Every so often, you see a film that tries very hard to be worthy and just doesn't quite manage it. The Last Samurai is one of those movies. A long, sprawling epic set in Japan as the 20th century draws near, the film concerns itself with the passing of more ancient Japaneese customs (that of the samurai) and the rise of westernisation. Tom Cruise is US Army Captain Nathan Algren, haunted by what he's committed in the past, who is hired to train the Japaneese to use American weapons.
The story moves on very slowly, especially once Algren is captured by the rogue samurai he was trying to kill, led by Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe, a powerful presence in the film). We are treated to Algren's slow integration into the culture, punctuated by uneccesary and grating voice-over diary entries as well of plenty of slow-motion close-ups. Most of the film is predictable, especially in this section, and that just adds to the boredom. The film builds up to a big conclusion with some nicely done battle scenes, but even these lack the overwhelming epic power of Return of the King or the lyricism of Cold Mountain. Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe do their best but are both hampered by an awful, clichéd script. Cruise is particularly unconvincing, although he does try very hard. Watanabe has such natural charisma and power that he emerges from the film far better off, and he is the most memorable thing about it (outside of the nice art direction and cinematography). Edward Zwick's direction is perfunctory and clunky, and the smaller 'comedic' roles of Timothy Spall and Billy Connelly are cringeworthy. To top it off, the movie finishes quite terribly. Overall, The Last Samurai gets almost everything wrong.
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