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Paul Greenwood reviews
- Cert:
- Running time: 154 minutes
- Year: 2003
- Released: 9th January 2004
- Widescreen Ratio: 2.35:1
- Rating: 9/10
Director:
- Edward Zwick
(Glory, Legends of the Fall, The Siege)
Cast:
- Nathan Algren: Tom Cruise
Katsumoto: Ken Watanabe
Ujio: Hiroyuki Sanada
Simon Graham: Timothy Spall
Zebulon Gant: Billy Connolly
Colonel Bagley: Tony Goldwyn
Omura: Masato Harada
Like Sofia Coppola’sLost In Translation,the second film released in the same week, The Last Samurai,could just as easily have been called Lost In Transition, dealingas it does with a country very much reaching the end of an era and the difficultiesit faces in embracing a new one.
The premise takes root in the true events of 1870s Japan where the centuriesold feudal system was coming to an end in a country seeking modernisation andunity. This lead to the relatively speedy erosion of the shogunate and theirsamurai, the elite warriors who fought for them.
The film begins in the post Civil War United States where army captainNathan Algren (Tom Cruise) peddles rifles to keep him in whisky. Heshaunted by his actions during the wars against the Indians and, in order totry and escape his past, accepts an offer to train soldiers in Japan who areill equipped to face the might of the samurai rebels opposed to the breakdownof the old ways. When he and his men are forced into battle without adequatepreparation, they are slaughtered by the rebels and Algren is captured.
Set lighting by M.F.I.Over the course of several months he comes to respect his captors for theirsense of discipline and honour and develops a bond with their leader, Katsumoto(Ken Watanabe), a man engaged in a futile struggle to retain the beliefsand traditions of his ancestors. Algren trains in their ways and when herealises the threat of the impending imperial restoration, he chooses to sidewith the rebels in their decisive battle against the army.
The Last Samurai is gripping, stirring stuff, combining a wonderful actionadventure with a thought provoking history lesson. Director Zwick is nostranger to 19th century war epics, having brought us the wonderful Glory, buthe also brought us the risible Legends of the Fall so there was noguarantee of success here. The main ingredients for the triumph of The LastSamurai are the compelling nature and skilful handling of the story and thestrong performances from Cruise and, even more impressively, Watanabe.
The large scale battles are hugely impressive, but so are the more intimatefight scenes, including an exquisitely violent clash between samurai and ninjasthat exposes the tawdry Kill Bill for the cheap porn that it is.
Review copyright © Paul Greenwood, 2004.E-mail Paul Greenwood
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.