The Last Samurai

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The Last Samurai

(2003)

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Overview

Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai's way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.

Featured Crew

Edward Zwick

Director, Screenplay
John Logan

Screenplay, Story
Marshall Herskovitz

Screenplay

Top Billed Cast

Tom Cruise

Captain Nathan Algren
Ken Watanabe

Katsumoto
William Atherton

Winchester Rep
Chad Lindberg

Winchester Rep Assistant
Billy Connolly

Zebulon Gant

Full Cast & Crew

A review by TopKek

Written by TopKek on November 10, 2016

Edward Zwick's "The Last Samurai" is about two warriors whose cultures make them aliens, but whose values make them comrades. The battle scenes are stirring and elegantly mounted, but they are less about who wins than about what can be proven by dying. Beautifully designed, intelligently written, acted with conviction, it's an uncommonly thoughtful epic. Its power is compromised only by an ending that sheepishly backs away from what the film is really about.

Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe co-star, as a shabby Civil War veteran and a proud samurai warrior. Cruise plays Nathan Algren, a war hero... read the rest.

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Facts

Status Released

Release Information

December 5, 2003

R
Theatrical

Meaning

Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian 21 or older. The parent/guardian is required to stay with the child under 17 through the entire movie, even if the parent gives the child/teenager permission to see the film alone. These films may contain strong profanity, graphic sexuality, nudity, strong violence, horror, gore, and strong drug use. A movie rated R for profanity often has more severe or frequent language than the PG-13 rating would permit. An R-rated movie may have more blood, gore, drug use, nudity, or graphic sexuality than a PG-13 movie would admit.