The Last Samurai reviews start to come in

[Krug]

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mymod/hdln/v.../nm/20031130/review_nm/review_film_samurai_dc

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Hollywood -- and America's -- fascination with all things Asian continues in Edward Zwick (news)'s "The Last Samurai," a movie that successfully merges a Western with a samurai movie.

Zwick triumphantly pulls off what sounds like the height of arrogance: a Yank directing a samurai movie and, worse, Tom Cruise (news) playing the title role. Hewing close to historical accuracy, though, the film does a reasonable job of situating Cruise, playing an Indian fighter and Civil War veteran, in Japan during the 1876-77 Samurai Revolt to catch the final moments of samurai culture and its spirit of Bushido.


Relying on a solidly grounded screenplay with principled though doomed heroes, rapacious villains, intriguing supporting characters and a climactic battle in which bows and arrows and swords go up against howitzers and repeating rifles, "Samurai" is a hugely satisfying entertainment that will attract a broad spectrum of audiences around the world. Zwick fully exploits the star power at his disposal, pairing off Cruise and Japanese star Ken Watanabe as two larger-than-life warriors, initially adversaries but eventually allies and even friends.

 

[Sirius_Black]

I recently read and Entertainment Weekly review of this film. My favorite line from the review is, "Tom Cruise plays Tom Cruise playing a Civil War Captain."

Pass. I've had enough Tom Cruise playing Tom Cruise pictures in my lifetime.

 

[KenM]

But there is a good chance Tom Cruise will get his head chopped off in this movie. I'd pay good money just to see that.

 

[takyris]

Please. He's not gonna get his head chopped off. He's gonna have a "Glory" moment, riding up a hill in slow-motion while classical music plays very very loudly, and then he'll get shot but keep going proudly, knowing he's doomed, and then something will probably turn into a silhouette at some point, surrounded by gold and sepia, and then maybe some little one-line tag after the fade to black.

Having not seen the movie,

 

[Corinth]

I'm not going to waste my time and money watching the most famous clam in the world remake "Dances With Wolves" as a East-Meets-West story. I'll wait for one of my local Cruise Crazies to rent it.

 

[KenM]

I like feudal Japan, and the battles look good, so I think I will see despite Cruise. This is the very first Cruise movie I want to see.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Anyone see XMA (Extreme Martial Arts) on the Discovery Channel Sunday, 11/30? They had a number of shots from the movie plus Tom promoting it and from that I do feel better about the movie.

XMA was very interesting, took the moves of martial arts and did studies on the to show why they were effective. It used Matrix special effects to show what the body was doing during the moves.

 

[Desdichado]

What's not to like about Cruise? He's a charismatic guy and a decent actor. If that's the reason you're not seeing the movie, I have to admit, I think that sounds pretty petty.

 

[Gallo22]

I'm not going to waste my time and money watching the most famous clam in the world remake "Dances With Wolves" as a East-Meets-West story. I'll wait for one of my local Cruise Crazies to rent it.

Please keep in mind this movie is a true story and from what I hear pretty accurate in its making. If you don't like Cruse fine, but I would bet this movie will be a block buster.

If you like, I could tell you the whole story since my martial arts teacher told it to me many years ago before the movie was even heard of and him being a instructor in the sword and very familiar with Japan's history.

Gallo22

 

[Sirius_Black]

What's not to like about Cruise? He's a charismatic guy and a decent actor. If that's the reason you're not seeing the movie, I have to admit, I think that sounds pretty petty.

That's two strikes with me regarding the charisma and decent part. He can be decent...with the right director, but I have yet to see him live up to the hype he gets.

You like Cruise and, if I recall correctly, dislike Russell Crowe? Apologies if I'm mistaken. And even if I'm not, different tastes abound as I think Cruise comes off as arrogant in interviews and Crowe quiet down to earth. Plus, it's not like Cruise has ever been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar three years in a row.