The Last Samurai Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES
In the face of an enemy, in the Heart of One Man, Lies the Soul of a Warrior.
In the face on an enemy, in the Heart of One Man, Lies the Soul of a Warrior.
In the 1870s, Captain Nathan Algren, a cynical veteran of the American Civil war who will work for anyone, is hired by Americans who want lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan to train the peasant conscripts for the first standing imperial army in modern warfare using firearms. The imperial Omura cabinet's first priority is to repress a rebellion of traditionalist Samurai -hereditary warriors- who remain devoted to the sacred dynasty but reject the Westernizing policy and even refuse firearms. Yet when his ill-prepared superior force sets out too soon, their panic allows the sword-wielding samurai to crush them. Badly wounded Algren's courageous stand makes the samurai leader Katsumoto spare his life; once nursed to health he learns to know and respect the old Japanese way, and participates as advisor in Katsumoto's failed attempt to save the Bushido tradition, but Omura gets repressive laws enacted- he must now choose to honor his loyalty to one of the embittered sides when the conflict returns to the battlefield...
| Tom Cruise | Nathan Algren |
| Billy Connolly | Zebulon Gant |
| Tony Goldwyn | Colonel Bagley |
| Shin Koyamada | |
| Timothy Spall | Simon Graham |
| Ken Watanabe | Katsumoto |
| William Atherton | Winchester Rep |
| Chad Lindberg | Winchester Rep Assistant |
| Ray Godshall Sr. | Convention Hall Attendee |
| Masato Harada | Omura |
| Masashi Odate | Omura's Companion |
| John Koyama | Omura's Bodyguard |
| Shichinosuke Nakamura | Emperor Meiji |
| Togo Igawa | General Hasegawa |
| Satoshi Nikaido | N.C.O. |
| Shintaro Wada | Young Recruit |
| Edward Zwick |
7.80 out of 10 (56635 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Oh no. It's one of those dying with honour movies again...
posted on 30 Aug 2009In fairness, if you're gonna watch a movie by Edward 'Glory' Zwick starring Tom 'overdoing it' Cruise, you shouldn't be surprised of the result 'The Last Samurai' is: a powertrip by the last combining the over the top 'dying with honour' crap from the first. And it's exactly that. It's long, it's loud, it's purposeless, meaningless and shallow: it is, really, my worst nightmare.Not that The Last Samurai is a complete waste though: there's some good acting (although the academy award nomination for Watanabe was a bit overdone) and a couple of *decent* (mind you, not *good*) battlescenes. But nevermind the story: overblown pretentious silliness disguised rather poorly as an epic action movie.Perhaps for the people who liked 'Gladiator' (Oh, how I hated that movie), but if I were you I'd stay away from it. 4/10.
A flawed performance
posted on 28 Aug 2009The Last Samurai was a decent enough movie, but I don't think it lived up to the term "epic." It had everything it needed; a time in history with endless possibilities, star power, gorgeous scenery, action filled battle scenes with exceptional stunt work, and even some romance. But somehow the movie just fell short of being powerful enough to stir up any emotional response from me. And I think I know why.I have always found the history of Japanese culture to be extremely fascinating. The traditions, the religion, the framework of their social structure. It's so different from any other society that it stands out with a unique richness and beauty. If all the elements of this society were woven together, the tapestry created would be full of vivid color and breathtaking images. It would be "epic." The problem with the film is that one key element that was flawed.The story itself is simple enough. An American soldier is hired to train a new army for Japan. During a battle he is captured by the enemy. During his stay he learns the way of the samurai, and eventually embraces it. All the elements are there. The problem was Tom Cruise. His portrayal was so flat that I didn't care about his character or what happened to him. I couldn't grasp the passion of the samurai, or at least the passion Cruise felt for the samurai, because it wasn't expressed. So the film fell short. It was good, but it wasn't epic. My rank: 7 out of 10
Will be on my top 10 of all time list.
posted on 26 Aug 2009I liked the photography, the scenery, the sets. I felt it was Tom Cruise's best performance. The fight sequences and battle scenes were some of the best that I have seen on film. I liked the story line. The time flew by for a long movie. A movie to be seen in the theater, not on TV.
