Enjoyable

Rating: 8/10 (3 December 2003)

After watching this enjoyable movie without noticing its 144 minutes' length, I can't help invoking another enjoyable movie, `Brave Heart'. In terms of its characteristic score, amazing views of landscape, heroic plot and, oh yeah, bloody sword fights, `The Last Samurai' stands clearly as a Japanese counterpart of `Brave Heart': what's more is the inspiring adventure of U.S. Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) into the diminishing Samurai society led by his Samurai mentor Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe); what's less is the mystic love story of William Wallace (Mel Gibson, Brave Heart). But I'm not saying this movie is impaired by its insufficiency of feminine flavor; in fact the subtle feeling between Nathan Algren and his nurse, Taka, is nicely presented in an oriental way. Although I didn't see any acting sophisticated enough to win an Academy Award in this movie, I believe its box office will be quite satisfying because with a right blend of commercially successful elements, this nice little Japanese meal is deliciously ummm. enjoyable.