The Last Samurai

B+

In the neverending tangle of Westerns and Samurai movies, The Last Samurai is the story of a former cavalry officer who goes to Japan to fight and eventually understand the samurais, who are left behind by an industrious Japan in 1876. Not necessarily based on an actual story (it may be loosely based on a Frenchman), it does deal with some real issues in Japan at the time that most Americans won't be familiar with. They also use real Japanese actors, speaking Japanese, in the cast. Apparently the movie did quite well in Japan, partly because Tom Cruise is adored there, but it also adds more credibility.

The movie itself is certainly in the same league as some very good movies like Dances With Wolves, Gladiator, The Patriot, Braveheart, and Troy, but maybe not as an equal. Tom Cruise isn't the overconfident jerk that he usually plays, but I don't know that he's entirely realistic as the tortured alcoholic he plays at the beginning. He does fit very easily into his role towards the end and is believable as an accomplished fighter. Supporting roles are also very good, especially the leader of the rebel samurais. The direction seems very good, but somehow the movie lacks the weight of the other movies. One reason may be that Cruise's character lacks any motivation for most of the movie.

I enjoyed this movie, and it tells several good stories, but I can't quite give it an A rating, so how about a B+.

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