The Last Samurai [Blu-ray]
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Movie Reviews of The Last Samurai [Blu-ray]
Movie Review: Fake and pretentious.
Summary: 1 Stars
Samurai were not that stupid. I don't particularly like some aspects of classic Japanese culture (excessive obsession over honor and conformity), but the one thing they do better than most other Asian cultures is adapt military technologies when given the opportunity.
To imply that there was a group of Japanese Samurai who refused to use fire-arms is retarded. The Japanese have used guns since they first encountered them from the Europeans in the early 1400's, from these they reverse engineered. Japanese Warlords have won the entire country with rifle-men.
Historically, there really were a group of samurai who rebelled against a modernizing Japan. And they really did fight to death. And they really did only used swords.
But not due to a retarded dogmatic aversion to guns, but because they ran out of gun-powder in their last battle.
Also the idea that the last and only surviving samurai would be a white man is insulting.
Movie Review: Excellence
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an excellent movie, and the blu-ray edition does it justice. The picture quality is amazing, bright colors, infifnite detail, consistent three dimensionality. This is a must own for blu-ray fans.Movie Review: Superb Epic
Summary: 4 Stars
For the first hour and forty minutes this is a near faultless film which examines the very heart of the human soul. Cruise plays a brilliant US army soldier, Captain Algren who has seen one too many battles and is haunted by the horrific injustices dealt to the American Indians by himself and his fellow US soldiers.
He is offered a large sum of money to train the Japanese army so that it can fight the last of the rebel Samurai tribes. In the opening battle he is captured by the Samurai and it is then that he can see the parallel with the Indians and eventually switches sides. All this is beautifully filmed and some of the scenes in the Samurai village, when Captain Algren is gradually adapting to the Samurai way of life reminded me of Kevin Costners Dances with Wolves.
I am not especially a fan of Tom Cruise but he is good in this. However it is Ken Watanabe as the Samurai leader Katsumoto who shines throughout the film. In supporting roles Billy Connelly and Timothy Spall are both
very good.
Sadly in the last half hour the film lost a lot of credibility for me, hence I have only given it four stars. Without giving away the ending I can't be specific in my criticism of this part, but suffice to say I wish the writers had come up with something better and more believable!
Overall though its a very good film, which I think will improve on 2nd and 3rd viewings.
Movie Review: Great movie, that stands out in its own way!
Summary: 5 Stars
I think that this is a great movie for my collection. I am not only a costumer here but also a Seller, and let me tell you this movie is a keeper no doubt. Great visuals and great story!Movie Review: Tale Well Told
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed watching "The Last Samurai" again. It's one of my daughter's favorites and was under the Christmas tree for her this year.
Tom Cruise is the star. He plays Nathan Algren, a veteran of wars with the American Indians and is haunted by atrocities committed. We see numerous black and white flashbacks of women and children being shot by soldiers. Being part Native American, I found these sequences particularly moving and disturbing. So for me, Algren's depression that sent him to drink seemed quite believable. Cruise does seem so determined that his acting at times seems a bit forced and calculated rather than an organic performance. That said, he was nominated for Best Actor by the Golden Globes.
Edward Zwick directed the picture and won the Best Director Award from the National Board of Review. He has also directed "Glory," "The Siege," & "Blood Diamond."
Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto shined in this picture. He's the philosophic Samurai who leads the rebellion against technological compromises with the West. He demonstrates intelligence, compassion and the rarest of all screen commodities, wisdom. The final battle sequence is incredible. He well deserved his Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Tim Robbins took home the gold in that category for Mystic River (Widescreen Edition).
Tony Goldwyn who is the grandson of movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn (think MGM) plays the role of Col. Benjamin Bagley. Goldwyn is still most associated as the bad guy in "Ghost," and plays an arrogant soldier who despite his good looks is not sympathetic.
Hiroyuki Sanada plays Ujio, the apparent second in command to Katsumoto. Sanada has been nominated for five Best Actor awards from the Japanese Academy with two wins including one for his brilliant portrayal in The Twilight Samurai. He does an excellent job taking an instant dislike to Algren, battling him into the mud in a rainy day duel, and eventually coming to respect him after Nathan battles against the masked Ninja who attack their village.
Smaller roles deserving of special mention are Koyuki's performance as Taka, who nurses Algren to health despite complaining that he smells like a pig. She was in the Japanese film "Pulse." Shichinosuke Nakamura plays the uncertain Emperor Meiji. Sosuke Ikematsu does a delightful job as the young boy Higen who tries to be tough like a Samurai, but can shed a tear. Director Masato Harada makes an acting appearance as Omura who wants to bring railroads and Western weapons to Japan. Shin Koyamada is a good looking young actor. He plays Nobutada who takes a number of arrows on his escape on the bridge and brings humor and determination to his screentime. Billy Connolly who was Uncle Monty in "Lemony Snicket" plays the gray-haired Zebulon Grant who stands by Algren and suffers a fatal wound in the first battle. Zwick does a nice job of creating a good ensemble with his cast.
In addition to Watanabe's nomination, this film was also nominated for Oscars for Best Sound Mixing, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. The Japanese Academy awarded it as "Best Foreign Film." As a piece of fictional cinema, it is a tale well told. Enjoy!