Film Review: The Last Samurai (2003)

Time was kind to certain films and they look better now than they did during their respective premieres. Sometimes it has less to do with newly discovered quality, but simply due to comparison with today’s film that look significantly worse. A phenomenon is particularly visible in Hollywood historical epics that, while they were raping history for the sake of entertainment, seldom sank to the lows of today’s Netflix-like wokeness. A clear example can be found in The Last Samurai, 2003 film directed by Edward Zwick.

The plot is set in 1876 and the protagonist, played by Tom Cruise, is Captain Nathan Algren, former US Army officer who became alcoholic after witnessing butchering of Native American women and children during Indian Wars. His former commander Colonel Bagley (played by Tony Goldwyn) brings him to Japan where they would pursue new careers in Japanese military. Japan has only two decades ago ended its policy of self-isolation and Imperial government, aware of country’s weakness and technological backwardness in comparison with West, has put enormous effort to modernise country, including its military that is to be trained by Western officers like Bagley and Algren. However, many segments of Japanese society are unhappy over pace and nature of such changes, especially former warrior class of samurai whose leader Moritsogu Katsumoto (played by Ken Watanabe) starts rebellion against government, dominated by corrupt railroad tycoon Matsue Omura (played by Masato Harada). Imperial troops, made out of poorly trained conscripts, are sent against rebel samurai. Despite having technological superiority, they get ambushed and defeated, while Algren gets captured. Deeply impressed by Algren’s courage, Katsumoto decides to spare his life. Algren spends time in captivity and gradually begins not only to respect his captors and their ancient concepts of chivalry and honour, but actually begins to sympathise with their cause. As next round of fighting becomes inevitable, Algren, who now dresses and acts as samurai, becomes involved in preparation for final battle during which Bagley would be on opposing side.

The Last Samurai at first glance looks just like another typical Hollywood product that appropriates someone else’s culture and history and gives it Americanised makeover, most notably through American protagonist who just happens to be played by one of the most popular and iconic film actors of his time. Some critics at the time saw it as misguided remake of Dances with Wolves, with plot mechanically being transported from Old West to Japan and the noble but doomed Native Americans being replaced by equally noble but doomed samurai. This is further emphasised by explicit references to protagonist being former US Army veteran, and just like Lieutenant Dunbar in Dances with Wolve, being involved in campaigns against Native Americans. History in the film looks additionally Hollywoodised by having protagonist miraculously surviving encounter with the enemy, having his life spared and later even developing romantic feelings for the widow of the samurai he has killed (played by popular Japanese model and actress Koyuki). The protagonist will, by another miraculous coincidence, survive even another battle where all of his friends perish only to prove himself as miracle-working orator who would sway Emperor Meiji (played by Shichinosuke Nakamura) to, at least for the moment, honour rebel samurai and accept validity of their cause.

Despite such criticism, The Last Samurai was immense success at the box office. This could partially attributed to stellar power of Tom Cruise, but even more to the talent of Edward Zwick, director best known for his work of television, but also quite capable of making period war epics like Glory. The film contains impressive action scenes, including very well-made final battle that doesn’t sacrifice realism for the sake of emotional impact. Zwick’s efforts are aided by good work of cinematographer John Toll and composer Hans Zimmer who delivers another epic soundtrack. Tom Cruise, who meticulously prepared for the role by studying Japanese culture and learning swordsmanship, is great while portraying recovering alcoholic who finds redemption by taking the righteous but doomed side. Japanese actor Ken Watanabe is also great in the role of samurai leader and easily wins audience’s sympathy despite initially looking like embodiment of the primitive past. Watanabe has been nominated for Oscar for Supporting Actor and used role of Katsumoto to become familiar face in Hollywood films.

If there is a screen work The Last Samurai should be compared with, it isn’t Dances with Wolves, but Shogun, popular and highly regarded television miniseries made two decades earlier which also depicted fascinating period of Japanese history through the eyes of Westerner. Zwick’s film, despite being work of fiction and having only Meiji as genuine historical character, is actually product of meticulous research and many characters and plot details actually, in one way or other, correspond to the reality. Algren is actually composite Eugene Collache and Jules Brunet, two French military officers who have joined the losing side in Boshin War, previous conflict that established Meiji’s new regime. The events depicted in film are clearly based on Satsuma Rebellion that took place in 1877 and character of Katsumoto is based on Saigo Takamori, renowned samurai and former supporter of Meiji who, following the defeat and heroic death, was honoured even by his enemies and later celebrated as hero. The Last Samurai enjoyed great popularity in Japan, although some historians complained of overly romantic portrayals of rebellious samurai and ignoring the loss of feudal privileges as the main cause of their rebellion. Despite some implausible details of the plot, The Last Samurai nowadays looks like surprisingly accurate portrayal of history and for that alone deserves recommendation.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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