The Last Samurai Gives Lessons of Ancient Culture Posted by: Chelsea Delmonte

For whatever reason, which prompted the enthusiasm, the movie-going public is roaring for martial arts-ninja-samurai-style action.  Maybe the Matrix kicked it all off, or even Karate Kid, but no matter the start, we, the audience, still love it.  The Last Samurai gives us those fight scenes we’re craving for while, at the same time, does some justice to these ancient Eastern arts.  This is one of the trumped up movies that actually fulfills the expectations.

The Last Samurai focuses on a battle-worn captain in the late 1800’s American military, Nathan Algren, (Tom Cruise) hired by the Japanese to help convert the Japanese military into a modern, western-type army.  His first enemy to face is the Japanese, past ancient defenders, Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) and his samurai warriors.  While Nathan’s tactic is to learn his enemies strategies, he never expected to learn first hand, when he became the prisoner of the enemy.  A man tortured by the ghosts of his past, he finds mental salvation in the hands of his captors while his training has previously been to destroy them.

With the flood of modernization as the only path to victory in the age of imperialism, the simplicity, stark beauty and calm serenity of the isolated Japanese islands invade your mind like a shock of cold water.  The misty mountains, Japanese gardens, bamboo huts and quiet temples slow down the fast urgency of progression.  Starting the film in the go-go-go bustling America and moving towards this beauty in Japan helps the audience to understand how the land has an affect on Nathan. 

One of the strongest points the movie makes is to show the value of not being in such a hurry, being able to appreciate something that’s been done right for hundreds of years.   The young emperor feels that his only option is to jump on the train of progression, while he doesn’t see that he’s destroying its past.  Is it always the best choice to take the path of technology and modernization?  In the case of The Last Samurai, it comes down to a difference of opinion.  While the new world ways might seem to hold all the answers for some, it also destroys the lives of others.

While seeing Tom Cruise for the lead in a samurai movie might first seem laughable, I have to give the acting some credit.  A bitter man is given the task to repeat the past he’s ashamed of, only in another country.  Cruise plays a character that turns out to be surprisingly open minded; very willing to learn languages, customs and tactics that are foreign to him.   Despite his apparent death wish in the beginning, his passion for what he’s doing shines through and makes Nathan Algren an admirable character.

Finally knowing some thing about the Japanese culture (though not quite an expert, I assure you) this film impressed me that it took time to explain some of the quieter ways of the culture.  Ways such as meditation, movements through inner strength, the teaching of honor from a young age and actions that garner their strength from feeling rather than thinking. 

While The Last Samurai is impressive, there are a couple downfalls to it.  Probably the most apparent is how quickly Nathan becomes an accomplished samurai.  It is apparent that he is a skilled fighter and tactician from the beginning of the movie, which can attribute to some of his fighting skill at the end, but I think too big of a leap was made in too short of a time.  This is an art developed over a long time, not just a winter season.  There is also the final battle scene where Nathan is the last man standing. At least 30 or so other men and horses all fell to the machine guns, he was able to remain standing.  I guess that’s the life of a hero.

The movie is suspenseful, full of action, skilled sword fights, martyrs, untouchable love, and men of honor.  It is worth seeing for the scenery and fight scenes alone.  So while there are a couple hokey scenes, I can’t help but like this film and appreciate the intention to commemorate a culture full of a mystery foreign to this American culture.