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The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai
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The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai

2003
Drama, Action
2h 34m
The paths of two warriors converge when the Emperor of Japan hires a Civil War veteran to train Japan's first modern army. As he encounters the Samurai traditions, 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.

The Last Samurai

2003
Drama, Action
2h 34m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 50.8% from 12509 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

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Rated 13 Dec 2018
95
91st
Dances with Samurai lol
Rated 04 Nov 2008
8
82nd
Pretty badass movie with some amazingly well done fight scenes. And it is really a pleasant surprise after reading 'A WHITE GUY IS THE LAST SAMURAI WTF HEHEHEHE' a thousand times. It's probably 30 minutes too long and the typical Zwick cheese comes into play but pretty solid overall.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
65
44th
The Last Samurai is beautiful in its physical entity but superficial in its story and characters. It's the historical epic the movie suggest's it to be but more of an competent action movie.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
10
99th
Epic, gorgeously lensed, quietly philosophical one scene and awesomely action-packed the next, with a world-class performance by Ken Watanabe. I might like it more than I'm supposed to, but I get off on this epic shit and I think katana fights are pretty darn cool, so that's alright. Also, complainers, "the last samurai" is Katsumoto, not Tom Cruise! That's not a legitimate gripe!
Rated 13 Feb 2009
84
82nd
One of Tom Cruise's best performances. Great ending and well choreographed fighting.
Rated 24 Nov 2008
73
66th
Not without it's faults, but well-made and entertaining enough. The ninja attack scene is downright... awesome!
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
92nd
A great period piece. Stunning visuals and a strong story. I'm not a huge Cruise fan, but he does well here. Ken Watanabe is the show stealer in my books.
Rated 29 Jul 2009
60
21st
the last samurai is a 5 feet tall american.....almost made me do the seppuku
Rated 23 Jun 2009
2
21st
Another white dude becomes the most important member of a foreign culture.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
24th
Plenty of slow motion close ups of Tom Cruise looking heroic.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
40
32nd
"Being Epic" is not something you shoot for. You make a good movie first, and if you're LUCKY it turns out epic.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
34th
Entertaining, if mildly insulting and totally overwrought.
Rated 08 Jun 2018
60
46th
the last samurai is very well directed, adeptly acted, impeccably produced and beautifully shot, unfortunately it's hollywood to the max, cause it suffers from a major "white savior" syndrome. you would probably power whole Tokyo if you could just harness the tsunami of eyerolls from the japanese audience who saw this in theaters.
Rated 23 Oct 2015
90
87th
Sad fairytale about love and honor. I like to think that there still exist people who mean what they say, they have ideals and they are not willing to compromise on them.
Rated 11 Feb 2010
55
19th
The great white father Tom Cruise is here to deliver the ancient samurai into battle one last time! (he gets the girl too) Instead of watching this sort of insulting Hollywood revision of other nationalities' history it might be better just to watch actual samurai period pieces like Twilight Samurai or When the Last Sword is Drawn instead. Last Samurai manages not to be total trash simply because of the gorgeous costumes and Ken Watanabe's presence.
Rated 19 Oct 2009
73
73rd
It's a shame that most of the film can't quite live up to the exceptional last 45 minutes or so, as if it did this would have been truly brilliant. The are a few too many pointless scenes, which is a shame, because what this film most lacks is true character development and interaction. This leaves much of the first half of the film feeling rushed and underdeveloped, which is quite a feat considering how long the film is. Watanabe in particular is excellent, and all in all it's a very good film.
Rated 18 Apr 2009
50
14th
Oh, come on!
Rated 28 Jul 2008
5
9th
Pittyful escuse for a film. A western guy that can learn how to be a samurai in a few months. only in america...
Rated 29 Apr 2008
85
89th
I like the east meets west idea, and this is an awfully cool time period that doesn't get a lot of attention. It is, however, kind of like dances with wolves 2: tokyo sunrise.
Rated 27 Nov 2007
97
98th
Wonderful acting with a deep, cultural story.
Rated 25 Oct 2007
100
86th
Tom Cruise's last good film. I saw this movie in theaters eight times & enjoyed it more everytime I went. There are plenty of films out there about samurais, but few of them capture the real beauty, discipline, & tranquility of Japanese culture like this film does. Not only is the story interesting, Tom Cruise being the only American in the midst of a samurai village, the romance was a nice touch, the action was to die for, a very complete film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
94
93rd
This is one of those movies I could watch over and over again. Fantastic story, beautifully shot, and amazing performances from Tom Cruise & Ken Watanabe. Also, Hiroyuki Sanada redefines badass.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
