I guess there's nothing wrong with a movie that deals with a samurai uprising, but I think it reflects a one-dimensonal view of Japan that Americans seem to have: that it's all about martial arts, Zen, and tea ceremonies. Not that the Japanese themselves seem to mind movies focusing on those things. But The Last Samurai omits the fact that the samurai uprisings during the Meiji period took place in an era of wrenching dislocation even for the common Japanese, and one full of uprisings, riots, and even strikes.

Also, it's odd that the hero of the movie had to be a westerner even though there was probably not a single westerner who was ever a samurai. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon showed that American audiences will see movies featuring non-western protagonists, and it's a shame the creators of this film didn't have the integrity and courage to try it.

I agree. There is a serious miscarriage of justice in the way they made this film. To depict it the way they did without acknowledging the history of the country or the plight of the different factions is totally wrong. But then again, the average, "Joe film-goer" needs a dumbed-down movie experience or he won't even go to the movies. As it is, Last Samurai is not much more than a cheap karate film.

I was surprised to see so many audience members of Japanese ancestry. I wonder what they thought about the film or how they felt after seeing it?

Seems kind of embarrassing to take something of such rich culture and history and turn it into something so shallow and trite. But...isn't that what we expect from Hollywood anymore?

Chili Bean, I have to disagree with your comment that "The Last Samurai" is nothing more than a cheap karate movie. In fact it was probably one of the best movies I have seen in a while. The only one negative thing that I can say about the movie is exactly what the first person wrote. The protagonist was a westerner, something that probably wouldn't have ever happened.
But if you look at the cinematography, the supporting cast, and the plot of the movie one feels obligated to give the creators some type of praise. Although I am not a historian, I feel as though they (the creators)depicted Samurai life, value, and ethics fairly well. Their devotion to honor, respect, and dying a good death was depicted pretty accurately. "The Last Samurai) is beautifully designed, intelligently written, acted with conviction. What more do you want from a movie. But the best part of the movie is that Hollywood didn't ruin it with a stupid and sappy love story.

You are right about the cinematography and the supporting cast. I thought Watanabe was great and the grand scope of the battles was breathtaking.

But Cruise was terrible in this film and I think by depicting the protagonist as a Westerner (as you and the prev. poster say) they removed any credibility. How can the creators depict Samurai life accuratetely by incorporating a Westerner? Especially with such a prominent role in the local culture.

My main gripe is the way the movie ended. Such a "Hollywood" ending! Cruise and Watanabe characters had to have taken at least 25-50 bullets each from those "gatling" (sp.) guns and one lived for several minutes and the other survived? Way too far-fetched. Lieing on the battlefield in each others arms was just silly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/04/movies/04RICH.html?8hpib

The New York Times has a review (Jan 4) by Motoko Rich titled "Hollywood's Land of the Rising Cliche", which discusses stereotypes of Japan in recent American movies, including the stereotype of the samurai as the embodiment of all that is good and noble about the warrior. She remarks that the view of the samurai in Japanese movies is somewhat more critical, and sees them as more corrupt than a lot of Americans do. (The ideals of the samurai were, after all, parlleled by the Western medieval ideals of chivalry, yet no one believes anymore that Western knights necesarily lived up to those ideals. Obviously some, such as the famous Chevalier Bayard, did, but they were the exception rather than the rule.)

Interestingly, she says that the Japanese had fewer problems with Kill Bill, since, although most of them do not share Quentin Tarantino's fascination with Grade B action flicks and yakuza films, they at least understand where Kill Bill is coming from.