Stop listening to the Tom Cruise bashing and watch thismovie!

Rating: 10/10 (6 December 2003)

I had heard the hype that the Last Samurai was just Tom Cruise acting like Tom Cruise, but that is a bunch of . . .! I am not even much of a Tom Cruise fan. This movie is beautiful and wonderfully done. Tom Cruise does his best job ever on this film. I found myself excited during every aspect of this film and not about what was happening in the plot or with Tom's acting, but because I was realizing just how good this film is. The cinematography is breath-taking and the acting superb. The actor who plays Katsumoto was stunning. I came into this movie expecting it to be fun but never imagined how wonderful it would be. If people fail to see it because they have heard the hype about Tom Cruise they will be cheating themselves of a cinematic treasure. I believe we will see the Last Samurai during Academy Award time.