Far East and Away

Rating: Null/10 (1 December 2003)

THE LAST SAMURAI (2003) ***1/2 Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Koyuki, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Timothy Spall, Masato Harada, Shichinosuke Nakamura. Absorbing grand scale epic set in late 19th Century Japan with Cruise at his magnetic best as an alcoholic Civil War hero who takes on an assignment to help the empire with its militia attacks with the sword-wielding samurai only to be captured by the enemy where his assimilates with them thanks to their bold yet intelligent leader (Watanabe who should get a Best Supporting Actor nod) and falls in love with the widow of a warrior he has slain (the beautiful Koyuki). Part 'Dances With Wolves', 'Braveheart' and 'Gladiator' yet unique in its own right in depicting the legendary Asian swordsmen and the grace of director Ed Zwick in getting period detail down to a t even though most of the footage was shot on locale in New Zealand. A smart screenplay by John Logan who collaborated with Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz only enhances the film's stunningly brutal battle sequences as well as its lush cinematography by ace photog John Toll.