The Last Samurai 2003 123movies

Watch: The Last Samurai 2003 123movies, Full Movie Online – In the 1870s, Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a cynical veteran of the American Civil War, who will work for anyone, is hired by Americans who want lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan to train the peasant conscripts for the first standing Imperial Army in modern warfare using firearms. The Imperial Omura (Masato Harada) cabinet’s first priority is to repress a rebellion of traditionalist Samurai, hereditary warriors, who remain devoted to the sacred dynasty, but reject the Westernizing policy, and even refuse firearms. Yet, when his ill-prepared superior force sets out too soon, their panic allows the sword-wielding samurai to crush them. Badly wounded, Algren’s courageous stand makes the samurai leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) spare his life. Once nursed to health, he learns to know and respect the old Japanese way, and participates as advisor in Katsumoto’s failed attempt to save the Bushido tradition, but Omura gets repressive laws enacted. He must now choose to honor his loyalty to one of the embittered sides when the conflict returns to the battlefield..
Plot: Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai’s way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.
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Ratings:

	7.8/10 Votes: 440,996
	66% | RottenTomatoes
	55/100 | MetaCritic
	N/A Votes: 5887 Popularity: 32.137 | TMDB

Reviews:

Recommended.

‘The Last Samurai’ features some very cool and entertaining battle sequences, which are shot excellently. The premise itself is attracting, it’s acted out astutely by the noteworthy cast list. It probably lasts too long, but I never truly got a feeling of it dragging out though.

Tom Cruise is fantastic as Capt. Nathan Algren. It’s no secret or surprise as we all know that guy can act, he adds a great deal to his character here; especially on the emotional side of things. As for what happens with Algren, it’s all good even if the love interest parts are undercooked.

Ken Watanabe is splendid in the role of Katsumoto, while Masato Harada (Omura) and Timothy Spall (Graham) give positive performances. It’s also nice to see Billy Connolly (Gant) and Scott Wilson (Swanbeck) appear. Hans Zimmer’s score is, as presumed, grand. That would be one of a number of reasons why I’d say you should watch this.

Edward Zwick’s “The Last Samurai” is about two warriors whose cultures make them aliens, but whose values make them comrades. The battle scenes are stirring and elegantly mounted, but they are less about who wins than about what can be proven by dying. Beautifully designed, intelligently written, acted with conviction, it’s an uncommonly thoughtful epic. Its power is compromised only by an ending that sheepishly backs away from what the film is really about.

Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe co-star, as a shabby Civil War veteran and a proud samurai warrior. Cruise plays Nathan Algren, a war hero who now drifts and drinks too much, with no purpose in life. He’s hired by Americans who are supplying mercenaries to train an army for the Japanese emperor, who wants to move his country into the modern world and is faced with a samurai rebellion.

The role of the samurai leader Katsumoto (Watanabe) is complex; he is fighting against the emperor’s men, but out of loyalty to the tradition the emperor represents, he would sacrifice his life in an instant, he says, if the emperor requested it. But Japan has been seized with a fever to shake off its medieval ways and copy the West, and the West sees money to be made in the transition: Representatives from the Remington arms company are filling big contracts for weapons, and the U.S. Embassy is a clearinghouse for lucrative trade arrangements.

Into this cauldron Algren descends as a cynic. He is told the samurai are “savages with bows and arrows,” but sees that the American advisers have done a poor job of training the modernized Japanese army to fight them. Leading his untried troops into battle, he is captured and faces death — but is spared by a word from Katsumoto, who returns him as a prisoner to the village of his son.

A Potpourri of Vestiges Review: Pride and Honour
The Last Samurai is a brilliantly crafted aesthetic pleasure, studded with supernal performances from Ken Watanabe and Tom Cruise. In fact, Tom Cruise unarguably gives his best ever performance, surpassing his portrayal of Jerry Maguire in the eponymous flick. His plaintive portrayal of Nathan Algren, not only evokes pathos but also seeks sympathy of the contemporary viewer, who can vicariously relate to Algren’s disconcertion, owing to his inner conflicts of patriotism vis-à-vis humanity.

However, it is Ken Watanabe, who steals the show with his mesmerizing and poignant portrayal of Katsumoto, the leader of the last clan of Samurai. His screen presence and delivery is truly amazing and even outshines that of Tom Cruise, which is a compliment in itself. The scenes between Watanabe and Cruise are pure gold, depicting fluctuating feelings of hostility, compassion and camaraderie.

Watanabe’s intense and powerful performance in which he displays a wide range of emotions, is definitely worthy of the coveted statuette, but the academy never fails to disappoint. Watanabe’s brilliant portrayal, not only mesmerizes the viewers, but also convinces the critics of his acting abilities. The tacit adoration between Algren and Taka (subtly played by Koyuki), enormously adds to the beauty of the movie. All this coupled with some brilliant cinematography and a mesmerizing score, makes it a treat to watch and a truly surreal experience.

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Brilliant!
I was skeptical about this movie because not every high-budget feature with Tom Cruise is guaranteed depth or serious acclaim, although it may gather at the box office. And Warner Bros put me through TORTURE to see this pic – changes of times AND locations, over and over. I felt like was on an survival test, an unbearably annoying treasure hunt over weeks and was frankly ready to give it a negative review (which I’m writing on behalf of a publication). However, I found the movie truly and unequivocally remarkable and cannot contain my review in 350 words.

