Cruise's Finest Hour

Rating: 8/10 (9 September 2013)

Many people dismiss Tom Cruise unfairly. Yes it's true that he's starred in more than his fair share of Hollywood blockbuster bullcrap but occasionally he appears in the odd gem just to remind audiences that he can actually act. Born on the 4th of July, Jerry Maguire, and A Few Good Men are a few examples. This film is most definitely another.
The basic storyline isn't anything you haven't seen before. Soldier goes to war. Soldier gets caught by enemy. Soldier learns to love enemy culture. Soldier fights for enemy against former comrades. We've seen the plot before in Dances With Wolves with native Americans and Confederate soldiers. More recently we've seen the plot in Avatar with aliens and marines. What sets this apart from all the others is the sheer breathtaking beauty of the cinematography, the level of authenticity in recreating ancient Japan, the attention to detail in depicting Samurai culture, and the utterly brilliant Ken Watanabe in the supporting role as the legendary Samurai warlord Katsumoto. On a deeper level the film also serves as a poignant observation of how technological progress and so called civility can destroy century old tradition to the heartbreaking detriment of society.
Initially the Samurai are depicted as vicious warmongering savages. However along with the character of Nathan, played by Tom Cruise, we are taken on a journey of enlightenment to the Way of the Samurai so emotionally gripping and compelling that the viewer cannot help but feel completely awestruck by the end credits. This is a film that you will remember for a very long time and that you will re-visit time and again.
If you like beautiful visuals, if you like excellent acting, if you like breathtaking action, and if you like historical fact instead of the usual Hollywood embellishment, then this film is definitely for you.