I have never been a fan of actors, and always trying to see most movies and pick out the best in each movie. So when I saw the poster of a bearded Tom Cruise with his sword, I thought here goes another ’War movie’...maybe I can sit through it.
(And hey btw I remembered I’ve never written a review either :) just always read reviews, so I’m sure you’ll bear with me)
But AM I GLAD I WATCHED THIS MOVIE. Since then Ive been recommending everyone to watch this movie, because this is not another War movie, in fact its much more than a war movie. Its a story of how a warrior finds a meaning to his life and also how he enriches and strengthens the beliefs of the Samurai community in Japan...and how he takes the Rebellion raised by the Samurais to a whole new level.
Now agreed this movie has similarities to Braveheart, but I feel what differentiates this movie is the strong Philosophical emphasis - You have to see the movie and flow through it to experience it!!
The story revolves around two warriors - Captain Nathan Algren played exceptionally well by Tom Cruise and Katsumoto played impeccably and in a more impressive fashion by Ken Watanabe. Ken, I feel, was definitely worth the Oscar nomination he received for ’Best supporting actor’ and I wonder how he dint get it!
(You can also see that James Berardinelli from Reel reviews portal agrees with me. In fact go ahead and read his review. His website is top notch!!
https://movie-reviews.colossus.net/movies/l/last_samurai.html
)
The movie opens with Algren shown as wasting his life on booze and promoting Rifles by making live appearances. He often gets haunting images from his past, where he was ordered to kill Rebel warriors, much against his own wishes. The guilt in him is clear.
He is now given an offer by a Japanese delegation to protect the empire from the Rebellion samurais. Notice Cruise’s grace in the beginning parts of the movie and the way he ridicules himself and his life. He writes in his diary ’’I am hired to once again stop the rebellion of another tribal leader - apparently the only job for which I am qualified.’’
Now while its humorously and neatly depicted how ill-prepared the Japan army is to tackle the Samurais, the movie really takes off when Algren is captured by the Samurais. Enter Katsumoto who in my opinion casts a spell over the audience.
The rest of the movie must be watched to know how Algren becomes a part of the Samurai clan. Its a sort of a Stockholm syndrome depiction, I agree. Excellent fight scenes, very well choreographed(eeks is that the right word now!?) throughout the movie, and especially towards the end.
Just flow through the movie, (like I did with my DVD with absolutely no disturbance in my hotel room at Sheraton one fine evening), giving special attention to the conversations between Katsumoto and Algren, and you might get goosebumps.
Here are some of the high-points in the movie that I appreciate very much, that make this movie rise above Pop-corn entertainment(by the way I couldnt eat much pop corn that day in my effort not to miss any detail of the movie!)
Katsumoto’s portrayal as not only a empathetic Leader, but also a Samurai whose confidence in what he fights for is more than you can imagine!
Bringing out the Japanese culture, their beliefs in destiny, and touching at various points on the Zen philosophy.
Let me go back to the above point(Im not satisfied with only that much:) ). Watch out for the ’No mind’ fight technique that Cruise engages in, at first strugglingly, then effortlessly. The audience realises along with Cruise what the japanese warrior meant by ’No mind’ !!! Brilliant....
IMHO the best moment of the movie is captured in a dialogue between Katsumoto and Algren, when the latter is a prisoner in the Samurai camp.
Katsumoto: ’’I hear you have nightmares?’’
Algren: ’’All warriors have nightmares’’
Katsumoto: ’’No! Only warriors with a guilt about their past wars’’
Try and apply this to your lives!! :) I know im trying to pull one on you, but ....play along yar !
Very effective ...some more conversations too...
Dont miss the last dialogue of the movie.
- The dilemma of the Japanese monarch. Though he is shown as a powerless person reduced to a mere puppet in the hands of his evil minister, the confusion in his mind whether to adapt to modern changes gatecrashing into their culture or to stick to their traditional beliefs is evident. Well done again.
I think the Director has done a bang-up job with this movie.
One more angle(How could I forget this) brought out well is the set of subtle feelings between Algren and Taka, the wife of the Samurai warrior who is killed by Algren during the time of Algren’s capture. Its so gentle (with ample help by the soothing background music at several places) and you will wonder if they even do speak to each other to express their feelings ....not much as I remember!
If not anything watch the movie for Ken watanabe and his performance of Katsumoto that will keep coming back to you for a long time.....