The Last Samurai

Remove all ads!

I went to see 'The Last Samurai' tonight. Although, I'm not a huge Tom Cruise fan, I this was an awesome movie! The tale of the clash between East and West and technology versus traditional was really interesting to watch.

The fight scenes are awesome, as are the weapons and armor shown in the movie. It made me want to learn more about Samurai culture and history. I've become fascinated by Japanese culture in general the past couple of years, and this has definitely spurred my interest even more!

Great scenery and sweeping visuals add to the rich detail in each of the main characters. A good flick. Definitely see this one on the big screen!

 

It's out already?
I thought it wasn't out for another few months at least!
Well it's certainly a movie which I'm going to be seeing. But then I guess most people would want to see more of the buetiful senery of New Zealand

 

I have heard in reviews that ids pretty much the same storyline for 'Dances with Wolves', just in a different time/area.

Is it really worth the 8 bucks to see it?

 

Only the ones I don't want to see. A bachelor's life is full of movie-going experiences.

 

Bel - I'm glad you liked it. The movie critic in our local paper though the good vs. evil struggle was too over-simplified, and that Cruise was " too tightly controlled to seem genuinely dissipated and disreputable, so the first 30 minutes of his performance come off as unconvincing showboating" (which is how I feel about him anyway). Now I don't usually put much faith in movie reviews (movie critics tend to write reviews for other critics), I'm still happy to see an actual movie fan's opinion, since I was looking forward to this one as well.

 

I didn't see it so much as Good versus Evil. but more of a Technology versus Traditional, and the choices one makes by embracing one or the other. I didn't think the "Good" guys and "Bad" guys were all that different - they just placed higher value on different things.

The head "Bad" guy...Isn't necessarily bad, he just sees the need to increase the economy and military strength of his country...While making a few bucks at the same time.

The head "Good" guy believes the modern world is not the right one. He believes modern weapons and technology disgrace his land and his people. So he fights to preserve it.

It definitely has shades of 'Dances with Wolves' but I like the code of the Samurai!!

 

It definitely is on my list of "must sees", if just for the cinematography alone. It looks quite spectacular.

 

spoilers

There is no mistake that Meiji (the emperor) modernized Japan. Historically, Japanese Emperors are powerless. They spent their whole lifes in palace abd do not care anything outside. Lords fought with lords, clans clashed with clans happened all the time. Even with all these fighting, all the power accquired, all the lands occupied, these lords still respect the Emporer, give the emporer their share of income. The emporer, in return, give them title. All these is for me to point out that, a "traditional" emporer does not care about anything in around him.

Meiji, during the whole movie but near the end, was controlled the fat Omura person. Young Meiji was a lost, he don't know that he can do, he is even not sure if he can do anything (the meiji and katsumoto conversation sence). Omura controlled the council, Meiji don't know if he can command the council (the concil scene in the movie).

Just that he rejected to use guns doesn't mean that Katsumoto rejected modernization. He accepted Algren, didn't he? Katsumoto biggest issue is Omura controlled the council and emporer. Omura was selling his country to western powers to profit himself (very common theme in oriental asia history). The contract in the movie was not a fair contract - exclusive trade rights to U.S. This Katsumoto rejects, this Meiji cannot see. All that Katsumota did was to send his advice and concern to his emporer. When all these failed, Katsumota had no choice but to use the Death Advice (another common theme in oriental aisa history). The death of Katsumoto didn't not just served as a death advice. His loyalty touches many, and shaked Omura's power (the japanese not listening to Omura command). To further this, Katsumoto death shaked Omura's power in the council which made Meiji able to step up/out to command his country.

There are some scenes of tradition vs modern, most notably, Katsumoto's son hair was being cut. But in general, i think, is about a loyal subject serving his Emporer. The concept of serving might seems foreign to U.S. viewers. i don't think any U.S. official would die just because the president do want to listen to him/her. Because of loyalty and honor driven codes, a noble person could give away his/her life just to let the ruler hear the advice.

 

Hey, thanks Bel!

I was thinking about going to see this film, but didn't know whether it was going to be abit cheesie (i thought perhaps, a Japanese guy should play the protagonist (sp?)) but I think it must be definately worth seeing .

I just can't wait for Return of the King! Woo hoo!

 

I am planning to see this, but I think the reactioon I and some friends had when we saw the trailer when we watched Revolutions sums it up:

*bwahahahahaaaa!*

Yep, we kept laughing so hard we gt poked to be quiet. Go us.

I mean.... Tom Cruis? Gimme a break!

Apart from him it'll be worth watching, I think.

 

@ Arabwel

I thought the same thing when I heard he was playing Lestat in Interview with a Vampire.

Boy, was I wrong. His performance was superb!

I have a feeling that he did a stellar job in this movie too.

 

Well, I don't like him so I can laugh my parts off.

Never let me go see a movie with those three again. It was a full-blown catasthrope.

 

Saw this, finally, two night ago. Absolutely amazing film and definitely worth seeing even though the Pretty Boy is in it. fight scenes rocked, everyone but Tom was in top form (honestly I actually forgot that it was Tom I was watching). And it hads me crying like a damn baby towards the end.

I'd definitely see it again.

 

Yes, it was an awesome movie. Tom Cruise was rather decent in this film.

It was the Samurai leader and the female lead that really impressed me though.

Excellent.

 

It was excellent, right up 'til the last ten minutes of the film. I mean, honestly...the emporer's soliloquoy ("We must never forget where we came from..") is cookie-cutter Hollywood writing, and it wasn't at all helped by the fact that it was being delivered in prepubescent, broken English. (Had they left that in Japanese, it might have squeaked by.)

SPOILER

Tom Cruise's character ought to have died. I mean, really...getting the girl? The widow of his enemy? That was just dishonest.

Other than that, I thought it was excellent. Even the writing elsewhere ("I believe a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed..") is decent. Great costumes, great battles, great characters, great cinematography, the whole nine yards.

It just ticks me off that Hollywood thinks American audiences aren't mature enough for unhappy endings.

 

Brilliant movie! I've got to admit that it does drag on a bit at parts.

Cruise was good, though the star of the film was Billy Connolly

 

I saw it a week ago and loved it as well.

I could have seen an entire movie of Ninja vs Samari fights though ...

 

But that would mean they have to change the title.

I loved the movie, the only thing I was disappointed was that they didn't show more of the Japanese architecture, like may a Japanese castle.

 

it was alright, the gatling guns were very shiny, and billy connely didnt swear as much i was expecting.