The Last Samurai

I had forgotten that Edward Zwick directed this film, and as the film unfolded, and ended, and when the credits started rolling, and I figured out it was Zwick directing the film, I understood why the film is good at tugging at the heartstrings that deal with honor, family, belonging, community, love and respect on the canvass of history at a time where the passing of the torch in Japan from its ancient ways to the newer, western, modern ways of the world as a new 20th century approached. Zwick and familiar co-hort, Marshall Herskovitz, brought us "Thirty-Something" and "Once and Again" on TV.

Both shows were fine at created human characters within melodrama. The same is true in Zwick's other films, especially "Legends of the Fall" and "Glory", and Zwick's sensibiities at the human element of the struggle for Japan finding its way in the new world show through very well.So with "The Last Samurai" we get a story that unfolds at its own pace, never hurrying, never rushing, always keeping to the beat of a captured American captain's heart, who's come to Japan to train the Japanese soldiers in the ways of western weapons/guns/cannons/etc in warfare, but discovers a people and their traditions that he can comfortably grasp as his own because his former traditions have left him with pain in his soul as an American officer in the military commanded to do heinous things in service to his country.

The parallels to "Dances with Wolves" can be made, though the exploration of the culture of the Japanese and the diminishing breed known as Samurai at this crucial time in Japan's history set it apart from "Dances with Wolves" and does engage the viewer to soak in the traditions of the Samurai, and its impact on family.

Tom Cruise carries the film, but he has much help with Ken Watanabe as the leader of the Samurai. They come to share a deep mutual respect for one another and their destinies intertwine once they are introduced to each other under a stressful situation.

Oh yeah, look for a nod to one of Tom Cruise's earliest, and most famous scenes of his career:


Warning Spoiler!
a la Risky Business and him dancing around in his house alone.


For a 2.5 hour film, rarely does it drag at all, so I was mostly entertained, and would recommend it.

I give it 3.5 stars or a grade of B+.