The Last Samurai

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I watched this movie again recently. And I have to say I am now obsessed with it! Even though I have issues with Tom Cruise, I still think it is a great movie.
I have a real interest in Japanese history, and I thought that this movie was a great ode to that culture. I think that the samurai lifestyle would be an admiral way of life.
I thought the wrighting and directing where also superb also. The only downside was the undercurrent of love. But maybe thats this the aspie talking!

What did you guys think of it?

I think it was a great movie.

The Samurai did a lot of damage to Japanese society. The effects of their rule still linger today.

I liked it.


-SpaceCase

I think it's a great movie

I thought it was a good movie.

Really enjoyed it! Wanted to be a Samurai for a while afterwards. You know how it goes

Good movie... though factually it had some problems. (For instance, General Omura was actually killed several years before the movie supposedly takes place... and the Japanese never courted Americans in building their army.) All-in-all, though, a good "romanticized" treatment of the Meiji Restoration period. And I find it a fitting bookend to "Shogun", which I also have on DVD.

I disliked it and thought it sent a misleading message. It Japan had not modernized, it would have been ripe the type of Western influence that China dealt with in the late 19th and early 20th century. This is not to say that Japan's modernization ended up having partially leading to certain rather major negative events in the future (the overthrow of democracy and the rise of a militarized Japan), however the film view of the samurai rebellion (in reality an aristocratic class trying to protect their positions) was highly naive.

Also pathetic, but entirely predictable was the need to cast an American (as well need for an entire American West/Americans Indian subplot) in a story about such a significant event in Japanese history. Admittedly this was on the idea that Americans film-goers wouldn't go and see a film with an Japanese cast and Japanese subtitles. Still, not only was the many of the facts presented in the film misleading or inaccurate, the studio apparently didn't realize that Tom Cruise's star has departed him, at least to the degree that he isn't deserving the pay-checks that he once was.

To be fair, the cinematography (with attractive landscapes, and locations), and music of the film were nice, and the acting was generally competent. This partially made up for a weak script, cliche-filled story, and boring battles. But hence this is just my opinion.

**/**** to the best of memory.

I liked the Last Samurai a lot.. Its a great movie and I love battle scenes!

Love this film. I got it after I developed a strong interest in shaolin warriors after seeing them perform with the Chinese State circus here. I still want to learn staff work and the form of shaolin they do.

I think it's a really good movie.

I thought it was pretty good.