Technically great but goes through too many lulls

Rating: 6/10 (5 August 2017)

There are plenty of positive points to make about 'The Last Samurai'. It's a beautiful film to watch, not only because of the stunning landscapes and setting, but also the way in which the battle sequences are crafted and the impressive attention to detail. It's difficult to fault the film based on its technical merits.
From an average viewers perspective, however, it's far from the perfect picture. There are one too many lulls for my liking - dull patches that don't add much to the story or film as a whole. Also, although there's nothing particularly wrong with Tom Cruise's performance in this film, he doesn't really come across as a natural fit to the role. There are a few actors I would have probably chosen over him.