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The Last Samurai (2003)
Front Cover Actor
Ken Watanabe
Tom Cruise
William Atherton
Chad Lindberg
Ray Godshall Sr.
Billy Connolly
Tony Goldwyn
Masato Harada
Masashi Odate
John Koyama
Movie Details
Director Edward Zwick
Language English
Audience Rating R (Restricted)
Running Time 154 mins
Country USA
Color Color
Plot
While Japan undergoes tumultuous transition to a more Westernized society in 1876-77, The Last Samurai gives epic sweep to an intimate story of cultures at a crossroads. In America, tormented Civil War veteran Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is coerced by a mercenary officer (Tony Goldwyn) to train the Japanese Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry. Opposing this "progress" is a rebellion of samurai warriors, holding fast to their traditions of honor despite strategic disadvantage. As a captive of the samurai leader (Ken Watanabe), Algren learns, appreciates, and adopts the samurai code, switching sides for a climactic battle that will put everyone's honor to the ultimate test. All of which makes director Edward Zwick's noble epic eminently worthwhile, even if its Hollywood trappings (including an all-too-conventional ending) prevent it from being the masterpiece that Zwick and screenwriter John Logan clearly wanted it to be. Instead, The Last Samurai is an elegant mainstream adventure, impressive in all aspects of its production. It may not engage the emotions as effectively as Logan's script for Gladiator, but like Cruise's character, it finds its own quality of honor. --Jeff Shannon
Personal Details
Seen It Yes
Index 272
Collection Status In Collection
Links Amazon US
Product Details
Edition Full Screen Edition
Format DVD
Region Region 1
Screen Ratio 1.33:1
UPC (Barcode) 085392838226
Release Date 5/4/2004
Subtitles English; French; Spanish
Audio Tracks English Dolby Digital 5.1
French Dolby Digital 5.1
Nr of Disks/Tapes 2