The Last Samurai 12/23/2011
 
The Last Samurai is an epic dram film directed by Edward Zwick who also
co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. The movie stars Tom
Cruise as Captain Nathan Algren and Ken Watanbe as the Samurai Lord. The movie
is set in late 1800’s after the Civil War. The movie is bombast, big and depicts
genuine historical events of Japanese Samurai warriors. But the history is
distorted to almost beyond apprehension as is typical with most over-budgeted
Hollywood films. Although the story is based on Japanese chronicles, it uses
neither Japanese star nor a Japanese director. The movie revolves around Captain
Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) who fought courageously in the Civil War. But in the
years after that, he became embittered as a result of large scale killing of
Native Americans in the name of progress in which he also took an active part.
He becomes a heavy drinker and a pessimist.


He is then sent to Japan to train an army of unskilled Western-style imperial
soldiers. He accepts. After arriving in Japan, Bagley (Tony Goldwyn) and He
start training the peasant farmers in a cursory manner. The regiment is ordered
into a battle, which according to Bagley can be won by sheer strength of
numbers. But a battle against the perseverance of Samurais meant defeat! Captain
Nathan is take in prisoner by Hatsumoto (Ken Watanbe). In the village of
Samurais, Nathan resides in the house of the warrior he killed in the battle,
being fed and taken care by the widow and her young sons. The dubious prisoner
learns about the allegiance, devotion, fidelity, commitment of these warriors.
He learns about the constancy, grittiness, immolation, and dauntlessness of
these soldiers.


He is quickly won over by the atmosphere of the village where the purity,
peace, tranquility and placidity is deeply inseminated. He thinks that he has
found his place in the world. The movie is quickly-paced and many times in the
movie, the action is quite thrilling. A dexterous performance by Cruise, in
which his character develops as the movie unfolds, from a heavy drinker to an
aristocratic and open-minded hero figure. He trains with the samurais and learn
the old traditional ways and art of the war. However, on the other side, the
western-styled military is still preparing for a battle and this time, they are
prepared for the war. They attack on the samurais whose strength is dwindling
because of casualties as a result of constant attacks by the enemy clans. The
attack is ferocious. Omura is very disdainful and in his pride, he orders a full
attack. Half of the army is cut down by the samurais. But, realizing that defeat
is inevitable, Katsumoto orders a full attack on the Imperial army. They charge
towards the Heart of the army but are cut down, one by one. However, to show
their respect, the militants kneel before the courageous samurais.


Later as an American Ambassador, Algren presents the sword of Katsumoto to
the Emperor, who realizes the message that although the Japan should modernize
but it also shouldn’t forget its own history and culture. The movie is classier
than most of the “over-computerized” films we have to put up with now a days,
and it is guaranteed to hold your interest, and as the name suggests, there
wouldn’t be a sequel, then what better to head on towards the theatre and catch
it?

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