Death Be not Proud
posted on 24 Aug 2009When I first heard about The Last Samurai, it seemed to be just a rip-off of Dances with Wolves. Here you have another story of a White Man, scared by Civil War fighting, who discovers another culture and learns to prefer their culture to the White man's. But what makes this movie different from Dances With Wolves is that it's not differences that unite Nathan Algren and the Samurai, it's common traits. Both Algren and the Samurai have the same spirit in war and fighting. They have both seen many wars, killed many people, and must live with past mistakes in battle. This is the fascinating tie that hold them together.Another fascinating thing about The Last Samurai is how the differences in death are explored: Samurais see honor in death, while people of the west attempt to avoid death at all costs. Samurais kill themselves to avoid living in shame. Western solders flee to avoid death. Death means different things to different people.All the performances in this movie are wonderful, especially Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe. I can't wait to see him play the villain in Batman Begins next year.Grade: B+
Cowboys and Indians a la Japonnaise
posted on 22 Aug 2009I had earlier decided to give The Last Samurai a pass, inasmuch as I just couldn't imagine baby-faced Tom Cruise as a Samurai. However, after reading some reviews on these pages which indicated that the movie was not at all bad, I changed my mind and went to see it. I should have stuck with my original plan.For all the beauty of the scenery, this movie is nothing but a rehash of the old cowboys and Indians formula: Enlightened blue-eyed white man savem backward brown-skinned - but noble - natives. Apparently this movie's makers had seen, and were impressed by, both "A Man Called Horse" with Richard Harris and "Little Big Man" with Dustin Hoffman. Unfortunately, this film is not in any way in the same league with those earlier films. To be more specific: the dialog was puerile, the characterizations were stereotypical, and the casting was bizarre. Oh, well, at least none of the Japanese were made to say, "rots of ruck." I've always like British actor Timothy Spall, especially in the wonderful "Auf Wiedersehn, Pet" series, but he's horribly miscast as the British trade representative to Japan. When he refers to an idea as "capital" his pronunciation is enough to make one laugh - but this isn't a comedy. And speaking of comedy, the great comedian Billy Connolly has a smallish role in this film, but rather than being a Scot he plays an Irishman in the U.S. Cavalry. So, instead of hearing his delightful Glaswegian accent we are given him putting on an Irish brogue. Perhaps the director thought that if Billy were to speak with his natural voice he'd steal the whole movie right there and then. And, despite the good words on these pages, I found actor Ken Watanabe's portrayal of the Last Samurai as believable as I did that of David Carradine playing the monk on the "Kung Fu" television series. Anyway, not everyone will share my opinion of this film. I actually heard someone sniffling and blowing her teary nose behind me in the theater, so I guess she was somehow moved by the film. I was a bit moved, too, so just before they rolled the credits I left my seat in order to be first in line at the loo.
so much has been said about this movie, but still:
posted on 18 Aug 2009just one more fan of this movie. I have seen so many movies, I guess you could call me movie-jaded. I barely like to go out to see new movies because they don't do what movies are supposed to do - interest, haunt, cause you to think, mesmerize, enchant - if I want some sick humor or plain old Hollywood plot, I can always tune in to the news... So here is a movie, The Last Samurai, and I figured: OK, let's try it... and I loved it. I'm not a big fan of wars, unfortunately in my country we see way too much of that, but the way it was portrayed was incredible. Really very, very good. I read that some people didn't like the romance part in the movie. There wasn't much of it, just a hint, and as a (very) romantic woman, I actually wouldn't have minded a more explicit romance between them, but even without it, there was such an aura of drama and suspense, that really, the movie didn't need it. I hope you enjoy the film as much as I did. :-) Bye, Racquel
Best movie I have ever seen!
posted on 16 Aug 2009I loved this movie! I went into it thinking it would be an ok way to kill an afternoon. It turned out to be the best $9.75 I ever spent on a movie. Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe's performances were some of the best I have ever seen. This is my pick for the Best Picture Oscar of this year. The score was breathtaking. Being Hans Zimmer's 100th movie score, I believe this is his best one yet and he is also my pick for the Best Original Score Oscar of the year. The costumes were beautifully done. Especially the Samurai war suits and the other costumes from Nobutada's village, Katsumoto's son. The sets were great too. Props to the set designer, carpenters and painters. They rock! The cinematography is excellent, done by John Toll. John Toll is also my pick for the Best Cinematography Oscar. I think this movie will sweep the Oscars this year. Everything about it is excellent. The story is just wonderfully played out. The trailer kind of misleads you on the plot of the movie. I'm glad it did. I was very surprised on how things happened in this movie. So on a scale of 1 to 10, this movie gets an 11 from me.
