12/22/2003
The Last Samurai stars Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren, Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto, William Atherton as Winchester Rep, Chad Lindberg as Winchester Rep Assistant, Ray Godshall Sr. as Convention Hall Attendee, Billy Connolly as Zebulon Gant, Tony Goldwyn as Colonel Bagley, Masato Harada as Omura, Masashi Odate as Omura's Companion, John Koyama as Omura's Bodyguard, Timothy Spall as Simon Graham, Shichinosuke Nakamura as Emperor Meiji, Togo Igawa as General Hasegawa, Satoshi Nikaido as NCO, Shintaro Wada as Young Recruit, Shin Koyamada as Nobutada, Hiroyuki Sanada as Ujio, Shun Sugata as Nakao, Koyuki as Taka, Sosuke Ikematsu as Higen and, Aoi Minato as Magojiro.
The Last Samurai is a period film, circa 1875, after the American Civil War. The scene is Japan. Japan is Westernizing on one hand, while a faction of traditionalists want to allow Japan to evolve slowly. The Samurai, Katsumato, has a hamlet in the hills and is resisting the modernization with attacks on the railroad system. Omura, the owner of the railroad and the deal maker with the Westerners, is influential with The Emperor. Omura hires a United States war hero and Indian fighter, Nathan Algren, to teach the army how to fight Western style against Katsumoto. Katsumoto would not use vulgar weapons such as guns. Nathan Algren's first encounter with Katsumoto ends up as a victory for Katsumoto. Nathan Algren is taken prisoner. Due to his fighting skill and tenacity he is not killed, but protected by Katsumoto. Katsumoto wants to study and learn from him. But, as with all fish out of water flics, Nathan Algren, becomes a Samurai and helps Katsumoto fight Omura.
I must tell you, I am a sucker for Samurai flics. I have seen the Shogun mini series twice. The plot is very similar to Shogun, except that it is on land not on the sea. The film is well made. The acting is superb. The fact that there is only a hint of romantic tension in the air makes this a great film to see. The action scenes are great fighting scenes.
I give it 4 out of 5 blossoms: 