The Last Samurai Movie Review
The Movie Reporter
Films Reviews from a Family Perspective
by Phil Boatwright
With the synopsis and content, you can decide if the new films are suitable for your viewing.
Video alternatives
contain the same theme, but lack the offensive material.
The Last Samurai: Tom Cruise, Timothy Spall, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn. Warner Bros. Action/adventure. W-John Logan, Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick. D-Edward Zwick.
Captain Nathan Algren (Cruise) is a man adrift. Once he risked his life for honor and country, but, in the years since the Civil War, the world has changed. Pragmatism has replaced courage, self-interest has taken the place of sacrifice and honor is nowhere to be found - especially out West where his role in the Indian Campaigns ended in disillusionment and sorrow.
A universe away, another soldier sees his way of life about to disintegrate. He is Katsumoto (Watanabe), the last leader of an ancient line of warriors, the venerated Samurai, who dedicated their lives to serving emperor and country. Just as the modern way encroached upon the American West, cornering and condemning the Native American, it also engulfed traditional Japan. The telegraph lines and railroads that brought progress now threaten those values and codes by which the Samurai have lived and died for centuries.
The paths of these two warriors converge when the young Emperor of Japan, wooed by American interests who covet the growing Japanese market, hires Algren to train Japan's first modern, conscript army. But as the Emperor's advisors attempt to eradicate the Samurai in preparation for a more Westernized and trade-friendly government, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the samurai. Their powerful convictions remind him of the man he once was.
#147;The Last Samurai#148; is a captivating action/drama, one that addresses issues of honor, redemption and the sanctity of life, along with a strong performance by the film#146;s star and an exceptional one by Ken Watanabe. A cross between Toshiro Mifume (#147;The Seven Samurai#148;) and Yul Brynner (#147;The Magnificent Seven#148;), Watanabe is intense, dynamic and sensitive. Expressing depth and complexity, Watanabe gives filmgoers one of the best, most controlled performances of the year.
As for the film#146;s violence; it is inescapable yet not exploitive. Definitely not for the squeamish or for little ones, the battles do become graphic, with samurai swords and spears doing what they do best. Artistically, however, I found the battle scenes incredibly well choreographed. Not cartoonish as in #147;Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,#148; here the dynamics of one-on-one battle is done in order to reveal the skill of a real warrior. Well, yeah, and to entertain us. For although this is an #147;eastern,#148; it#146;s really a western. And a very good western. Following in the steps of Akira Kurosawa (#147;Yojimbo#148;), director Edward Zwick intertwines the epic with the intimate, giving us an action-packed adventure that also makes statements.
As for those statements, it#146;s the one area that caused my eyebrow to rise. While some were universal, others seemed to disclose the filmmakers#146; political and social views of America, indicating a belief that the white man of yesteryear and today is fueled by arrogance and aggression at the expense of other civilizations. White man bad, Indian good, or in this case, white man bad, Japanese man good.
Unfortunately, these accusations cannot be denied. But once again, as with #147;Dances With Wolves,#148; this negative and rather myopic portrait ignores any positive qualities of the white settlers and founders of our nation. It glorifies another race as if it were faultless, as if its members had not committed the same atrocities in their history that liberal filmmakers love to remind us about our own founders.
Interesting that while Mr. Cruise makes a point of belittling arrogance, he has managed to establish a rewarding career based on arrogance. That#146;s not meant as a knock towards his off-screen character (I understand he#146;s a pretty good guy), but can you name me one character he#146;s played that didn#146;t either start out arrogant or end up that way?
I can#146;t tell you how glad I am to have Tom Cruise set me straight about American diplomacy, American history and the true character of the white Anglo Saxon protestant. Throughout the film, he belittles western soldiers, American ambassadors, statesmen, pioneers, military leaders and George Armstrong Custer. According to this film and evidently Mr. Cruise, because it#146;s his film, all white men are overbearing, haughty and destructive. Now see, I didn#146;t know that.
Footnote: Hollywood has either romanticized Custer out of all proportion (#147;They Died With Their Boots On#148;) or vilified him (#147;Little Big Man#148;). A recent History Channel documentary pictured Custer somewhere in between those two conceptions. According to many true historians, he was not a madman, nor was he an idiot. Then again, Custer was no saint. While I wouldn#146;t attempt to defend General Custer, I would warn moviegoers not to get too much American history from today#146;s moviemakers. Years ago, when Mr. Cruise was making the film version of #147;Mission Impossible,#148; he gave an interview, exclaiming #147;We took a 30-minute TV show and turned it into a two-hour movie.#148; That statement made me suspicious that perhaps the star had never watched the series. For surely, he would have realized that it was an hour long TV show. My point: Although he#146;s handsome, rich beyond belief, gifted and has exquisite taste in women, Tom just might not know everything.
R (2 profanities, 5 obscenities #150; each by gruff white men; a woman is seen after bathing, but she is covered but for her shoulder; there are no explicit sexual situations; the film gets its rating for the detailed battles of which there are several. The violence included depictions of severed arms and decapitations, a couple of suicides #150; out of shame, it is considered noble #150; it#146;s a samurai thing; there are several battles; this, however, is not just an action film, it does deal with ideas including honor, friendship and the sanctity of life).
Video Alternative:
The Ugly American
. If you feel the violence in #147;The Last Samurai#148; is a bit much, then try renting this alternative. New on DVD, Marlon Brando gives a superb performance as an Ambassador assigned to an Asian country where he discovers that an old friend, who is now a formidable voice in that country, has become a communist. While the film does reveal a naive perspective we Americans have concerning interference in other countries, it does show a genuine concern that many US citizens have for suffering people around the world.
DEFINITIONS
Crudity
- A word or action lacking in culture, tact
Expletive
- A mild obscenity or needless expression
Obscenity
- Objectionable or repugnant to acceptable standards of decency or morality; indecent; pornographic
Profanity
- Irreverence toward God
Blasphemy
- To speak contemptuously of God
Adult subject matter
- Situations or subjects unsuitable for or difficult to comprehend by children
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. "Know Before You Go" reg;Philip Boatwright, Editor Film/Video Reviews from a Family Perspective, Email:
moviereporter@sbcglobal.net
. Published by C. C. Publications, 835 Northstar Ct., Tonganoxie, KS 66086. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com
