The Last Samurai (Two-Disc Special Edition)

I think that this is a great movie for my collection. I am not only a costumer here but also a Seller, and let me tell you this movie is a keeper no doubt. Great visuals and great story!

I enjoyed watching "The Last Samurai" again. It's one of my daughter's favorites and was under the Christmas tree for her this year.

Tom Cruise is the star. He plays Nathan Algren, a veteran of wars with the American Indians and is haunted by atrocities committed. We see numerous black and white flashbacks of women and children being shot by soldiers. Being part Native American, I found these sequences particularly moving and disturbing. So for me, Algren's depression that sent him to drink seemed quite believable. Cruise does seem so determined that his acting at times seems a bit forced and calculated rather than an organic performance. That said, he was nominated for Best Actor by the Golden Globes.

Edward Zwick directed the picture and won the Best Director Award from the National Board of Review. He has also directed "Glory," "The Siege," & "Blood Diamond."

Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto shined in this picture. He's the philosophic Samurai who leads the rebellion against technological compromises with the West. He demonstrates intelligence, compassion and the rarest of all screen commodities, wisdom. The final battle sequence is incredible. He well deserved his Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Tim Robbins took home the gold in that category for Mystic River (Widescreen Edition).

Tony Goldwyn who is the grandson of movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn (think MGM) plays the role of Col. Benjamin Bagley. Goldwyn is still most associated as the bad guy in "Ghost," and plays an arrogant soldier who despite his good looks is not sympathetic.

Hiroyuki Sanada plays Ujio, the apparent second in command to Katsumoto. Sanada has been nominated for five Best Actor awards from the Japanese Academy with two wins including one for his brilliant portrayal in The Twilight Samurai. He does an excellent job taking an instant dislike to Algren, battling him into the mud in a rainy day duel, and eventually coming to respect him after Nathan battles against the masked Ninja who attack their village.

Smaller roles deserving of special mention are Koyuki's performance as Taka, who nurses Algren to health despite complaining that he smells like a pig. She was in the Japanese film "Pulse." Shichinosuke Nakamura plays the uncertain Emperor Meiji. Sosuke Ikematsu does a delightful job as the young boy Higen who tries to be tough like a Samurai, but can shed a tear. Director Masato Harada makes an acting appearance as Omura who wants to bring railroads and Western weapons to Japan. Shin Koyamada is a good looking young actor. He plays Nobutada who takes a number of arrows on his escape on the bridge and brings humor and determination to his screentime. Billy Connolly who was Uncle Monty in "Lemony Snicket" plays the gray-haired Zebulon Grant who stands by Algren and suffers a fatal wound in the first battle. Zwick does a nice job of creating a good ensemble with his cast.

In addition to Watanabe's nomination, this film was also nominated for Oscars for Best Sound Mixing, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. The Japanese Academy awarded it as "Best Foreign Film." As a piece of fictional cinema, it is a tale well told. Enjoy!

One aspect I really like in this movie is it's portrayal of PTSD in Cruise's character. I recommend it to family members of returning war veterans.

When I first heard of this movie, I didn't think it would be that great, so I never bothered to go see it in theaters. Later on, I ended up downloading the movie, and didn't think much of it.

But now after watching the movie on BD, I think that the movie is quite outstanding. Its got a good story behind it, with some level of historical basis behind it with Samurai becoming phased out into Japan's modernization.

It does a good job in immersing you into the conflicts that warriors must endure... and yet, find peace with the way of the Samurai as they are a warrior race and not savages.

4/5 stars.

The film itself is great now that i saw it on blu-ray its just amazing.