Sunday, July 17, 2011

Day 30: The Last Samurai (2003)


Watching this movie wasn't my choice, it was a decision made for me. Tell a few people you've never seen this film and they'll never get off your jock.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Timothy Spall, Ken Watanabe
Directed by: Edward Zwick

The Positives:

- Ken Watanabe. Everything about his performance is excellent.
- This is one of Tom Cruise's better post-20th century performances.
- I'm not sure why but I love Timothy Spall.
- Actually, all of the acting was subtle but perfect and the film was perfectly cast.
- The scenery is beautiful. It plays an important part in the film and is a character in its own way.
- Well choreographed and executed, the action scenes left an impression.
- The film is a period piece drama filmed like a modern day action film.
- There is an intense focus on silence in this film and it just adds to the beauty. I love it when sound editors set small actions to silence. It makes the scenes so much more powerful.

The Negatives:

- Not only is the flick 154 minutes long, but it feels like it ended at three different times.
- A few of the battle scenes are riddled with very distracting CGI.

Grade: B

On the "Warrior gets sent to kill off a native tribe but has a change of heart and joins their forces"-themed movie scale, 'The Last Samurai' definitely comes before 'Avatar' (Which is in no way a great movie, but that's another review for another time.) I haven't seen 'Dances with Wolves' but now I kind of want to. Future 365 Days film? Possibly. Any ways, this was a good flick.

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