Turning Japanese
Cruise Goes Native in Samurai

Most people in my circle usually meet a new performance by Tom Cruise by saying, "He only knows how to play Tom Cruise." While the sometimes wooden actor has been stereotyped with films like Top Gun and Mission: Impossible, he has had some breakthrough performances that show his range as an actor. His work in Magnolia earned him an Oscar nod, and my recommendation. In his latest endeavor The Last Samurai, Cruise takes his acting to a new high to meet the demands of an excellent film.

Directed by Edward Zwick (Glory), The Last Samurai is based on a story by John Logan telling of the modernization of Japan at the end of the 19th century. Torn between a desire for "Westernization" to compete in the world market and a need to retain its cultural identity, Japan is literally at war with itself. A band of samurai led by Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) are fighting "for" the Emperor against the Emperor's army who is being trained to be a modern army with modern weapons.

Cruise portrays Nathan Algren, a calvary captain who has fallen into drunken disgrace. The horrors of the war against the American Indians still haunt him, but the offer by the Japanese representative of $500 a month to train the Japanese infantry is too tempting to resist. Soon, Algren is off the shores of Japan and faced with the enormity of the task set before him.

Algren's history with the American Plains Indians is reflected in Japan's current war with the samurai. In learning about the "enemy," Algren discovers these "savages" who reject modernization are no more savage than the Plains Indians slaughtered by the US Army. When he is captured by the samurai, Algren learns first hand about the discipline and honor of the samurai warriors.

Although many of the trailers for The Last Samurai make the film appear to be a romance, it is not. The film concentrates on the horror of war, and some of the scenes are necessarily graphic in their violence. Bloody, brutal, and disturbing, these scenes do not define the film, however. The story is not merely a war story, but a story of politics, change, and a need to preserve history and culture.

While everyone is talking about Cruise, they should be talking about Watanabe. His Katsumoto is by far the most compelling role, and his performance is flawless. In Katsumoto's quiet dignity, one slowly comes to understand the samurai and what they are fighting for. His offer to the Emperor to take his own life if the Emperor finds him unworthy is believable because of Watanabe's competence as an actor.

The cinematography is beautiful, if heavy on the slow-motion technique at times. The art direction is beautiful; period costumes, ships, and sets look amazing. The samurai village is noteworthy for the simplicity of the buildings, but also for the beauty of the surrounding countryside.

If I had one complaint about this film, it would be that it ran about three minutes too long. There is an epilogue tacked on, narrated by Simon Graham (Timothy Spall), speculating on the final fate of Algren. I think it was a typical Hollywood move to give the film a happy ending that was completely unnecessary. Had the film ended before this, it would have had a stronger ending.

MY RATING: 9 out of 10.

RATED: R
RUN TIME: 144 min.