Competently mounted in its studiedly immersive, elongated way, Zwick's earnest costume epic dresses a knee-jerk, reactionary sensibility in exotic garb.
The Last Samurai (2003)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:210
Fresh:136
Rotten:74
Average Rating:6.4/10
Consensus: With high production values and thrilling battle scenes, The Last Samurai is a satisfying epic.
Runtime: 2 hrs 34 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: Captain Nathan Algren (TOM CRUISE) is a man adrift. The battles he once fought now seem distant and futile. Once he risked his life for honor and country, but, in the years since the Civil War,... Captain Nathan Algren (TOM CRUISE) is a man adrift. The battles he once fought now seem distant and futile. Once he risked his life for honor and country, but, in the years since the Civil War, the world has changed. Pragmatism has replaced courage, self-interest has taken the place of sacrifice and honor is nowhere to be found - especially out West where his role in the Indian Campaigns ended in disillusionment and sorrow. Somewhere on the unforgiving plains near the banks of the Washita River, Algren lost his soul. A universe away, another soldier sees his way of life about to disintegrate. He is Katsumoto (KEN WATANABE), the last leader of an ancient line of warriors, the venerated Samurai, who dedicated their lives to serving emperor and country. Just as the modern way encroached upon the American West, cornering and condemning the Native American, it also engulfed traditional Japan. The telegraph lines and railroads that brought progress now threaten those values and codes by which the Samurai have lived and died for centuries. But Katsumoto will not go without a fight. The paths of these two warriors converge when the young Emperor of Japan, wooed by American interests who covet the growing Japanese market, hires Algren to train Japan's first modern, conscript army. But as the Emperor's advisors attempt to eradicate the Samurai in preparation for a more Westernized and trade-friendly government, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai. Their powerful convictions remind him of the man he once was. Thrust now into harsh and unfamiliar territory, with his life and perhaps more important, his soul, in the balance, the troubled American soldier finds himself at the center of a violent and epic struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his sense of honor to guide him. Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Radar Pictures / Bedford Falls Company / Cruise-Wagner Production of an Edward Zwick film: Tom Cruise in the epic action drama The Last Samurai, starring Timothy Spall, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Hiroyuki Sanada, Koyuki. Directed by Edward Zwick from a screenplay by John Logan and Marshall Herskovitz & Edward Zwick, story by John Logan, the film is produced by Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner, Scott Kroopf and Tom Engelman. Ted Field, Richard Solomon, Vincent Ward and Charles Mulvehill are the executive producers. John Toll, A.S.C., is the director of photography. Lilly Kilvert is the production designer. Edited by Steven Rosenblum, A.C.E., and Victor du Bois. Music by Hans Zimmer. The Last Samurai will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It is rated R by the MPAA for "strong violence and battle sequences." Soundtrack album on Warner Sunset Records/Elektra Entertainment/WMG Soundtracks. [More]
Starring: Tom Cruise, Timothy Spall, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly
Starring: Tom Cruise, Timothy Spall, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Hiroyuki Sanada, Masato Harada
Director: Edward Zwick
Director: Edward Zwick
Screenwriter: Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick, John Logan
Producer: Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, Scott Kroopf, Tom Engelman, Ted Field
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for The Last Samurai
As brisk as it is rich, The Last Samurai is much more fun than a mere history lesson.
It is definitely a treat for the eyes and ears and well worth a trip to the cinema to see.
Zwick is attracted to the notions of victory in defeat and the romantic purity of self-sacrifice. His film is, however, a trifle earnest and overlong.
An intelligent, well-written, impressively acted and directed epic adventure movie that even manages to take some sly swipes at American Imperialism along the way.
Before you can say "I'm turning Japanese I really think so" he’s learnt the way of the samurai and become Japanese in every way except that he's Tom Cruise, all American hero.
The film also looks amazing, with spectacular New Zealand scenery standing in for 19th century Japan. But Zwick's choices as a director are more troublesome.
The more you think about it, the worse it gets. What begins as stirring twaddle ends with such absurd self-regard from Tom Cruise that there is not a dry pair of underpants in the house.
More than anything else, "The Last Samurai" is the current Tom Cruise vehicle, and the actor's capacity to wrestle the story to his own demands is an impressive testament to his multifaceted perfectionist skills.
It's easy to stand back and wax ironic about The Last Samurai. But it's not all that difficult to succumb to its full-spirited romanticism either.
The real point of the film seems to be the poster image of a battle-ready Tom Cruise waving a sword and all decked out in gleaming red-and-black samurai armor.
It's a film at war with itself. Worse, it's a mixed bag of carefully packaged entertainment, with little room for spontaneity or surprise.
Cruise is wasted on this American samurai tale. The movie is pretty to look at but lacks substance or intrigue.
Zwick has an ace up his sleeve, in addition to all the glorious scenery and pulse-pounding battles, and that’s Ken Watanabe.
A harrowing tale of honor, simple beauty, self-discovery, and ferocious conviction.
Latest News for The Last Samurai
December 07, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: Mel, Cameron, & Leo Battle For #1 Spot
A wave of new releases hits the multilplexes on Friday as the North American box office looks to bounce back after a slugglish weekend and get the final month of the year... More...
November 30, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: "Nativity" Leads Trio of New Releases
The post-turkey blues will kick in as the North American box office should slump this weekend following a busy Thanksgiving holiday frame. More...
September 22, 2006:
Max Von Sydow, Roman Polanski, and Hiroyuki Sanada to Appear in "Rush Hour 3"?
Talk about some weird casting news: Seems that not only Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan will be appearing in the long-anticipated (and I've no idea why) "Rush Hour 3,"... More...
August 17, 2006:
Burton & Depp Together for the 6th Time: Sweeney Todd
When Tim Burton and Johnny Depp get together, pretty wild movies tend to happen. Frankly I think all five of their previous collaborations have been darn fine films, and here's... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- The Last Samurai at Rotten Tomatoes
- The Last Samurai at IGN
- The Last Samurai at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