Powerful, innovative script mixing post-Civil War America and the end of Samurai Japan.
posted on 16 Aug 2009Amazing. Absolutely astounding. Tom Cruise is, for once, not the only main focal point of this film, and it does nothing but benefit from that. Ken Watanabe has moved to my A-List of actors. The dialogue is moving, and incredibly well-written. The acting is phenomenal. I have not been so moved by a movie in a very, very long time. The relationships between characters are extremely well-constructed, and it's one of the movies of its kind (Dances with Wolves, Glory) that does NOT make the "white man" of the group the hero, saviour, and victor. There is a great amount of respect for Japanese culture evident in this script. I am so very impressed.
An uninspired Tom Cruise vehicle
posted on 14 Aug 2009Having looked forward to The Last Samurai for over a year I can't help feeling a little disappointed with a film that essentially allowed Cruise to do his usual character just in a period setting.I have to say, I am really finding it hard to watch Tom Cruise these days. His range of characters has been extremely poor, especially when you compare him to other current Hollywood giants such as Tom Hanks.The story is as cliched as one could expect from a Hollywood adaption of an historical moment in Japanese history and the script follows suit. For anyone who has any interest in Japanese history and indeed Samurai, they will have probably read Shogun by James Clavell and will no doubt see all the similarities that are evidently present. I mean, lets face it, there was really no need to have the ninja attack on the village.The shining star of the movie was no doubt brooding Ken Watanabe who truly made the movie what it is. Without his performance it really could have been a whole lot worse. Cruise gives way his screentime admirably here and allows Watanabe to really give his best performance.Costume design and cinematography were both equally stunning and despite being a Hollywood film, a lot of respect was given to the ideals of the Samurai, which is reassuring.For anyone who finds this as their first taste of Samurai entertainment I emplore you to seek out real quality movies, especially Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Ran and Kagemusha to name but a few.Still, an enjoyable film for all and gives Samurai lovers such as myself enough to feast on, but unfortunately gives us Tom Cruise as well. Still well worth watching though.
More than I bargained for
posted on 12 Aug 2009I didn't know much about The Last Samurai when I grabbed it from the sales bin and popped it in my DVD player at home. I was expecting something more popcorn, but instead I got well made action drama. The whole seriousness of the film really surprised me.Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is man, who has lost hie belief in humanity. He's washed out soldier for hire who is hired by Omura (Masato Harada) to train Japanese troops in order to dispose a rebellious samurai Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe). One thing leads to another and soon Algren finds himself surrounded by samurais, apprehended in a small village in the mountains. Both, Algren and Katsumoto, learn a thing or two from each other, but it really is Katsumoto who changes the destiny of Algren.There actually isn't anything spectacularly original in the movies plot, it's just one growth story among others, but the settings, actors and direction is so fantastic, that it's rather hard not to like this movie. You can say a lot of things about Cruise as a person, but after I saw him in Eyes Wide Shut I've came into a conclusion, that he really is a great actor. I can't pinpoint any bad actor from the cast, Watanabe does great performance and Koyuki does small, but effective role as Taka, Katsumotos sister, who takes care of Algren, even tough he has killed her husband.In all things considered The Last Samurai is among the better movies of Tom Cruise.
