Nathan Algren is a broken man. Tom Cruise portrays this ex army captain who has been reduced to promoting the latest models from Winchester rifles in a carnival side show, whilst wallowing in drunken depression, as a result of his part in the Battle of Little Big Horn. After being sacked from this less than lucrative position, his saviour comes in the form of Zebulon Gant, Billy Connolly who looks the part of an army sergeant major but who seems to have a problem making his mind up whether he is irish or Scottish, judging by his accent. However for all his linguistic faults Gant offers Algren the opportunity of making some real money. The USA are wooing the Japanese Imperial hierarchy with the hope of obtaining some exclusive rights regarding arms agreements and supply contracts. Algrens and Gants job will be to train the army to help keep order in the fractured land. Despite the fact that Algrens boss will be his enemy Colonel Bagley, he takes the job and soon finds himself in the land of the rising sun, a new job and a fresh start.
Japan in the 1870s is a changing world, the old ways are coming to an end as the country embraces western values and many in the country don’t want to see that happen. The emperor, who in reality is a puppet to more influential ministers, has a rebellion on his hands lead by his old teacher, Lord Katsumoto who is leading the remaining samurais in a defiant stand against the rush of progress. Against his wishes Algren is ordered to take his still under trained regiment of raw recruits to face the rebel army. His opinion is that they are not ready but Colonel Bagley overrules him and the die is cast for a show down between the old warrior caste and the modern soldier. In a brief but bloody encounter the new recruits, quite predictably run, and Nathan Algrens defiant last stand impresses the rebel leader so much, he is spared his life. Captured and lead away to their mountain village for the winter, Algren spends the next few weeks in a fever, caused by his wounds, reliving the horrors of what he suffered in the Indian Wars he eventually emerges into the light of a different world.
The world of Lord Katsumoto is one of peace, tranquillity and dedication to the martial arts. Katsumoto turns out to be at odds with the image painted by his enemies, far from being the warmonger he is a quite, gentle and philosophical man who sees his rebellion as being a service to the emperor who is being advised by evil men. Algren eventually gains their respect and finds peace amongst these people who remind him of the Indians he met as enemies in his army days. When Algren helps defend the village against assassins he truly becomes not just accepted by the village and the warriors but also friend of Lord Katsumoto. By now he is infused by the rebel leaders values and sees the conflict in a very different light. Soon his exile amongst his supposed enemies is at an end when he is offered free passage back to Tokyo where he sees a now large and well equipped army ready to do the emperors bidding. Algren now realises that he is on the wrong side and commits an act that crosses the Rubicon as it where and places him well and truly on the rebel side. From here on the film leads to an inevitable and spectacular showdown.
The film unfortunately contains too many cliched plot devices to make it original. Cruises character of an ex-army drunk haunted by the horrors of war has been done many times, the love interest between the main character and the widow of a warrior he killed in battle is also far from original. The basic thrust of the film follows an idea portrayed in Dances with Wolves. A disillusioned ex-army officer goes native and has to choose between duty and doing the right thing, but here it is done with a less cheesy and romantic air about it.
The final big battle scene is a bit gory for some and again seems to follow a few too many tried and tested scenarios. In fact it seems to be a montage of every famous battle in history. More than one character takes an arrow in the eye, as per King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, and the use of bowmen conveys the feeling that you are at Agincourt in 1415. The Charge of the Light Brigade gets a look in, to end with a heroic last stand that the Greek warriors at Thermopylae would have been proud off. If there is a message to be had here it is one of anti war and even the bad guys realise that their rush to embrace modern technology has violently put an end to the old ways and a simpler way of life. The story may be fantasy as far as history is concerned but it does paint an interesting picture of the inner conflicts caused when traditional eastern society runs headlong into the greed and avarice of western values and the modern age.
Cruise does make a good job of the role, I know that he has more than his fair share of detractors but this may be the role that changes a few minds. Ken Watanabe is great as Lord Katsumoto dominates every scene that he is in. The rest of the cast don’t really get much of an opportunity to shine, not through lack of ability but due to the fact the apart from the two afore mentioned characters there are no other large parts to be had. Its a good enough film, not overly original but worth a watch.