A terrific film: one of the best

Rating: Null/10 (16 December 2003)

The Last Samurai is a beautiful film, and a good story well told. It has a spiritual element that leaves one better for having seen it. Mr. Cruise provides a gripping portrayal of Capt. Nathan Algren, a tortured Civil War Veteran who has to regain his honor by some means if he can.

One may debate, as many have already, whether it is "History or Hollywood"; I see both. Whether there be minor points of divergence historically, what do I care? It is, after all, a work of fiction, and is built on the strength of a cultural context that is well-founded and very well depicted. And while it does not address every side of every issue (a point it has in common with every story ever told), what it does address, it addresses very, very well: the collision between the traditional Samurai ways and the developing Western ways of warfare; and more to the point, the impact of this collision on two diverse military men, their lives and their personal honor.
It shows, of course, a collision between East and West, but really, the underlying split is between materialism and spirituality, between a code of honor and no code, and of technology vs. tradition on the battle-field, and the resulting impact on the characters and societies depicted.

The characters drew me in and never let me go; the story held together from beginning to end; no holes, no contrivance of dialogue, no falsity of character. Every aspect of the story was tied up well so that I felt very satisfied with the ending.
The scenery was just beautiful. It is obvious that great care was taken with the creation of the settings, so that they were both realistic and aesthetic.
It was, for me, an uplifting tale, and I think in the end, it is a happy one, at least for anyone who has ever had a fall from grace and seeks hope for his own redemption. And who among us cannot be counted so?
I liked also the balance between action and adventure, on the one hand, and the message of honor and hope on the other. In this, I thought it held something for everyone. It is one of the few films that can lure me to pay for a theater ticket twice. 9/10