First time watching is not the last

Rating: Null/10 (21 January 2004)

A movie can be successful in many ways. It may have stunning visual effects, bringing you at the edge of your seat. It may have a fantastic story, inspiring you deeply. It may have fabulous actors, making you truly believe in what you see. It may have hysterical spots, making sure you would never be bored. 'The Last Samurai' no doubt contains all these successful elements. The story begins with Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), who could never seem to find a decent job. He seemed destined to become a captain. Hired by the Japanese government, he was to train their soldiers with modern arms. Due to the rash behavior of his fellow colonel Bagley (Tony Goldwyn) and Omura (Masato Harada), he was forced to bring a troop of unready soldiers to battle. The result would be obvious, and he would be held captive in the hands of his archenemy. There in the deep hills, he met Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), the leader of the samurai warriors. Through these conversations Algren had with Katsumoto, he began to learn more about 'Bushido', the spirit of the Japanese Samurai. And Katsumoto would learn about the American culture. As time goes by, the friendship between Algren and Katsumoto would develop, and Algren would discover the best for Japan. Eventually, he would join forces with Katsumoto and participate in the final showdown with the modern army of the Meiji Government. As the film had first articulated, the crucial word linked within this story is 'honor'. It is exactly what Bushido is like, 'to serve'. Japanese people would do whatever to serve their country, to make Japan a strong country. It would be a disgrace to lose in a battle. Rather than dying or held hostage in the hands of your enemy, suicide would be an act of glory. Told from the view of a foreigner, Algren in this case, the story becomes a lot more convincing. This movie wanted to bring out a message: was modernization really most suitable for Japan? Could wearing Western clothes and buying Western arms really make Japan a better country? It may be necessary, but should Bushido be forgotten by all? This film wanted to remind people that Bushido was actually the major factor which brought Japan to power, and not modern arms and weapons. The movie began in fascinating style, with already something to laugh about. As it went on, there was not a bit of boredom, with gunshot and war scenes appearing frequently. It might have gone less active in the middle, but with the funny parts between Algren and the Japanese, it remained interesting. The film reached its climax when the battle of Katsumoto and the Meiji army began. The film kept a really good pace and I simply couldn't find a place where it was sappy. From beginning to end, the film was inspirational, some reflected by the passion of the scenes, and some by the sentimental elements of the scenes. I must say, I was excited all the way through. The acting of Tom Cruise was magnificent. Recalling a few of his more recent works 'Mission Impossible II' and 'Minority Report', 'The Last Samurai' would have a completely different style. These three films may be similar in terms of action, but 'The Last Samurai' requires a lot more in terms of acting. To tell you the truth, I am not a Tom Cruise fan, but I really admired his work in this film. He successfully portrayed a character of no choice but to disobey his true self. He had to make a living, but killing was not his cup of tea, especially when he had to kill innocent lives. He demonstrated his hatred to colonel Bagley. He showed his loneliness in the village, where he could not speak or understand Japanese. The feeling of eternal waiting was tickling the very veins of his heart, not knowing when he could be released. He was being treated like a stray dog with the eyes of anger all on him, like he was a friggin' freak. Later on, he revealed his friendship for Katsumoto and love for Taka. All this shows what a fine job he has done in this film and he certainly deserves an Oscar nomination for the best actor this year, at the least. The acting of Ken Watanabe was equally as good, showing the power a true leader should possess and the spirit that every human being should be born with. The care for the Emperor was clearly sought out, and his loyalty for the country could never be doubted. Make that two Oscar nominations. The scene of battle was realistically shown, thanks to the great directing of Edward Zwick. The visual effects were awesome, bringing out the overwhelming strength in the battle. The smooth flow of the film should also be credited to the director. But like any other classical film, there are also some defects. If Algren was a captive, how could he be treated with such hospitality? He could go anywhere he wanted to in the village, and how can the children be so kind to him? After all, he did kill their dad. And at the end, Algren should have died! These parts didn't really make sense. Even so, as long as a movie can move the audience in some sort of way, it is a good one. Even now, I still stand by my word and consider this the top favorite of this year's Oscar winner. It would not be the least surprising if 'The Last Samurai' can emerge as the Best Picture of the Year. For those who like action films, this is a wonderful film. For those who like historic or literary films, this is a fantastic film. For those who like comedies, this is a great film. For all, this is definitely a masterpiece that is worth watching over and over again.