The Last Samurai

[Raziaar]

Did a search, and did not find any topic about The Last Samurai. Kind of surprised, but guess i'll make one.

I watched this movie shortly after it came out, and was blown away. It was one of my favorite of the year easily, up with Return of the King.

First off, let me say that I completely dislike Tom Cruise. I don't like him as an actor, I don't know him as a person. But... I was impressed with his acting in this movie, and I don' think it should deserve any less recognition, so I guess it kind of angers me when I go out and read reviews, and find some silly reviews focusing on such trivial aspects and taking unessesary jabs all in the name of 'professional journalism' I guess.

I found this review, and it kind of stirred up anger a bit. I know, quite silly feelings about a review.

http://www.nypost.com/movies/12628.htm


Some things that stand out in particular, are these.

Algren's troops are slaughtered, but Algren shows such prowess as a warrior that the head samurai, Kasumoto (Ken Watanabe, who's not bad despite an unfortunate resemblance to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) decides to spare our hero's life.

This guy is an idiot. I don't see the similarities he finds in Ken Watanabe and Dwayne Johnson. They look nothing alike, and he goes to lessen the recognition that Ken deserves for yet another spectacularily done role. I felt a completely genuine 'japanese samurai' feel from Ken and his performance. Besides, Cruise wasn't the star of the movie here, Ken was. Tom played second fiddle in my opinion.

Beyond a rampaging vanity that makes it almost impossible for him show vulnerability, Cruise is a drastically limited actor whose "serious" repertoire consists almost entirely of narrowing his eyes while flashing his famous teeth.

And boy, do we see a lot of those eyes and teeth in a movie that often slows to a crawl to accommodate endless closeups of the star, surely the most influential of the 10 credited producers.

I don't like Tom Cruise either, but this guy could at least hold his prejudice aside for a moment when reviewing this movie. He's bringing up all his past dislikes of Cruise, and letting them shine through here. I didn't see any unnecessary camera tricks or unneeded focus where it wasn't deserved in this film. I guess the reviewer just doesn't see it. I hate to get upset about a review, but it just annoys me when movies are not given the praise that they deserve. The reviewer seems to hint that this movie was made in a very hollywood fashion, but I do not see much of that present. No sex scene, no unnecessary explosions. The movie has alot of class.

<grunts>

Guess i'll get over this tomorrow.


EDIT: One thing I will be curious about though, and probably will never be answered, is what the general feeling about the movie is to moviegoing Japanese in their own country. I have a japanese-american friend, who is very big into Samurai and he thought the movie was very well done and depicts the Samurai lifestyle honorably.

 

[Warbie]

I thought it was a pretty decent flick.

The only bit that spoilt it for me was when Mr Cruise learnt to speak fluent Japanese and became an expert Samurai warrior in the space of a few seasons. If they'd stretched that portion of the movie out, made it last a 5-10 years, it'd have made the world of difference for me .... and could (and even then it would have been a stretch) have been believable.

Still, good film

(the acting was fine - never trust movie reviewers )

 

[Ecthe|ioN]

I love that movie. Watched it a bunch of times.
I usually don't trust reviewers.

 

[nib]

I thought the movie was entertaining and I enjoyed it. Although...the stupid Hollywood bs at the end almost ruined it for me. I mean, come on, Cruise survives a Gatlin Gun? Really?

 

[MurderScene]

i liked the movie, saw it the weekend it came out too =)
tom acted good..i guess o.o;
but the one thing that bugged me the whole time thought was the "white man becoming a samurai" thing, something about that just doesnt seem realistic.
it was entertaining nonetheless =D

 

[joule]

I saw the movie as well the weekend it came out. Excellent film. One of Cruise's best ever. The Last Samurai was almost perfect, but just a little too long for my tastes-but that is just a very minor fault.

 

[DeusExMachina]

Very good film. Got it on DVD. Why don't you like Tom Cruise though? He's a very good actor. Last Samurai, Minority Report, Eyes Wide Shut, Collateral, Risky Business....I could go on. I especially like the movies he's doing now. They're very good.

 

[Tinneth]

Brilliant Film. I really enjoyed it. I liked Katsumoto the most. He ruled.

 

[h00dlum]

Good movie, i like the japanese actors...

 

[Steve]

I didn't want to go see it. I have this weird personal vendetta against Tom Cruise. I don't know why, either...he's a good actor, but when I see him in anything made after like 1990 it pisses me off. Anyway, I saw it anyway and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very well done.

 

[nib]

LOL, I can understand that. Cruise definitely has this attitude in his movies than can annoy. He always seems to be "some young cocky guy" that deals with "some unforseen issue" and then usually runs fast somewhere, then saves the day. However, I do think he's done a few movies that have been impressive works:

Eyes Wide Shut (although, I attribute most of it to Kubrick)
Vanilla Sky (he definitely has the "young cocky" think going on but I really enjoyed the movie)
The Last Samurai
Magnolia (I know it isn't recent but it was a good flick, but again, he was a young cocky guy)

I hear that Colaterial is a great Cruise flick since it is out of character for him but haven't seen it yet.

 

[Glo-Boy]

Collateral is up in my top 3 favorite movies of all time.

 

[chu]

The thing with Tom Cruise is that he over acts. If he toned it down a bit he would be a great actor but for now he is just a good actor.

 

[oldagerocker]

I hated this film. It made no sense. An American soldier, goes to fight abroad as a leader to a poorly run army of Japs, persauded by a Scottish guy.
He gets captured and should be killed but isn't.
He stays with the wife of the man he killed and his children.... falls in love with her and survives a last ditch defence against a couple of gatling guns, running through a field in slow motion... everyone else dies, except ol' Tom.

In my opinion, the film is complete trash. It takes the piss out of the japs, as if they dont have the moral fibre to not fall in love with such a dashing American ofcourse (who just so happens to be one great samurai sword wielder and speaks there language fluently in a few years, woah)... and it's just typical Hollywood BS.

</rant>

 

[Operator]

OK movie but american becoming samurai... mmm bullshit. Entertaining tho. And how can someone like Minority Report? that movie was complete trash, a waste of my money :flame:

 

[Steve]

I dunno...I kind of liked Minority Report.

 

[KiNG]

great movie i loved it. i guess some people dont casue they dont like tom or americans but whatever, get over yourselves.

this movie is inspiring and the acting is great, especially from the japanese actors.

 

[Prince of China]

I just like the American Samurai plot.
Seven Samurai will remain as my favourite samurai movie.

 

[Steve]

I just like the American Samurai plot.
Seven Samurai will remain as my favourite samurai movie.

Isn't that the one people say The Magnificent Seven was based off of?

 

[Prince of China]

Yes .

 

[wbcninjaofmist]

rented last samurai and burned - wasnt dissapointed - great movie imo