First, the experience was powerful. Edward Zwick was a masterful director. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The action, sets, scenery and story – even the dialogue – were riveting. Clearly, a ton of historical and cultural research and care went into the script, sets, costumes, casting. They didn’t just Hollywoodize Kurosowa’s “Seven Samurai” as a Tom Cruise vehicle. Nor was it Dances with Wolves or Seven Years in Tibet, two PC-preaching pics of yesteryear. It was a lot more like Braveheart meets Seven Samurai with elements of inculturation a bit reminiscent of Wolves and Seven Years.

Rarely does a movie have excellent acting across the board, but all the Japanese actors were outstanding, and the Americans and Europeans were excellent … Tom Cruise was at the top of his game. His Independence Day angst combined with his moral nobility in A Few Good Men and The Firm. Ken Watanabe as co-star exemplifying bravery, wisdom and nobility was outstanding.

In spite of this historical epic being “in vogue” at present, there were surprisingly few cliché story elements. Even the requisite (American-made movie) romance with Take (Koyuki in this role was wonderful) furthered the cross-cultural elements of the plot in such a way that neither culture was violated – and above all the `chemistry’ was discreet in Japanese fashion, taking a necessary backseat without overshadowing the main story line, actually adding richness to the process of “going native” for Captain Algren (Cruise). The subplot went far beyond an added market draw. Very tasteful and artful scriptwriting, with many colorful, developing characters.

The thrust of the film was the Western-Japanese cultural divide, differing concepts of value and valor and the political issues surrounding Japan’s efforts to “Westernize.” [cross-cultural studies have become a cinematic trend: Lost in Translation, Beyond Borders, The Missing, Japanese Story, etc.] Where most of the other films fell short (and The Statement was an abomination], this film succeeded brilliantly. The differences between the two cultures were considered and portrayed without completely bashing one (except in the political arena, but even there, the Japanese seemed to be inviting their own downfall, in many ways). There was no simple scapegoat or cultural domination message. The American Civil War captain, Nathan Algren (Cruise) goes abroad as not only a war hero but also a cross-cultural and linguistic expert. Being in Japan, (at first as a mercenary hired to train Japanese in Western ways of war), he takes on the study of the people and their language. Although Algren’s sometimes superhero abilities are a bit of a stretch at times, taking the native language seriously is unique in American filmmaking (and American culture, hence our lowly reputation when traveling). Usually the American walks into the foreign scene and the pic automatically shifts to all-English. I was truly grateful to find the dialog half in subtitles because half the characters were Japanese – and Algren was speaking with them. Secondly, this movie honors both cultures for their recognized strengths, even in their distinctiveness. For example, when the woman who is hosting Algren (in captivity) makes dinner, he helps her. “Japanese men don’t do these things,” she tells him. “But I’m not Japanese,” he says (in Japanese). Algren is not ashamed to uphold his homeland customs (although this was 1876… pre-sensitive 90s man era, long before women’s lib let alone men entering kitchens) when his own cultural customs or inclinations are ways of caring rather than domination. Another and more important example: Algren demonstrates American resilience and perseverance when he rises again repeatedly after defeat. This baffles the Japanese who are accustomed to falling on their swords in shame after defeat, for them a noble death. In these and many other ways, the Japanese Samurai (especially Katsumoto, Watanabe’s character) and Algren learn to appreciate each other’s ways. In many respects, the film moves past the usual PC party line [of Dances with Wolves, Seven Years in Tibet and most others of similar ilk out of Hollywood] and reflects on the beauty and dignity in the midst of difference between the two worlds, and how much they need to learn from one another without money or domination as a motive. The dignity of the young Emperor Meiji finding his own cultural center, at the end, was especially moving. Overall, the film had depth and substance with brilliant work in almost every area of production and performance. The editing was marvelous – although it’s long, there’s no unnecessary material remaining. Not a moment of boredom. Props all around!

Other Information:

Original Language en
Runtime 2 hr 34 min (154 min)
Budget 140000000
Revenue 456758981
Status Released
Rated R
Genre Action, Drama
Director Edward Zwick
Writer John Logan, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
Actors Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly
Country United States, New Zealand, Japan
Awards Nominated for 4 Oscars. 20 wins & 67 nominations total
Production Company N/A
Website N/A

Technical Information:

Sound Mix DTS, Dolby Digital, SDDS
Aspect Ratio 2.39 : 1
Camera Arriflex 435 ES, Panavision Primo, C- and E-Series Lenses, Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL, Panavision Primo, C- and E-Series Lenses, Panavision Panastar, Panavision Primo, C- and E-Series Lenses
Laboratory Technicolor, Hollywood (CA), USA
Film Length 4,200 m (Italy)
Negative Format 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 500T 5218, Eastman EXR 100T 5248, EXR 200T 5293, EXR 500T 5298)
Cinematographic Process Digital Intermediate (2K) (master format) (some scenes), Panavision (anamorphic) (source format)
Printed Film Format 35 mm (Kodak Vision 2383, Vision Premier 2393)