An amazingly beautifully crafted and executed Epic film

Rating: 10/10 (11 October 2009)

When I first saw this movie I didn't like the concept, I didn't like the idea of an American solider turning on his kind to fight with the enemy. Boy was I in mature! Now seeing it again now more mature and more knowledgeable of history this film has allot of meaning to me. It's epic, sprawling, beautiful, intelligent, brutal, honorable and most of all heart breaking.
The Last Samurai chronicles the story of a beaten and battered Civli War hero who's seen one too many innocent lives and people killed during his service in the war. Now in 1870's he accepts an offer to train Japans modern army to battle the samurai's, but soon in some strange twist of fate he finds himself learning form his enemy. It's an intense and heart breaking piece of film making that is of the highest caliber, it's a great and powerful film that tells a story of honor and respect and the way of the samurai. It's grand and spectacular and it gives so much of it's self and of it's story the power that it releases is in small capsules that slowly but surely open one at a time releasing strong and bracing scenes from each of them.
Tom Cruise deliverer's one of his finest performances of his career as the battered Civil War hero. Tony Goldwyn is fantastic in the scenes he's in he gives a very good an very convincing antagonistic performance. Billy Connolly(in his small role) does good as always and puts on a very commanding show as the good sergeant. But it is Ken Watanabe who steals the show, his performance is absolutely fantastic and stunning as the leader of the Samurai, he pulls no stops to prove himself and take his game to the next level, he is utterly fantastic. All in all the cast does extraordinarily well in this handsomely mounted film.
The Last Samurai is a blend of old traditions and honor mixed with American military strategies. This film put's up a very good fight and pulls no punches when it comes to story, characters, scenery it put's it's self in the middle of the fight as the Samurai did. It's a beautiful and grand film that needs to be cherished as much as it needs to be respected It's powerful in it's execution, beautiful in it's scenery and production and a staggering piece of film making at it's finest Edward Zwick tops all his previous films and creates a great and magnificent portrayal of what true honor is. All in all The Last Samurai delivers a truly great movie going that will not be forgotten.