... Dying are the old traditions and values, fading are the codes of honour the Samurai live by, their homes, their lives, the very fabric of their existence is under threat, The Samurai culture is being annihilated as modern westernisation sweeps in to engulf traditional Japan.
The year ... Read review
Tom Cruise plays Civil War hero Capt. Nathan Algren, who comes to Japan to fight the ... more
Samurai and ends up pledging himself to their cause. Ken Watanabe (Academy Award nominee) plays Katsumoto, a Samurai leader facing a vanishing way of life, whose desti...
Decorated Civil War veteran Nathan Algren (Cruise) is sent to Japan to train and lead the ... more
Emperor's troops in modern Western gunpowder intensive warfare to eliminate the country's remaining rebelling samurai. Captured and imprisoned by the outlawed ...
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Whether Tom Cruise's portrayal of a 19th century American soldier cum samurai warrior will ... more
be remembered with the same pangs of pop-cultural bemusement that befell John Wayne playing Genghis Khan remains to be seen. But its musical soundtrack does mark an auspicious occasion: pop musician-turned-composer Hans Zimmer's 100th score since beginning his film career in 1988. A pioneer of fusing both the electronic and orchestral and the Westernized with the indigenous, Zimmer does both here with skill, drawing heavily on samples of the traditional Taiko (a massive Japanese drum) for its rhythmic action sequences, while constructing a melodic Western motif for Cruise's character that's both centrepiece and counterpoint for the score's transcultural intent. Aside from the brief, ominous thunder of the expected action/suspense boilerplate, Zimmer has constructed passages of gentle, Asian-inflected pastoralism that have parallels with much of his evocative work on The Thin Red Line. Those cues are the score's very soul, a canvas against which his more traditional themes reverberate all the stronger. --Jerry McCulley
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Tom Cruise plays Civil War hero Capt. Nathan Algren, who comes to Japan to fight the ... more
Samurai and ends up pledging himself to their cause. Ken Watanabe (Academy Award nominee) plays Katsumoto, a Samurai leader facing a vanishing way of life, whose destiny becomes intertwined with that of the American captain. Edward Zwick (winner of the National Board of Review's Best Director Award) directs this sweeping and emotional epic tale of the birth of modern Japan.
Tom Cruise plays Civil War hero Capt. Nathan Algren, who comes to Japan to fight the ... more
Samuria and ends up pledging himself to their cause. Ken Watanbe (Golden Globe and Academy Award nominee) plays Katsumoto, a Sumurai leader facing a vanishing way of life, whose destiny becomes intertwined with that of the American captain. Edward Zwick (winner of the National Board of Review's Best Director Award) directs this sweeping and emotional epic tale of the birth of modern Japan.
Tom Cruise plays Civil War hero Capt. Nathan Algren, who comes to Japan to fight the ... more
Samurai and ends up pledging himself to their cause. Ken Watanabe (Golden Globe and Academy Award nominee) plays Katsumoto, a Samurai leader facing a vanishing way of life, whose destiny becomes intertwined with that of the American captain. Edward Zwick (winner of the National Board of Review's Best Director Award) directs this sweeping and emotional epic tale of the birth of modern Japan.
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 1996 - Action/Adventure - Director: Tom Clegg - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Daragh O'Malley, Oliver Cotton, Jason Durr, Sean Bean, Allie Byrne
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Advantages: A strong historical drama with and excellent story outstanding acting and breathtaking scenery Disadvantages: The length may be long for some viewers
...sits on a hilltop amongst the sweeping mountains and forests of Japan; he is the last leader of an ancient line of warriors, the revered Samurai. Katsumoto’s (Ken Watanabe) way of life is crumbling. After a dedicated life of service to the Emperor his future is being replaced with one of survival. Dying are the old traditions and values, fading are the codes of honour the Samurai live by, their homes, their lives, the very fabric of their existence ... ...
The year is 1876, America, a country recovering from a civil war, civilisation and modern philosophies are spreading westwards. The Union Army still battle against the Native American tribes and former Union Officer Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) sits awaiting his announcement at a rally. He is a war hero, a decorated man of honour and courage, the protector of American life and he is a drunk! He is a man in who is disillusioned, ... more
A warrior sits on a hilltop amongst the sweeping mountains and forests of Japan; he is the last leader of an ancient line of warriors, the revered Samurai. Katsumoto’s (Ken Watanabe) way of life is crumbling. After a dedicated life of service to the Emperor his future is being replaced with one of survival. Dying are the old traditions and values, fading are the codes of honour the Samurai live by, their homes, their lives, the very fabric of their existence is under threat, The Samurai culture is being annihilated as modern westernisation sweeps in to engulf traditional Japan.
