The Last Samurai: Simple Beauty

Rating: 10/10 (26 September 2004)

This is my first review and I actually wrote it as an English 111 essay. I'm not sure if it contains essential spoilers, so I warn you now: May contain spoilers; read at your own discretion. Now with that out of the way...
The Last Samurai: Simple Beauty
The Last Samurai is a story of a man lost in his pains justifying his life through simple material gain. Without any direction in life it seems as though this man, Captain Nathan Algren, is destined to a life of depression and worthlessness. The powerful and moving transformation that Algren undergoes from a man of little worth to a man of greatness is done in such a way in this movie that I believe to be a very captivating experience.
Honor and tenacity, two major themes of this movie, are introduced early in the movie. We are also introduced to Algren whom of which is drinking and obviously miserable with life. Early in the movie Algren takes a job in Japan to train Japanese soldiers, whom of which are at war with the rebel Samurai, in the art of modern warfare. It is in the melee with the Samurai that Algren's tenacity is first displayed. The Samurai leader, Katsumoto Moritsugu, is intrigued by this tenacity and, after defeating Algren's forces, brings Algren back to the Samurai village, a place of honor, as a prisoner to study him. Here, Algren is unable to escape because winter is coming and, as such, prevents any flee from the mountain. It is in the Samurai village that Algren's transformation occurs.
A problem that I have with this movie is the over-simplification of some key elements of the movie. It is obvious throughout the movie that Algren's depression is a result of the Native massacre that his battalion was a part of. Unfortunately, though, this feeling of guilt and regret is coupled by an excessive and somewhat incessant number of flashbacks and blatant reminders that Algren does indeed feel this way. If it isn't extremely large pictures of the Natives drawn on multiple pages throughout Algren's diary depicting them as a divine people, it is Katsumoto blatantly articulating this theme during a conversation with Algren during the latter stages of the movie. Throughout the entirety of the movie other ideas or essential developments are also simplified in this manner. It is not that that the formalization of a theme is undesirable; rather, the incessant recurrence of this style only does the director, Edward Zwick, and the intelligence of his movie a great disservice. One other problem that I had with this movie is the Hollywood makeover that it was given. Though it is a movie of Samurai in the era of modernization in Japan, the presentation of it is only loosely based on what it was actually like at that time. Though they were deeply respected, the Samurai were also seen as rebels and practitioners of many old, less compassionate ideologies such as the absolute degradation of women. They were not as pure and kindhearted as presented in this movie. More over, the use of Kanji in the movie is also simplified and clichéd.
Though, the over-simplification of the movie may be a minor weakness, it is also, ironically, excels as the major theme of this movie. Algren learns to deal with his frustrations by looking at the grand scheme of things rather than getting lost in material insatiability. Deeply symbolic Kendo sessions show Algren's transformation and many epiphanies. In the beginning, despite its aimlessness, the Kendo sessions serve to show just how tenacious Algren is. As the movie progresses, they illustrate how aimless tenacity is no match for purposeful honor and, as such, Algren accepts this new ideology. The result is man at peace with himself.
Though, The Last Samurai does spell out or rather, at times, shout integral themes at the audience which, in turn, effectively lowers the intelligence of this movie, Zwick still delivers a story of epic proportions like no one else. Though, simple Japanese stereotypes are magnified and actual history thoroughly abused during the telling of this story, Zwick is doing just that- telling a story. Even though I was trying to find flaws in this movie, I was left finding a needle in a haystack of perfection. I am indefinitely captivated by the message that this movie conveys while practicing it itself- the beauty of simplicity and the simplicity of beauty. It teaches the audience that perfection and fulfillment is no more than a state of mind. It is all around us and bares no price-tag. It also teaches the audience that rather than seeking perfection through the consumption of substance and material, that perfection is actually created through the essence of simplicity. No one movie can ever be perfect just as no one measure of value can ever be perfect; rather, it can redefine a genre and raise the bar for its successors and that is exactly what this movie has done.
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Excellent! 10/10: Recommended for those of us with eyes!