one of the most moving movies of 2003
posted on 10 Aug 2009I love this movie. It's a brilliant, well-made, moving epic. The movie focuses on a disgraced man, Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), who has nightmares about being ordered to kill innocent American Indians. He is enlisted to help train the `modern' Japanese army to fight against the samurai, who are in rebellion. In the time he spends with the samurai, learning from them, he learns something about honor and ultimately, about himself. The storyline is fantastic, merging great action scenes with a moving story about a man's journey to find his honor. The battle scenes are convincing and exciting; one battle scene involving a surprise attack on the samurai had my heart going. Hans Zimmer's music is bold and original; sometimes the music alone brought me to tears. I haven't heard too much of his work before (it's a travesty, I know!) but I love his work here. The acting is top-rate. Tom Cruise is superb as Nathan Algren, embodying the conflict, pain, anguish, and honor of his character. We feel his pain and understand why he eventually decides to fight with the samurai. (His performance is one of my favorites all year…he's a deserving contender for that Golden Globe.) And Ken Watanabe is phenomenal as Katsumoto, the leader of the samurai. He plays Katsumoto with a lot of grace and nobility, and I appreciated that. Watanabe is nominated for a supporting actor Golden Globe and SAG award and he totally deserves both of them. His portrayal of Katsumoto is bold, funny, and heartbreaking.
Undeniably one of my favorite movies of the year and the one that touched my heart the most, `The Last Samurai' deserves many, many awards. It made me laugh, cry (a lot), and truly understand honor. (Props also to Tom Cruise and Koyuki (Taka) for creating one of the sexiest moments in the movies this year - without the actual sex.) 10/10
Fantastic!
posted on 08 Aug 2009First, I'm introducing by saying that I gave the movie only 9/10 because I've recently learned that Last Samurai is built on the same plot as Dances with Wolves, starring Kevin Costner. Since I haven't seen that I don't dislike the movie because it's a "Rip-off".The movie starts with this peaceful introduction (Where the narrator says one of my favorite quotes; "I say Japan was forged/made by warriors...") and during that time you see beautiful landscapes. Summary: Nice introduction."So it begins", the movie continues with Nathan getting sent to Japan to deal with these "savage rebels with bows and arrows" but you learn throughout the movie, that savage is the last thing they are, and that these men have more sense of honor than any race to walk the earth. When Nathan gets captured and introduced to the Samurai way of living, he feels somehow relieved to be captured. Soon he's healed from the wounds he obtained through the battle which he was captured in, and starts wandering around (With a guard which he calls "Bob") admiring their way of living. Summary: Fantastic continuation, with admirable acting!The whole movie ends with Nathan Algren going to the "enemies" side; the Samurais side. He finds himself training to become a Samurai, and learning Japanese so he communicates with his new people. The final battle is filled with emotions, strategy, bravery and last but not least revenge to his captain, which he has hated since Custer fell to the Siouxs.All around summary for the movie: Admirable, truly fantastic and impressive. As I said: 9/10
No good comments to make here, I'm afraid
posted on 04 Aug 2009For a Hollywood Gung Ho movie, this film is not only dull in the extreme, but corny to the point of embarrassment. It does try, but is doomed to failure by the fact that Tom Cruise takes the lead. What else could Tom be but the hero?This movie should have focused more on Japanese culture, and less on money making American interpretations of historical fact.Snore, snore and snore. If you really want to see how it should be done, get hold of a copy of Shogun, the made the TV mini series based on the book by James Clavell. Wonderful stuff. Knocks this film into a cocked hat.
good movie- wont do well in USA b/c of questions it raises- like Minority Report
posted on 02 Aug 2009Like Minority Report, which raised political questions that most Americans would like to stay oblivious about- this movie, too, will probably not do as well as it should in front of an audience that does not want to face its past and present in its massacre of traditional people's and the politics of trade and the economics of war (the Americans trying to sell a unilaterally profitable treaty to the Japanese emperor and the aim of selling arms).Gorgeous movie- and while I have read some of the criticisms (too short character development of the Tom Cruise character; largely humorless; Braveheart-ish) I tend to disagree with each one of these.1- They may not have shown each second of his character development, but the course of time narrated during the characters time in "captivity" can lead us to conclude that it did not happen in 60 seconds.2- War is humorless, but an audience fed on scatological humor of the usual feel-good crap churned out by Hollywood EXPECTS it.3- Most heroes in most stories are all versions of the same archetypal hero.See it even if it makes you uncomfortable. Truth usually does.