The year is 1876, America, a country recovering from a civil war, civilisation and modern philosophies are spreading westwards. The Union Army still battle against the Native American tribes and former Union Officer Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) sits awaiting his announcement at a rally. He is a war hero, a decorated man of honour and courage, the protector of American life and he is a drunk! He is a man in who is disillusioned, dejected and tormented by the memories of his role in the Indian campaigns, he is in limbo, and unforgiving of himself. He hates what he has become. He lives in contempt of the authority that commanded him to fight and butcher a tribe of innocent Native American Indians. Custer, the narcissistic, vainglorious and arrogant, general of the union forces has long since made his last stand but at what cost? Algren believes it cost him his soul.
The world has changed, the once fought battles now distant and pointless as the modern civilisation invades both America and Japan the old ideals of honour and courage, old values, codes, and philosophies are drastically becoming a memory. These are two men adrift in a sea of confusion and decline but two warriors whose paths are about to converge.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The last Samurai is a revealing tale of a culture at a defining moment in its history. Set in 1876 in Japan the movie is fictional but has roots based in the Satsuma uprising of 1876/77, this movie illustrates the violent and epic struggle between two eras and two worlds. An American soldier finds himself at the heart of a rebellion with only his sense and wits and routine to guide him. Cruise exceptionally portrays the drunken Algren who unexpectedly observes the ways of these honourable warriors, becoming impressed, and influenced by their powerful convictions, their ethics code of bushido; the way of the warrior, the philosophical code followed by the samurai of feudal Japan, a code of loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior which remind him of the man he once was and who he still wished to be.
Approached by a former comrade, his sergeant at arms Zebulon Gant (Billy Connelly) Algren is persuaded to go with him to meet with Colonel Bagley (Tony Goldwyn) his former commanding officer in the war against the Native Indians. Bagley is now an arrogant, avaricious, mercenary in the employ of the ruthless, ambitious and acquisitive Japanese minister Omura (sinisterly portrayed by Masato Harada) whom is also chief advisor to the young, immature and very impressionable Japanese Emperor Meiji (Shicinosuke Nakamura). The Emperor reveres the Samurai, many of whom were his teachers but he wants to move his country into the 19th century, to join the modern world. They have a proposition for Algren, a very lucrative proposition.
A rebellion threatens the imperial rule lead by Katsumoto. The minister Omura is contemptuous of the old traditions and the Imperial advisors he controls desire the eradication of the rebels in preparation for a more westernised and trade-friendly government that will line his pockets with a veritable fortune. Omura coerces Algren to train Japan's first modern, conscripted army in the ways of modern warfare enabling the Imperial troops to destroy the savage rebels. But the rebellion will not fall without a fight. The rebels he speaks of are the legendary Samurai.
Algren journeys to Japan and meets a country on the brink of a turbulent transition, embracing technology and change. Blocks of wooden warehouses and shops are replacing the picturesque pagodas and traditional styled buildings. Telegraph lines and railroads are slowly encroaching upon traditional Japan and the foundation is being built for the technological society the Japanese have become today. It is the birth of an era.
Knowing the imperial troops are undisciplined and ill prepared Algren is ordered into battle against the mighty Samurai warriors where his troops break and run as they face a majestic charge of the mounted warriors in a mist shrouded forest with the eerie and unsettling war cries echoing in the gloom. Battling to save his life, he is wounded when confronted by a warrior of imposing strength and enviable swordsmanship; barely escaping a deadly blow he defeats his enemy only to be taken captive. And so Algren’s life changes.
Sensing something different about the American, Katsumoto is curious of this foreigner, this barbarian and sparing his life installs him as a guest in his home, closely guarded by his most trusted followers; his sister Taka (Koyuki), the wife of the warrior Algren defeated and her family. All is not easy, Algren is fevered from his injury and delirious, Taka tends him, her mind is in turmoil, Algren killed her husband, she cannot bear the anguish and hatred she feels. She implores Katsumoto to take the American from their home but her entreaty is rejected. Of Katsumoto’s family, his son Nobutada (Shin Koyamada) is the first to extend the hand of friendship, and takes it upon himself to teach Algren the Japanese language. Later his friendship is repaid in a Tokyo street as Algren prevents Nobutada retaliating when and a group of Japanese guards confront the young warrior and attempt to confiscate his swords when the Imperial council outlaw the possession of the mighty weapons.
