deep, and worth it if you happen to like Japanese culture...

Rating: 10/10 (8 February 2004)

Others may disagree with me but I'm entitled to my own opinion so I'll say it.
Slightly a different pace from what I'm used to watching on the big screen, with the whole "good guy vs. bad guy" scenario. "The Last Samurai" is a bit more on the political problems of Japan in that time, as well finding oneself when you thought you lost it. With Algren as the person who had lost his soul for a cause he thought right, Cruise helps bring out the culture of Japan not seen often in the States. Also with Katsumoto (Watanabe) to play the opposite of Algren, he portrays how a traditional Japanese would have acted back then.
While many people are accustomed to things being spoken outright, the Japanese are more of the opposite; what isn't spoken, is the most important. This may confuse the younger members but for those who study Japan, they might get the bigger picture.
In short, it's quite difficult to say about "Last Samurai". One word from me: deep.