Great, but not best picture.

Rating: 8/10 (25 November 2003)

One of the most anticipated films this Christmas is the new Tom Cruise film, THE LAST SAMURAI. I personally was very excited to be seeing this movie (along with RETURN OF THE KING), and I am pleased to say that it is worth the wait. Tom Cruise stars as Capt. Woodrow Algren a U.S. Calvary vetertan who's seen his share of bloodshed. Algren keeps having haunting flashbacks of seeing his fellow officers and commander, Col. Benjamin Bagly (Tony Goldwyn) slaughter Native Americans (including women in children). Algren is offered by his friend Zebulah Grant (Billy Connolly) and Bagly to train soldiers in Japan to fight against the Samurai warriors. Algren who has been drinking in his sorrows and looking for a excuse to die feels that this his is moment, he agrees to take the offer and sails off to Japan.
Over there Algren meets English journalist/photographer/interperter Simon Graham (Timothy Spall) who informs both Algren (and the viewer) about the Japanesse customs and traditions. It turns out that the Japanese government, like America have problems with expantation of the railroad, which railroad workers and the Emperor's soldiers are killed by the samurai from the surrounding areas. Algren's expertise and knowledge of previous war experience is much needed for the Japanesse soldiers who wish to "finish" off the samurai and continue to build the railroad, very much like the western civilaztion. Algren trains the men, yet when Col. Bagly informs that Algren must have the soldiers prepare for battle the next morning, Algren disagrees believing and even showing that the men aren't ready yet. Col. Bagly ignores Algren's comments and orders the unprepared men to fight the next morning. Bagly believes that since the Emperor's soldiers have rifles that they can defeat the primitive samurai's with their "sticks and arrows." The next day, as Algren and the soldiers wait for the samurai in the forrest, the warriors arrive and practically kill all of the Emperor's soldiers, at least the ones who didn't retreat with Col. Bagly. Algren stays behind and since he's been looking for a way or reason to die, he figures to fight to the death. As eight samurai warriors surround Algren ready to strike, Algren takes one of the samurai flags and defends himself with it. This impresses Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) the village leader and head samurai. As Algren is then knocked to the ground and is about to be killed by one of the warriors, with quick thinking, he defends himself by stabbing the warrior in the neck killing the samurai. Katsumoto orders his men to take Algren alive instead of death. As Algren recovers he realizes he is being taken care by a beautiful mother who lives in the village named Taka(Koyuki Kato). It turns out that the warrior that Algren killed was Taka's husband. Katusmoto informs Algren that he wants him alive to study the "western" way of battle and war. However when Algren gets is a lesson of the way the samurai lives as well as the traditional way of the Japanesse culture. But even most important, Algren learns the ways of fighting and defending himself like the samurai. Like one of my favorite films this year (SEABISCUIT), LAST SAMURAI is a familar road traveled. And like SEABISCUIT, it might be a familar road, yet it is a very enjoyable ride. When I was watching this film I was ready to dubbed it "DANCES WITH WOLVES GOES EAST." Then as the film continued, I enjoyed this film more, simply because the action scenes were more enjoyable. Yet, although both films have the plot of the individual who was a part of the advancement of the modern world, then realizing that they enjoy the traditional world of what was thought to be their enemies. Having the central character realize that the world and environement he grew up in was wrong. But, I still did highly enjoy this film. Tom Cruise did a very good job in this film. However, I don't think he will be getting that "Oscar" this year. Cruise wasn't as good as his role in MAGNOLIA, however with LAST SAMURAI Cruise proves that he is one of the best actors working in film. Timothy Spall(ROCK STAR,& VANILLA SKY) did a great job as the "comic" relief as well as the sidekick to Cpt. Algren. Tony Goldwyn (GHOST & THE 6TH DAY)does his usual passable role as the villian. However if anyone comes out of this film deserving a Oscar nomination is Ken Watanabe who played the head samurai, Katsumoto. Watanabe, coming from Japan, gives a outstanding role as the leader who teaches both Algren and the audience that death is meaningful as long it was done with honor. Listening to the audience members after the film was over, a lot of people were impressed with his performance. I will say that Ken Watanabe should get recognized for his moving and emotional performance. The directing by Edward Zwick is enjoyable. Zwick who is no stranger to epics (GLORY & LEGENDS OF THE FALL) does a very good job with this film making the 150 mins. go by pretty fast and entertaining. But the cinematography by two time Oscar winner John Toll (LEGENDS OF THE FALL, BRAVEHEART, ALMOST FAMOUS) does a amazing job! Some of the scenes and images of this film were just very beautiful with the lighting, the images of the flower blossoms, and the tricks of the trade (TOT) shots.
What really impressed me with this movie was the fight scenes with the samurai swords. Woha! I am a Akira Kurosawa fan, and seeing the sword fights done in this film makes the fights in the recent MATRIX films look pale in comparison. There is one fantastic scene of a unarmed, yet a trained Algren who is surrounded by government samurai's who all have swords. Watching this as well as a few other action scenes with the samurai fighting were great, making most of the action scenes from most of the 2003 films look boring to silly (except for ITALIAN JOB, PIRATES, & KILL BILL). I do applaud Edward Zwick for bringing the excitement and fantastic samurai fighting from the Kurosawa films. Overall, I think THE LAST SAMURAI will get some Oscar nods (Cinematography, Ken Watanabe; maybe picture & director) and it is that grand epic tradition like GLADIATOR, GANGS OF NEW YORK, and BRAVEHEART. It was at times predictable, but it was a fun and enjoyable ride. Right now, for me, I would say that SEABISCUIT, MYSTIC RIVER, MASTER & COMMANDER, FINDING NEMO and LAST SAMURAI will be the "front runners" for nominations for Best Picture. But that might change with other films including Gus Van Saint's TURTLE, 21 GRAMS, and, of course, PETER JACKSON's RETURN OF THE KING. But compared to the majority of the films out this year (like GIGLI...yeesh!) LAST SAMURAI proves to be one of the more enjoyable and entertaining films of 2003. ****1/2 (out of five)