This Is Bushido
posted on 02 Aug 2009One of my favorite movies ever. Its this generations Dancing With Wolves, with a career highlight performance by Tom Cruise, and a heartbreaking story that shows how the majority of today's nations have forgotten their culture in the process of adhering to industrialization and mass commercialism. Among the films trump cards is the absolutely beautiful score by Hans Zimmer. It reaches its emotional crescendos at the right moments and manages to uplift the films climax a few notches. The cinematography, set design, and amount of research that has gone into the film should also be applauded. The scene's at Katsumoto's village are the best of the picture, amply supported by the organic feel and stunning camera-work of its surroundings. The film's more quiet, poetic moments with Cruise's Soliloquy's are also brilliant. Lastly, Ken Wantanabe is excellent as Kasumoto and nearly overshadows Tom Cruise in a number of scenes they have together. Timothy Spall is noteworthy, as usual, in a supporting role. All in all, this is a wonderful film that I can recommend to anybody.
My eternal thanks to "the last samurai"
posted on 02 Aug 2009This is my very first IMDb review, and let me tell you why I choose "the last samurai", and no other. Because this movie is the reason why I became a classic movie fan/collector.I remember it like yesterday... February of 2004, summer in Buenos Aires (where I live), going to Recoleta for a walk, entering the movie theater just to see what were they playing, buying the ticket and a popcorn, preparing myself to have a nice moment of light and harmless entertainmentAround half of the movie, EPIPHANY !. "Didn't I see this movie already, at least one million times ?". "Why Tom Cruise, again ?". "I already know who is going to get the chick, to be the hero, to give as all an unforgettable lesson of honor and humanity... the yankee, right !". "Why I keep seeing this kind of movies" ... and so onI left the theater, to never return. This was my last Hollywood-crap-big-budget movie, period. I keep asking myself how could I spent so many years of my life, passively consuming this junk-culture propaganda. But OK, better late than never.Now, after 3 years of rehab (exclusively Kurosawa, Bergman, Fellini, Eisenstein, Kubrick, indie, art, documentary, etc)... I can finally say that I'm cured, I can recognize junk from miles awayAll thanks to "The Last Samurai", which I will never forgetFidel Polvorón PS1: this is based on a true story... in fact, it's 100% a true story PS2: I gave it 4/10, just because Ken Watanabe, Art and Costumes
Braveheart goes to Japan
posted on 27 Jul 2009I saw this film for the first time last week. I read a number of reviews before hand but I never expected it to this bad. I thought it was a terrible film. What a waste of money. There a number of things that went against this film from the start. The first thing was that it is very obvious from this film that Tom Cruise really wants that Best Actor Oscar and he thought that a film about a drunk American going to Japan only to have his life turned around by the ways of the Samurai would get him it. What a fool. We have seen these kinds of films before and at the time of release the vast majority of us really enjoy them and think they are excellent but we always find that a few years later that we cringe at the thought that we once thought they were very good. I myself am very guilty of this. I will give Braveheart and Dances with Wolves as case example and studies. I hope that Tom will look back in ten years time and see this film as a bad film on his C.V. I think myself that Tom Cruise is capable of so much more. His supporting cast (Billy Connolly & Timothy Spall) were not far behind. Connolly was terrible from the very moment he appeared on screen as the Irish/Scottish (what was he please someone tell me) Sergeant. He cannot act he really should stick to Stand up comedy. Timothy Spall is a fantastic character actor however he sucked big time in this film. The only people that really suited their parts were Ken Wanntabe and his fellow Samaurai. They were brilliant. I cannot fault them.The script was woeful. Everything that was said we have heard numerous times in films such as The Patriot, Michael Collins and Braveheart.On a positive note I found that cinematography and sets were amazing and it was a pity that the above bad points took away from their splendor and beauty. Finally I advise any up and coming film makers to watch this film and use it as an example of how films should not be made.
