Blogcritics: Comments on The Last Samurai

Comment by Rodney Welch

Wed, 6 Apr 2005 10:00:58 EDT

Zhang Yimou made Hero.

Comment by Bennett Dawson

Wed, 6 Apr 2005 07:39:07 EDT

Samurai Movie? Tarantino's "HERO" is so wonderfully over the top, with twists that make you gawk. Granted, both this and Crouching Tiger use special effects to bring a magical feel to the fight scenes, but both rely on interesting story lines to justify the effects. Great stuff!

Comment by Mat Brewster

Wed, 6 Apr 2005 04:07:30 EDT

The movie wasn't all that bad. The ninjas were cool at least. For quality movies about Samauris see any of Kurasawa Samauri films (Seven Samauri, Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo) or practically anything starring Toshiro Mifune. Does IFC still have Samauri Saturdays?

Comment by Tristan

Wed, 6 Apr 2005 00:57:46 EDT

Oh ~~~! Let me count the ways I HATE Tom Cruise! I think he is the worst actor~~~~~~~ shades of "Cocktail"...what a "fine" performance!!! Cruise has the most flat one-dimensional acting ability I can think of. Last Samurai on the other hand, I loved DESPITE Cruise! I can seldom watch any movie more than once (or re-read a book) -- Last Samurai I have watched over and over and over . I love the spiritual values of the Samurai so seldom portrayed HONESTLY as they were in Last Samurai~~~seriously one of the few western movies to not ridicule the Oriental ethos of honor & integrity....

Comment by Tom French

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 22:30:24 EDT

I'm amazed you were able to write after watching it. These rehashed, bullshit, fill up the 12 plex movies are so far from respectable it is pathetic.

Comment by DrPat

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 21:17:01 EDT

Now, Phillip, you know dissing Tom Cruise (especially in the vertical reach department) is sure to bring in the flame-fans! That said, I thought when the first promos came out that Cruise had found his perfect location, and could ditch his lifts at last.

Comment by amba

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 19:40:20 EDT

Maybe elevator shoes?

Comment by Phillip Winn

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 17:29:03 EDT

I would have thought Tom was shorter than the average asian man. Did they hire especially short asian men, or was it all camera tricks?

Comment by Bennett Dawson

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 17:01:43 EDT

To even mention this superficial movie in the same breath with Shogun is a crime against humanity. Woll okay, maybe the movie of Shogun deserves it, but the book itself is an incredible work. I agree with Gonzo, anything by Clavelle is better than this cliched-to-death movie "staring" Tom Cruise. But in particular I would reccommend "King Rat", a facinating story set in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Gritty and disturbing, and entertaining at the same time.

Comment by gonzo marx

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 15:47:57 EDT

should have be named "Dances with Samurai" IMO... if you want the tast..all of Clavell's books on the Far East are MUCH better nuff said? Excelsior!

Comment by DrPat

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 15:43:00 EDT

Amba, I have to agree that Shogun was a much better film. (The mini-series format allows for much more latitude in bringing a mong novel to the screen.) But Last Samurai had Tom Cruise, and lots of "furriners" he could be taller than - what more could you ask for?

Comment by dbcooper

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 15:34:01 EDT

Such sacrilege!!! Pissing on Tom Cruise is akin to pissing on God. And if Tom is not a God, how else could he have survived that Gatling gun attack?

Comment by Rodney Welch

Tue, 5 Apr 2005 15:30:57 EDT

It's a star vehicle, so the cliches were a little too predictable to bother me. I liked it. I thought it was exciting and the action scenes were well-directed. Also, the performance by Ken Watanabe was good.