last Samurai at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on The Last Samurai Search with the Priority Search Engine on The Last Samurai This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
|
