A perfectly marvelous, perfect movie.

Rating: 10/10 (23 March 2009)

Full disclosure: I'm a HUGE fan of Ed Zwick as a director and filmmaker. Full disclosure: I'm an even bigger fan of what he and his team created in "The Last Samurai." Tom Cruise, never better. Ken Watanabe, masterful. Direction, script, music, costume, art direction, cast ... without peer. Far from being the "racist" film some PC types have labeled it, this is a work of art, a beautiful, poignant story about warriors, honor, duty (to country and self) and friendship, and perhaps in more esoteric terms, peace, harmony and the secrets and mysteries of life itself. It's all there if you let the story tell itself to you. As a cinematic experience alone, you'll be richly rewarded. I won't belabor other good reviews by taking more time repeating many of the points they've already well made. See it once and let it take you where it will. You'll learn something about yourself and the world you live in, the lessons are that timeless. It will be a film that sticks with you, that you'll treasure again and again.