Thrust now into unfamiliar yet unique environment, Algren’s life now hangs in a balance. Recovering from his injuries he comes to appreciate the simple but vanishing culture as he observes their peaceful and honourable customs. He falls in love with the simplicity of their lives and how in all aspects the Samurai strive for perfection. These traditions are a balm to his torment and a new balance forms in his mind as he learns to appreciate life and adopts the philosophy that governs the Samurai. Now he can crawl from the pit in which he has lain for many years.
Already a fine and outstanding swordsman Algren begins to learn the Samurai way and not without embarrassment, he trains under inscrutable masters to fight like one of the renowned Samurai warriors. Katsumoto grows to befriend and accept Algren and after a ninjas assassin’s attack of the village where Algren saves his life and the life of his nephew, Katsumoto realises Algren has evolved from a barbarian enemy into a trusted ally. This trust is enhanced when on the morning of a battle Katsumoto presents Algren with a katana engraved with the words, “I belong to the warrior in whom old ways have joined with the new”. A poignant yet accurate edict of the changes happening within the Japanese culture. The course of the future for the Samurai is now irrevocably entwined with Algren’s as both warriors make a stand against those that would threaten the Samurai honour and values in which both warriors are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Buoyed by a magnificent script from John Logan the writer of Gladiator, and directed with sheer brilliance by Edward Zwick, Tom Cruise’s acting is astounding in this film, you see him take blows and strikes and beatings without a flinch. He learned to speak Japanese and expended a true effort and a dedication to his craft, training intensely in the use of a katana (Japanese long sword) and how to accurately employ the weaponry with economic yet masterly effort. Ken Watanabe portrays the wisdom, poise and elegance of Katsumoto the leader of the last Samurai tribe charmingly and marvellously in his Supporting Actor Oscar nomination role.
The cinematography is incredible; expressing the beauty of the Japanese landscape, the peaceful yet harsh environment of an age now since vanished. The beautiful, exotic yet restive play of light over the mountaintops from a Japanese sunset with the silhouette of Cruise remarkably noticeable against the dying rays of the sun. The battle scenes are an astounding piece of cinematic brilliance that is simply pure genius, the fast paced charge of the mounted warriors driving a force through the battle lines timed perfectly. The swift and deadly training duels of the Samurai are choreography of calculated intelligence. This movie has been designed with care to detail and extreme effort to instil the qualities it depicts.
The soundtrack provided by Hans Zimmer is spectacular, a true reflection of the undertones of honour and duty, bursting with and beauty and sheer brilliance, combining strong yet sensitive strings and the poignant tones of a Japanese flute gentle yet fitting this magnificent composition to enhance the story beautifully. The strong energetic martial theme of battle emphasises the determination and anticipation of the fight with a dark and atmospheric beat.
Once again Edward Zwick creates a wonderfully, emotive and atmospheric historical movie very much dedicated to the honourable and distinguished race of warriors. Those who serve is the actual translation of the word Samurai and the Samurai served their Emperor and their Empire loyally. The Samurai were truly a people of an unparalleled and envied culture.
Running Time 148 minutes
Certification 15
Cast Ken Watanabe .... Katsumoto Tom Cruise .... Nathan Algren William Atherton .... Winchester Rep Chad Lindberg .... Winchester Rep Assistant Ray Godshall Sr. .... Convention Hall Attendee Billy Connolly .... Zebulon Gant Tony Goldwyn .... Colonel Bagley Masato Harada .... Omura Masashi Odate .... Omura's Companion John Koyama .... Omura's Bodyguard Timothy Spall .... Simon Graham Shichinosuke Nakamura .... Emperor Meiji Togo Igawa .... General Hasegawa Satoshi Nikaido .... N.C.O. Shintaro Wada .... Young Recruit Shin Koyamada .... Nobutada Hiroyuki Sanada .... Ujio Shun Sugata .... Nakao Koyuki .... Taka Sosuke Ikematsu .... Higen Aoi Minato .... Magojiro Seizo Fukumoto .... Silent Samurai Shoji Yoshihara .... Sword Master Sven Toorvald .... Omura's Secretary Scott Wilson .... Ambassador Swanbeck Yusuke Myochin .... Sword Master's Assistant
Directed by Edward Zwick
Produced by Edward Zwick, Tom Cruise, Tom Engleman, Paula Wagner and Marshall Herskovitz.
