Last Samurai (Full Screen) (2 Discs)

So, when all the hype about the LAST SAMURAI came down, Oscar nominations, I held back going, wait for DVD. Everyone kept assuring me I would LOVE this film, with its historical background that it would be my cup of tea. However, Tom Cruise was a sticking point. I was blown away from Tom Cruise stealing the thunder from Timothy Hutton (a talented actor whose work I appreciate) in TAPS. Cruise was brilliant in the small role and everything pointed to him being a great actor. Instead, Cruise became a "star". There is a BIG difference between a great actor and a superstar. And Cruise seemed content to flash his killer smile and coast by, rather than step up the plate and hit "a home run". This has always tarnished his performances - to me - I hate to see great talent not reach their potential. So I had that reservation going into the LAST SAMURAI.

It was breathtaking to see the film where he FINALLY stopped being Cruise and go for the golden ring. This film saw him, for once, not playing Tom Cruise, but actually forgetting he was Cruise. He became Nathan Algren, a mentally weary warrior who was sickened by the aftermath of Little Big Horn, a warrior who has lost all honor, and it's slowly eating away inside him, crippling his whole life. He is recruited to go to Japan to teach their soldiers how to fight. Cruise is still hanging on by his fingernails mentally, because he is serving under the very man he hold responsible for Indian Massacres ¯ who once again cares little about lives, and orders Algren to take the unready troops to face the mighty Samurai. Cruise is equipped with reasonably modern weapons - I say reasonably, because they are still musket loaders instead of the repeating rifles that came out of the Civil War, such as Sharpes and Winchester. Still, the arrogant commander feels even the unready troops could put down a rebelling from a few hundred warriors with swords and bows. Cruise unit finds out differently, as they are nearly wiped out. Cruise goes down fighting as a true warrior and earns the awe and admiration from the Samurai leader Katsumoto - beautifully played by Ken Watanabe. Katsumoto is not fighting against his Emperor, rather fighting the advisors around him wishing to exploit Japan.

Katsumoto takes Algren back to his mountain strong hold, heals him. He is a prisoner, but basically allowed the run of the compound. As he slowly comes out of his nightmares and drunken stupors, he finds a world that is built on honor, something he long ago lost. The people are gentle, live by a code and do not fear death - if it comes with honor. He gradually joins the warriors training and earns the love and respect of the Samurai, and comes to love them in return. They go forward knowing they are out numbered, out gunned, but in the timeless way of the Samurai, they face death with honor in order to make a statement.

It is beautifully filmed, deftly directed with a true understanding of the subject, and Cruise and Watanabe are brilliant.

It just does not get any better than this (though I would have loved to see Viggo have Cruise's role!)