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The Last Samurai 2003 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Edward Zwick
R, 144 min. (strong violence, battle sequences) |
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Starring: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Tony Goldwyn, Timothy Spall, Koyuki, Hiroyuki Sanada, Billy Connolly, Shichinosuke Nakamura
Producers: Edward Zwick, Tom Cruise, Tom Engelman, Marshall Herskovitz, Scott Kroopf, Paula Wagner
Screenplay: John Logan, Marshall Herskovitz, Ed Zwick
Cinematography: John Toll
Distributor: Warner Brothers
Released: 12.05.03 (Wide) |
Rating:
  (out of ) |
Director Edward Zwick's heroic epic and near masterpiece, The Last Samurai, only reinforces his own infatuation
with films that invoke both patriotism and emotional resonance amidst unbeatable odds. His finest film, Glory, centered
on the complexities of an all-black regiment that fought on two fronts - both the Confederacy and a lack of equality with fellow
white soldiers on the blood-drenched battlefield. In Courage Under Fire and Under Siege, he examined the
nature of soldiers who questioned their own loyalties and sense of honor. And here, his attention turns to the irony of
American soldiers who, with the Emperor's endorsement, helped usher in a new world in 19th century Japan by expunging
the old world tradition fueled by the feared samurai warrior, which in turn would propel a modern Japan to attack Pearl Harbor
sixty years later. The Last Samurai utilizes brilliantly crafted battle scenes with
an underlying narrative that focuses on two men's journeys - one from aimless disillusionment to purpose-driven warrior,
the other from battle-hardened leader to reluctant rebel. Zwick uses their intersection as a point of reference for the film's
grandiose themes, serving as a poignant marker in a time of turbulent change.
Tom Cruise brings his stardom to Civil War hero Nathan Algren, a man whose past involvement with war has driven him
to the bottle. He's found stumbling through a glorified advertisement for a gun manufacturer in 1876 San Francisco when
Japanese diplomats arrive to offer him substantial pay to train the Emperor's now modernizing troops, which face a gang
of samurai, led by the legendary Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), that threatens the construction of a new railroad. Accompanied
by his trustworthy Sgt., Zebulah Grant (Billy Connolly), and his former superior, Col. Benjamin Bagly (Tony Goldwyn),
Algren travels to Japan to exorcise some haunting memories.
There he finds the Emperor's army in disarray, an
unconfident ensemble of unprepared soldiers. Forced into action too early, Algren and his green forces are routed by
Katsumoto's highly skilled warriors, and Algren is captured and taken into the mountains by Katsumoto to better understand his new
enemy. Soon, after a lengthy recovery from both alcoholism and phsyical injury, Algren finds himself locked in sporadic
conversations with Katsumoto about the English language and a man's destiny in this life. He also must confront the wife
of a slain samurai by his hand and sister of Katsumoto, Taka (Koyuki), whose family is torn between the need for a fatherly
presence and Algren's unfortunate act of self-defense. In the Spring of 1877, Algren
must choose between his former life in the Emperor's service or a new life with the samurai, whom he has grown close to
in his time of captivity, which would meet an almost certain demise at the hands of technological advances in warfare.
Zwick uses considerable skill to effectively convey both time and place with a storyline that demands strong performances
from its cast. The film's lush cinematography, by John Toll, evokes an other-worldly quality that stands in opposition to an advancing
modern age that threatens to vanquish the old guard. Zwick incorporates a brutal, real-world feel to his battle sequences -
they are difficult, deliberately fashioned clashes between swords and guns, soldiers and warriors, and never short of
the ugliness of war. He wisely keeps his film on track by crafting the narrative around the two characters that defined
the jarring, unharmonious confrontation between two cultures. Algren and Katsumoto exemplify how disparate societies
can come together without the scarring effects of hastened conflict; yet Zwick and his screenwriters, John Logan and Marshall
Herskovitz, also understand the inevitability of change, something that, especially between two competing worldviews,
usually results in the carnage of war.
If The Last Samurai seems to take its cue from Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, it's not by coincidence.
Zwick's other films also espouse the qualities of Kurosawa's intensely intimate character studies, as larger storylines are
bolstered by the diligence of understanding key players in the picture. There's also a hint of Zwick's own Glory in
the film's final sequences, which portrays the heartfelt samurai cause against impossible odds. That the film has the
intelligence to follow-through on its own terms without delving into undeserved pathos is testament to Zwick's assured
direction. And although the film's historical accuracy is certainly in doubt, it never detracts from an overriding sense of
earnest filmmaking that elevates The Last Samurai from intriguing period piece to distinguished character study.
Cruise has steadily improved over the years from sex symbol to bona fide actor, and with Algren he manages to give a
convincing, assured performance as a man who must channel regret into newfound purpose in order to regain his honor.
But the penultimate effort comes from Ken Watanabe, whose Katsumoto is one of the more heroic characters in recent
memory. Watanabe gives a relaxed but commanding, physical portrayal of a leader of not only his people, but also of a world
that is being washed away in a sea of hasty decisions. It's one of the year's best. Billy Connolly and Tony Goldwyn
also add to the film's deep-seeded vision of colorful characters that categorized both sides of the Japanese conflict.
The Last Samurai evokes images of classical epics that rouse the viewer's spirit, both in terms of its visual impact and
its ability to generate concern for its characters. When we see the heroic charge into the face of certain death, it becomes
an almost transcendant experience, eliciting the more honorable, noble side of human frailty. Zwick's unique interest
and vision concerning conflicted characters amidst overwhelming circumstances lends a gallant sensibility to a film that
needs no artifice to garner admiration. It's one of those rare Hollywood films that reminds us why watching motion pictures
can be truly meaningful.
© 2003 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
| Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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