Not as good as you may think

Rating: Null/10 (1 December 2003)

The last samurai may not be as good as others have already praised it to be. Having just left the theater, I feel a bit disappointed. I leave with a let down on most levels. I will spare you the plot points that everyone else has found it necessary to include and get to the juice:
Tom Cruise: A bit "Tom Cruisish" in some scenes. His athleticism and action prowess are incredible, but at times lost me in the unfolding of story. In the beginning I was amazed at how "un-Tom" he was, but once in the Samurai camp, he lost me.
Zwick: Good direction of a bland story. Zwick had great vision, and the sword fighting scenes were shot well, but the story became so cheesy and forced by the beats of silence we are forced to sit through.

The Plot: A cool idea but cheesy lines. Extremely melodramatic. One of the worst final lines in a film. Weird that Cruise is in Eyes Wide Shut which has my favorite closing line in a film.
Toll: Praise, praise, praise. Not as great as his Oscar wins, but Toll delivers some breathtaking shots of beautiful scenery. Most setups were clever and well shot, a few seemed too presentational and rushed but you have to question if that is Toll or Zwick.
Last but not least: Oscar contention for Ken Watanabe. Incredible performance that commanded attention. Each time he appears, you believe this man. Incredible surprise to a mediocre film.