Lot's of Japanese culture and self-improvement, but that's not a bad thing

Rating: 7/10 (7 September 2017)

I wasn't expecting much from this film, but something cached my attention when I knew about it and I'm glad it did. The Last Samurai is a great package of Japanese culture, action scenes and self improvement.
The plot is very typical of this genre: There's two sides at war and our main character gets involved in the middle of the conflict. However, there's a twist here that I really appreciated: This movie is not about good vs bad and a guy becomes a legend, this is more about the process, the meantime, and it's something that even thought is becoming a cliché. It adds value to a film that otherwise would be just a show to make people feel impressed.
Also, this film is stunning visually. There's a lot of beautiful landscapes although the action scenes are a little bit bland, and I think it's Tom Cruise's fault, who lacks movement in fight scenes. Talking about Tom Cruise, his presence looks kind of out of place in this role, but I could be possible that it was intentional. If the purpose was to make him look like an outsider, well done. Apart from that, the cast is great, and I wouldn't complain about their performances.
To wrap up my review, this is a great movie even thought is nothing transcendental. It also gives a good key message, which is a plus. And if you like long movies you'll be pleased to sit with this one for two and a half hours.