The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai is a movie with Tom Cruise from 2003. He plays a disillusioned US army captain that tries forget the atrocities he committed in whiskey. He is hired to train the Japanese army in modern warfare. Although his role is that of an adviser he ends up in battle and is wounded and captured by the samurai fighting agains the government. During his capture Cruise learns to appreciate the way of his captors. When his employers make a treacherous assassination attempt he finally switches allegiance and joins the samurai in their battle. The movie is basically split in 3 parts, each with its own tempo and temperament. I would describe it loosely as follows : the first part has the feeling of a western, the middle part is more slow paced and contemplative in nature while the final third part is a Japanese martial arts epic. Ken Watanabe as the samurai leader and Tom Cruise deliver solid acting performances, the cinematography of the Japanese landscape and the battles is excellent and the story and characters are engaging. I can recommend this movie without hesitation, it even easily survives a second viewing.