Movie Review: 'The Last Samurai'

Hey Gang,

The Last Samurai is a great flick. The music and cinematography are great, and you'll enjoy
the performances by Ken Watanabe (Katsumoto) and Koyuki (Taka)... and Cruise (as Nathan
Algren) ain't half bad, either.

You actually won't know most of the cast unless you're really into Asian theatre. Good actors,
but, of course, since it's set in Japan, not a lot of American actors in there.

Is it based on a true story? Well...sort of. The movie IS historical fiction, so a little history, a
little (a lot) of fiction. Don't expect it to be completely true to the actual Satsuma Rebellion
timeline and history. Plus you've got a few oddities in there, like the Ninja attack, shuriken
a-flying and all...

But basically it gives a nice romantic portrayal of Saigo Takamori (Katsumoto), through the
eyes of the western observer, Nathan Algren. Action abounds, romance is subtle, and
emotional contact is good. It's a bit melodramatic at points (like Braveheart and The Patriot)
but not intolerably so. What to expect? Think "Dances With Wolves" reset in 19th century
Japan. If you liked "Dances with Wolves" and "Braveheart", you'll love "The Last Samurai"

Best scene: Partway through the movie, Katsumoto is with Algren in a temple courtyard,
surrounded by blossoming cherry trees. And he tells Algren, "One may search his entire life
for the perfect blossom, and he will not find it. But if he did find it, it would not be time wasted."
So then, towards the end of the movie, when Katsumoto lies dying, and his army has fallen, he
sees the wind blow through a blossoming cherry tree, and sweep all the blossoms away... he
sees it and says, in his dying breath... "Perfect" - speaking not so much of the cherry
blossoms as his samurai warriors. His army of samurai, like the bough of cherry blossoms, fell
in their beautiful prime... a samurai's glory.

I'll give it ****
Do I want to see it again? "Hai."
So grab a popcorn, a coke, a date, and a ticket (and don't forget your wakizashes) and have a
good time.

The nobility of the failure. I'll surely like it.

-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: golfmandan@... [mailto:golfmandan@...]
Inviato: sabato 6 dicembre 2003 19.39
A: samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com
Oggetto: [samuraihistory] Movie Review: 'The Last Samurai'

Hey Gang,

The Last Samurai is a great flick. The music and cinematography are
great, and you'll enjoy
the performances by Ken Watanabe (Katsumoto) and Koyuki (Taka)... and
Cruise (as Nathan
Algren) ain't half bad, either.

You actually won't know most of the cast unless you're really into Asian
theatre. Good actors,
but, of course, since it's set in Japan, not a lot of American actors in
there.

Is it based on a true story? Well...sort of. The movie IS historical
fiction, so a little history, a
little (a lot) of fiction. Don't expect it to be completely true to the
actual Satsuma Rebellion
timeline and history. Plus you've got a few oddities in there, like the
Ninja attack, shuriken
a-flying and all...

But basically it gives a nice romantic portrayal of Saigo Takamori
(Katsumoto), through the
eyes of the western observer, Nathan Algren. Action abounds, romance is
subtle, and
emotional contact is good. It's a bit melodramatic at points (like
Braveheart and The Patriot)
but not intolerably so. What to expect? Think "Dances With Wolves" reset
in 19th century
Japan. If you liked "Dances with Wolves" and "Braveheart", you'll love
"The Last Samurai"

Best scene: Partway through the movie, Katsumoto is with Algren in a
temple courtyard,
surrounded by blossoming cherry trees. And he tells Algren, "One may
search his entire life
for the perfect blossom, and he will not find it. But if he did find it,
it would not be time wasted."
So then, towards the end of the movie, when Katsumoto lies dying, and
his army has fallen, he
sees the wind blow through a blossoming cherry tree, and sweep all the
blossoms away... he
sees it and says, in his dying breath... "Perfect" - speaking not so
much of the cherry
blossoms as his samurai warriors. His army of samurai, like the bough of
cherry blossoms, fell
in their beautiful prime... a samurai's glory.

I'll give it ****
Do I want to see it again? "Hai."
So grab a popcorn, a coke, a date, and a ticket (and don't forget your
wakizashes) and have a
good time.





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