Story and Screenplay by John Logan
Music by Hans Zimmer
A Double Disc Widescreen Edition DVD Contains strong violence Soundtrack album available on Warner / Sunset records / Elektra Entertainment / WMG Soundtracks
Audio 5.1 Dolby Digital Aspect Ratio 16.9 widescreen / colour Subtitles are available for hearing impaired.
Websites www.lastsamurai.com www.warnerbros.co.uk
Disc 2 Special Features DVD Commentary by Director Edward Zwick History Channel Documentary: History V Hollywood – The Last Samurai Tom Cruise: A Warriors Journey Edward Zwick: Directors Video Journal Making of an Epic: A Conversation with Edward Zwick and Tom Cruise A World in detail: Production Designs with Lilly Kilvert Silk and Armour: Costume Design with Ngila Dickson Imperial Army Basic Training From Soldier to Samurai: The Weapons Deleted Scenes Japanese Premiers DVD-ROM PC File
Advantages: Inspires philosophical thoughts. Increases awareness. Disadvantages: Too long for some.
...all start skimming down to the bottom of the page thinking martial arts, spurting blood, and loads of action with no plot, please read on as you may get a surprise or even quite a shock as I did. I actually avoided this film for quite some time for the reasons above and it was only because of a fluke occurrence that I have come to watch it. My Father has made a will and he has a vast collection of Video tapes and DVDs. He has left me the entire collection ... ...home alone, (I didn’t think the women would want to watch this) I sat down to what I thought would be an easy watch and a bit of blood and gore. I wanted to relax and not have too much to think about. By the end of the film I found myself very deep in thought and relating the story very much to some historical and modern day events and our prejudices and ideas about other cultures. I also cried at the end of the film, that shows how emotional I felt. ...
milleniumzeus 19.10.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Last Samurai (DVD)
...has been reduced to promoting the latest models from Winchester rifles in a carnival side show, whilst wallowing in drunken depression, as a result of his part in the Battle of Little Big Horn. After being sacked from this less than lucrative position, his saviour comes in the form of Zebulon Gant, Billy Connolly who looks the part of an army sergeant major but who seems to have a problem making his mind up whether he is irish or Scottish, judging ... ...offers Algren the opportunity of making some real money. The USA are wooing the Japanese Imperial hierarchy with the hope of obtaining some exclusive rights regarding arms agreements and supply contracts. Algrens and Gants job will be to train the army to help keep order in the fractured land. Despite the fact that Algrens boss will be his enemy Colonel Bagley, he takes the job and soon finds himself in the land of the rising sun, a new job and a ...
steerpyke 30.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Last Samurai (DVD)
Advantages: The acting, the story, the effects Disadvantages: Billy Connolly
...Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the Jet Li movies, I was thrilled to see a trailer for THE LAST SAMURAI. Not only did it involve great fighting scenes on the trailer, but it included Tom Cruise......looking very fine! So as another xmas pressie, I got this movie and stuck it in my video player at home with a large tub of popcorn. So now that I've watched it, here's my review on it!
THE LAST SAMURAI
***ACTORS AND ACTRESSES***
Tom Cruise - Minority ... ...Spall - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Gettin' Square
***CHARACTERS***
Captain Nathan Algren
Played by actor Tom Cruise. Once a captain in the cavalry, Algren is now retired and totally dependant on drink to get him through his days. He is this way because of his participation in a massacre of a group of red indians a few years earlier. Now he works for a weapons company, promoting thier ...
LR_17 04.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Last Samurai (DVD)
Advantages: Exciting, looks great, convincing Disadvantages: Hollywood ending, a bit TOO PC for its own good
...Algren, a soldier haunted by the massacres that he was, in some way, a part of, during the Indian wars of the 1870s. It is now 1876 and he is well on his way to becoming a drunk and a joke. He is offered the chance, by his former commander (Tony Goldwyn) - spot the tension between them - to train Japanese peasants how to be a military force. Emperor Maiji is listening to his advisors who desperately want him to accept the Western culture into Japan. ... ...of greed goes against the ancient Samurai, the Emperor's legendary warriors, who think Japan should remain pure.
It is against the Samurai, led by Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), that Algren is training the new Japanese army to use American rifles. This technological advantage against the sword-wielding Samurai should be sufficient to wipe the old ways from Japan forever but Algren is forced into leading his men into battle before they are confident using ...
