Great Film: The Last Samurai
It's the journey, not the destination
Others here (those PC type people) have erroneously stated that the
film is a typically racist one in which the "superior white man" has to
save the "noble savages", nothing could be further from the truth. In
fact it's quite the opposite. Tom Cruise's character, Nathan Algren, is
a deeply flawed and troubled man who hides in a bottle ashamed of his
past, and rightly so.
Upon traveling to Japan to modernize the Japanese army - at Japan's
request - he falls in battle and is taken captive after displaying
tremendous ferocity. A warrior is a warrior is a warrior regardless of
his ethnicity. Algren is then forced to confront his past and his
demons. With the help of the "noble savages" he does so. It is he that
owes a debt of gratitude to them, not the other way around.
If you're going to look at this film from a politically correct point
of view (the apologists POV) the film will come up wanting. If you look
at the film - correctly - you'll be able to relate to a man who is
displaced in society and hiding from himself because he lacks clarity
of vision in his life and understanding his purpose. And how by
simplifying and focusing he comes to a sort of peace within himself,
something we all seek. Ken Watanabe's character, Katsumoto, summarizes
this quite aptly (and prettily I might add), "The perfect blossom is a
rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not
be a wasted life."
It's a good film, with superb visuals and music. The only real fluff in
this film is the romance between Cruise and the Japenese girl. When
will Hollywood learn? We really don't need or want that, when watching
this type of film. Leave the romance to romance films.
Cast
- Simon Graham played by Timothy Spall
- Zebulon Gant played by Billy Connolly
- Katsumoto played by Ken Watanabe
- Nathan Algren played by Tom Cruise
- Winchester Rep played by William Atherton
- Colonel Bagley played by Tony Goldwyn
- Winchester Rep Assistant played by Chad Lindberg