Where have you gone Toshiro Mifune? Zwick's schtick doesn't click..
posted on 23 Jul 2009You know a movie has seriously missed its mark when a third of the audience (four people in this case) are pleading at the screen for the hero to die so we can please go home. Ah, but what is a great movie? Movie stars, action, spectacle, music swelling, struggle and noble ambition, new worlds unfolding before our eyes. Since The Last Samurai has all that, why is it so insultingly bad?Let me count the ways. Let's start with that inability for Tom Cruise to just die and get it over with. When the only thing that comes to mind during the battle scenes is the energizer bunny, there is definitely a credibility problem. This may be a spoiler - if that is possible - so don't read on if you haven't figured out that Tom Cruise is the last Samurai. It's not some wimpy Japanese Samurai whose traditions and training go back generations, no no. THEY all die. It is the beleaguered and resigned Cruise who finally redeems all of Japan and NOBLE JAPANESE TRADITION by surrendering to the Emperor, himself, his ego and the last Samurai sword. I thought the Emperor of Japan was going to cry. Do divine Japanese Emperors actually cry? Almost.This sort of pandering is just one last unbelievable moment in what is an endlessly and insultingly manipulative Hollywood bamboozle. Let's take first the insult to Japan. What exactly does director Edward Zwick, who obviously has a real talent for battle scenes and inspirational stories, believe he is doing better than has been done in a dozen previous Samurai epics? It's one thing to remake the Seven Samurai into The Magnificent Seven. However, it's cultural hubris - to take the Samurai genre and gloss it over Hollywood kitsch and capital. The script telegraphs everything to the point that the only comparison could be Second City or Saturday Night Live. Where the script fails to elicit any emotional impact there are endless close-ups that do nothing, but demand we feel deeply, which is only possible because the maudlin musical theme asserts itself at every turn. The film even concludes on two of these meaningless close-ups and Pavlovian music moments. Is Tom Cruise even going to get the girl in the end of this unlikely epic? The close-ups say `yes'. Does it have anything to do with the story? Not really.Tom Cruise is a wonderful actor, and he may look too pretty for this part, but even that, I think, is beside the point. The film has Cruise in many a moment of deep and picturesque meditation or blathering clichés as he learns about the nobility of Samurai culture. But these jar against the simple, graceful acting style of the Japanese actors are so capable of going from subtlety to comic exaggeration. It becomes embarrassing, like watching American tourists talk too loud in a quiet Japanese landscape.In the end the film is no less than an insult to both the Japanese and the American audience. It assumes the story can only be understood with the trappings of Hollywood excess. It's a really bad and obvious script, but, yes, it has its gorgeous scenes. That some ‘legit' critics consider the film as masterful, is as troubling as it is to sit in the audience and feel completely manipulated. Do producers believe the movie audience is so removed from understanding other cultures and other cinemas that we have to be spoon fed formulas and cliff notes? If that's the case we're all in trouble.
Beautiful Film...but really an attempt at a one man show
posted on 17 Jul 2009In a year filled with epics, The Last Samurai stands out as one based in an aspect not often viewed by the world's eye.Set in 1870's Japan, The Last Samurai stars Tom Cruise as a disenchanted Civil War/Little Big Horn veteran hired to modernize the Japanese army into a western fighting force. However Cruise is captured by a rebel samurai faction, led by Ken Watanabe, and during the winter, Cruise comes in contact with the true meaning of the "warrior spirit."First it should be noted that The Last Samurai is one of the most beautiful films of the year. Set in picturesque Japan...we definitely get the idea that this is where we are. Director Edward Zwick did a good job of letting the scenery take us to this time period, and should be commended on that element.Zwick also does a good job delivering an enthralling, if predictable, storyline. The actors save for one are very believable in their roles, especially Watanabe who delivers an Oscar caliber performance as the Samurai leader.Unfortunately the movies biggest attraction is also it's biggest detraction. Cruise doesn't deliver the Oscar-caliber performance he so desperately wants to deliver...and unfortunately Zwick spends too much time trying to give Cruise those soul-searching moments at awkward points in the story. Cruise is the only element that takes us out of the world and back into reality.As far as historical epics go...you are much better off seeing Master and Commander. For while this one is good, it lacks the touch necessary to make it a classic.7/10
Best movie I've seen this year
posted on 30 Aug 2009Very good all-round movie. Tom Cruise is brilliant.
Ken Watanabe is a good supporting actor. A very good cast. Needs to be nominated for any award that is available.