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The Last Samurai

Adventure. Action. Drama Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a former Civil War hero, is adrift in 1870s San Francisco after the war, a lost soul struggling to stay afloat in a booze-soaked stupor. When he is recruited by the Japanese government to train the Emperor's army, he departs for the unknown shores of Japan and begins training the soldiers in American military tactics. But these skills are useless against a band of samurai rebels led by the proud ... [+]
Author Review
United StatesUnited States
rogerebert.com
rogerebert.com
"The battle scenes are stirring and elegantly mounted (...) Beautifully designed, intelligently written, acted with conviction, it's an uncommonly thoughtful epic (…) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"  POS
United StatesUnited States
The New York Times
The New York Times
"[It] is most watchable during the majestic brutality of the battle sequences. This is not only because of the handsome staging, but also because the keywords sacrifice and honor are evoked with verve and simplicity"  POS
United StatesUnited States
Variety
Variety
"[It] is as rich in period and historical background as it is deficient in fresh dramatic and thematic ideas."  NEU
United StatesUnited States
Time
Time
"'The Last Samurai' is a movie that demands our surrender — to its energy, to its bold-stroke moviemaking, to its acting (...) and, above all, to its romantic vision of a lost world."  POS
United StatesUnited States
Newsweek
Newsweek
"There are pleasures to be had in the handsome, heroic 'The Last Samurai.' But they're all on the surface."  NEU
United StatesUnited States
The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
"An epic east-meets-west action-drama that stirs the imagination (...) Cruise's transformation into a samurai is convincing"  POS
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The Guardian
The Guardian
"It's a very competently made picture (...) But as with many of Cruise's classy, showy upscale vehicles (...) it's never far from absurdity and conceit."  NEU
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
Empire
Empire
"As brisk as it is rich, 'The Last Samurai' is much more fun than a mere history lesson (…) Rating: ★★★★★ (out of 5)"  POS
United StatesUnited States
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
"[A] rousing, smoothly assembled historical fantasia (...) [Cruise's work] commands respect, in actors or in samurai."  POS
United StatesUnited States
CNN
CNN
"'Samurai' is a spectacular epic adventure, and Cruise is stunning"  POS
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