Traditional and accurate from a historical point of view.

Rating: Null/10 (7 December 2003)

There is a scene in 'The Last Samurai' where the son of a samurai warrior says that his father taught him that it is glorious to die in battle. A lot of films have taken criticism for glorifying war and one of them is 1989's 'Glory'. 'The Last Samurai', like 'Glory', was directed by Edward Zwick and the issue of war glorification is neither right or wrong. It's what the individual fighting for what he or she believes in is right or wrong. It is left up to individual interpretation and allowing a person to think for themselves.
Set in 1876, it appears that in 'The Last Samurai', the story revolves around the Japanese government's wish that like the United States, commerce and building a nation is worth killing its traditional people for. Traditional people in America being the Indians, who were slaughtered and driven off their land between 1850 and 1900 for the exploitation of railroad construction, gold mining and oil drilling. The Japanese emperor in this film is obsessed with Western ideology so much so, that he hires an American civil war hero (Tom Cruise) to use this methodology to take out the last batch of samurai warriors whose traditional methods that have protected their country for centuries are now slowing down the exploitation of the Japanese country for profit.
Cruise's character is Captain Nathan Algren, a man who participated in the American Indian wars and is haunted by his conscience for the slaughter of innocent people while his superiors believe it is the right thing to do. Algren is captured in battle and forced to learn the samurai way of life. Upon doing so, he becomes embodied in their way of life and embraces it against his own people in the name of justice.
Director Edward Zwick has made a film from a different time where beliefs were very different than they are today and because of this, those who believe in political correctness will attack this film and misunderstand it like they did 'Gladiator' and 'Braveheart'. Learning something about a different time and place is beneficial in light of all of the Hollywood down sizing in terms of quality film making in recent years and this film is going to be a sensational Oscar contender for many awards including picture, director and actor and Cruise could win an Oscar after three previous tries. This is going to be his best shot to date. And Ken Watanabe, who plays the samurai leader, is sensational in his own way and I hope he is not forgotten when the Oscar nominations are announced for supporting actor.