A beautiful film.

Rating: 9/10 (3 July 2008)

The Last Samurai is a very beautiful film about redemption and honor. This is Tom Cruise's finest role. He plays Captain Nathan Algren perfectly. This is truly Cruise's last film before he went crazy. The story a tormented, alcoholic, war hero( Cruise) is hired to train Japanese villagers to fight off the Samurai. At the time Japan is going through the Meiji Restoration is at conflict from tradition versus modernization. You see the Samurai believe they are serving the Emperor by trying to stop this new way of life by standing by their Bushido. After Algren is captured by the Samurai he is transformed into a new man who believes in the Samurai and their ways. Nathan is at constant struggle with the memories of his role in the massacre of Wounded Knee where he got his title of war hero. Ken Watanabe is also great as Katsumoto the Samurai leader. The battle scenes are great and the photography is great. In the end although Algren offers great advice for the last stand of the samurai it is the samurai that save Algren from himself and make sit possible for him to find peace.