The Worst Samurai

The previews for "The Last Samurai" have made audiences cringe. Tom Cruise as a Samurai? That just doesn't seem right.

The story sounded a bit outlandish, but it at least sounded interesting.

Captain Nathan Algren (Cruise) is a Civil War veteran who works as a traveling gun salesman in between drowning his memories of war with shots of whiskey. Algren is asked to train Japanese soldiers in the art of modern warfare, so the new Emperor can defeat the traditional Samurai and begin to modernize his nation.

Algren is captured in the first battle, and as he is held prisoner he slowly begins to warm up to the ways of the Samurai, eventually siding with them. He finds inner-peace and love, and fights against the forces he once trained.

Playing alongside is the classic Hollywood cheesy love story; the heroic death scene, the intense mass-killing battle and an over-obsessive honor theme.

There's nothing subtle about a film when a it begins with a narrator explaining the entire idea behind it. About thirty minutes into the film, the ending is obvious.

Cruise will be the only warrior left alive because he's Tom Cruise - and he cannot die. He'll return to his beautiful love, (played by Koyuki) and it will be well and good.

The majority of audiences seem to like predictable, clich?(c)d films. They don't want to be surprised; they want to see the bad guy killed, the hero get the woman, and some bloodshed or explosions in the process.

But for some that isn't enough.

Director Edward Zwick gave the people what they wanted, and he will likely be rewarded with big box office sales.

One of the main goals is to let the director, actors and images on the screen tell the story, and let the audience make its own interpretation. This film does the opposite, as it bangs the word "honor" over the audience's head repeatedly, not letting the audience come to its own conclusion.

The movie does have its strong points, though. John Toll provides beautiful cinematography, stunning mountain landscapes, and 19th century Japanese architecture.

Ngila Dickson, the costume designer, had to use an eclectic style to portray American Civil War soldiers, Samurai warriors and the traditional outfits worn in the villages. The armor and battle gear of the Samurai were most impressive.

The acting is mostly mediocre, but there are bright spots. Taka (Koyuki) was Algren's romantic outlet, and Koyuki used expressions rather than words to convey her emotions.

Matsumoto (Ken Watanabe) was the fierce but meditating leader of the Samurai, representing a more traditional view of Japan, concerned with the history of his culture as well as the future. Watanabe played his role delicately and believably.

Cruise, the superstar of the film, disappointed as an alcoholic veteran-turned-Samurai. As Algren begins to embrace the Samurai way, he becomes very skilled as a Samurai swordsman. Cruise is hard to imagine as the expert Samurai leader he becomes, and he didn't carry the film as expected.

All in all the film gives a few good laughs, but otherwise it just drifts.