Go see it! (Especially if you liked Braveheart.)

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2003)

This is a wonderful movie, but if gore bothers you, don't watch it, because there is quite a bit of that in it. (Gore is the sole reason it is rated R.)
However, despite the gore and considerable action and battle, the Last Samurai is very much a philosophical movie. It is not your typical shoot 'em up; the battle and action are instead a necessary but balanced part of the story. Don't expect to go see it and come away mindlessly entertained. You will instead come away with much to think about. The battles provide the backdrop for the story of a man who must choose what principles he will stand on and what side he will take with life, death, and his own honor hanging in the balance. Because this movie is about principles as much as-or even more than-the action side of it, Algren's eventual decision it not surprising. But it is a simpleton indeed who thinks that predictability automatically condemns a movie.
If you happen to be one of those people who are bothered by bad language or sexual immorality, rest assured. This movie is clean, except for a rare mild swearword or two.
The bottom line? Great Action, thought provoking issues, and wonderful historical and cultural attention to detail. This movie is well worth seeing.