Crazy-Christian 11.02.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Last Samurai (DVD)
Advantages: Great visuals with stunning scenery, great actors, a great film Disadvantages: Story is a bit far fetched (but then that is Hollywoods way)
...and directed by Edward Zwick, the Last Samurai is a story of the bringing together of two cultures that was released back in January 2004.
****Story line****
There is a new Emperor of Japan, Emperor Meiji (Shichinosuke Nakamura), and some of the traditional Japanese residents are concerned over his appetite of western world culture. The traditionalists (led by the Samurais) rebel against the destruction of the Japanese culture and the Emperor has ... ...The Emperor decides to appoint Captain Nathen Algren (Tom Cruise), an American Civil War veteran, to train his army of peasants in the art of western world warfare and how to use firearms.
Algren gets seriously wounded during a battle that is really none of his concern. Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) Leader of the Samurai takes Algren back to his Japanese village where he recovers. Whilst Algren is recuperating the Japanese winter sets in and he becomes ...
yackers1 21.04.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Last Samurai (DVD)
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, but he also gives praise to the actors and set designers as he discusses the scenes.
'History Vs Hollywood: The LastSamurai' this is from the History channel and shows what the film got historically right and what it got very wrong.
'Tom Cruise: A Warriors Journey' this is a feature all about the character of Algren with interviews with Cruise and other cast and crew members. It gives an insight into how Cruise went about playing the part.
'Edward Zwick: Directors Video Journal' although this is quite long and Zwick's voice gets a bit annoying after a while, it is a good feature showing loads of background information on how Zwcik directed the film.
'Making An Epic: A Conversation With Edward Zwick And Tom Cruise' this feature is very good as the star and director discuss what they are trying to achieve with the film.
'A ...
Advantages: well acted Disadvantages: too similar to dances with wolves
WHAT IS IT ABOUT:
Tom Cruise stars as Captain Nathan Algren, an alcoholic war vet in 1870s Japan, who is hired to train the Japanese army as they attempt to overcome the samurai. Overwhelmed in battle, Algren's bravery impresses the ancient samurai people, who take him in as one of their own and teach him their ways.
IS IT ANY GOOD:
I have mixed feelings about this film, and still don't really know what to say about it. On the one hand, it's just 'Dances With Wolves' all over again, but this time in Japan. The plot is so similar, it's a wonder they didn't sue for plagiarism. Because of the similarities, you can't help but guess a lot of what is going to happen, which makes it predictable, despite the alien culture the film aims to embody.
The way of life in the samurai culture is, perhaps, the film's saving grace; they do ...
Advantages: Great detail about history of samurai way of life, Outstanding performance from Cruise Disadvantages: Bit unbelievable in places
between Cruise and Zwick - Here Zwick interviews Cruise about how he felt about playing the role and they talk about old times.
History vs Hollywood - This is a very educational piece on how the film compares to that of real historical documents.It takes a look at old scriptures as well as interviews with experts in such fields.
Production design, Costume Design, Army Training and Weapons - This part of the dvd, gives the viewer a very detailed insight into the making of the film. It shows exactly how the weapons and costumers were made using traditional Japanese techniques and allows you to realise how much effort went into the making of this movie.
Bushido - This is a set of written pieces which show what is basically the Samurai's bible. It describes exactly how a samurai should live his life.
Deleted scenes - There are two ...
Two men, Captain Nathan Algren a veteran of the American Civil War and a celebrated Samurai warrior, Katsumoto, who is learning about change, are fated to meet. Both will face each other and make a stand against those that would threaten honour and values.
Edward Zwick directs this sumptuously designed, action-packed period epic that stars Tom Cruise as Captain Nathan Algren. Algren, a former Civil War hero, is adrift in 1870s San Francisco after the war, a lost soul struggling to stay afloat in a booze-soaked stupor. When he is recruited by the Japanese government to train the Emperor's army, he departs for the unknown shores of Japan and begins training the soldiers in American military tactics. But these skills are useless against a band of samurai rebels led by the proud warrior Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), and Algren is easily defeated. He is taken to a remote samurai village where he learns samurai warrior codes and ways of life, developing a deep bond with Katsumoto and sharing philosophical conversations with him. Caught between the feudal culture of the ancient samurai warriors and the encroachment of modern society, Algren is forced to choose between his own culture or Katsumoto's. THE LAST SAMURAI is lavish in its dramatic period costumes and intense performances, and will thrill fans of both historical drama and action films.
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