25th
Mediocre. Got a lot of bad press, but it's actually not a bad watch. Not a personal favourite, but you might well like it.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
77
22nd
I'm fairly allergic to Tom Cruise, but this was a decent period piece with some nice costumes and fight scenes (and the Tom Cruise factor isn't so bad when you realize "Samurai" in the title is plural)
Rated 14 Aug 2007
83
84th
It was just a great movie. And I'll be the first to say that I was immensely surprised.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
78th
Decent film.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
19
1st
An idiotic, implicitly racist transplant of the (also idiotic) Dances With Wolves. Cruise fits into the 19th century framework about as well as Lindsey Lohan to Anna Karenina. The Japanese hold up their end of the deal, but by the end they've all been killed, or given themselves to whitey.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
70
42nd
I was able to see past Cruise, an american, as the last samurai, but if you cannot, go ahead and reduce the score by thirty points.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
77
63rd
Well-shot, didn't like the ending.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
85
71st
I've always enjoyed the Fuedal Era, the portrayal of it's end in this film is very good indeed.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
79
44th
A nice, long, entertaining movie that makes you feel educated after watching it. However, I have no idea what, if any, of it is actually based off of fact. Still it is an interesting story of an american man learning japanese culture.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
67
30th
Not too shabby, perhaps a little longer than it needed to be. Good battle scenes, though. Maybe my expectations were just too low.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
60
28th
She sails well for a while, but the fact that it's Tom Cruise as a samurai slowly but surely sinks in and annoys.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
81
69th
It's Dances with Wolves, just substitute indians for samurai. It's still a good movie.
Rated 29 Mar 2007
90
86th
A lot like _Dances with Wolves_, but a much better film all around
Rated 15 Feb 2007
60
47th
Tom Cruise is the last samurai? Really?
Rated 21 Jan 2007
72
55th
A beautifully shot film with astounding sets and costumes. Very good action and lots of fun but the ending is quite pretensious on Tom Cruise's part. I guess being the producer gives you such perks though.
Rated 18 Sep 2024
60
19th
Rated 26 May 2024
68
45th
Exceeded my expectations. Cruise is good, Watanabe is excellent. Nicely done.
Rated 07 Feb 2024
67
61st
Cruise is charismatic as usual, the action is compelling and it works well as historical fiction, but the characterization is uneven and the story a bit muddled.
Rated 21 Jan 2024
58
38th
On top of the inescapable white savior schtick, The Last Samurai is too long, kind of cheesy, has a downright stupid romance subplot, and is inferior to basically any Japanese samurai film that you could chuck on at random instead... but it's not bad. Everything is well-presented and there was clearly a lot of care and effort given from everyone involved.
Rated 23 Aug 2022
72
37th
Maybe if I hadn't watched this several times a year for every history class I ever took...
Rated 21 Mar 2022
55
42nd
Given the subject matter, could have been much better than it is. It’s clear that no one involved in making this movie gives a shit about the actual history.
Rated 16 Nov 2021
80
79th
…..I’m sorry. :-( I really like it…. >_>
Rated 20 Jun 2021
70
53rd
rvw
Rated 03 Apr 2021
67
30th
All very stupid, obvious and a little bit racist.
Rated 01 Feb 2021
82
80th
John Logan likes to write screenplays to this kind of movies. Its wonderful (except the script) movie and was a nominee for some Oscar's but sadly didn't won any. Samurai's were generally great warriors and that is presented very well. Also we can see a harakiri.
Rated 02 Jan 2021
55
38th
This is a really long movie. If it took place in any other country I probably wouldn't notice or care about the historical inaccuracies, but those + the ridiculous white savior (who's also clearly the best fighter in the world) thing don't help it. Ken Watanabe's neat. Everything looks good. It's decentish enough.
Rated 28 Sep 2020
80
83rd
Hans Zimmer's Inception score was created by Gladiator and this making sweet sweaty love.
Rated 24 Jul 2020
15
3rd
Tom Cruise is a weeb, but one of those alt-right trad otaku ones. Hate to see it.
Rated 10 May 2020
86
37th
Edward Zwick's war epic doesn't exactly break new ground for the historical genre, but it does feature some well-shot battle sequences and a commanding performance by Ken Watanabe. Some of the film's themes are questionable, especially when considering the film's focus on a "white savior," but I think it all still mostly works.
Rated 17 Apr 2020
79
49th
Once you get past the fact that "the last samurai" is a white guys and all the claims of cultural appropriation or "whitewashing," what you actually find is a good movie with an intriguing plot. As a historical fiction, the movie succeeds for the most part and Tom Cruise really dives into his role and does what he does best.
Rated 08 Mar 2020
81
78th
80.8
Rated 09 Nov 2019
70
42nd
I'll save some time on the plot synopsis ... this is "Dances with Wolves" in Japan with Tom Cruise in the Kevin Costner role. I've never been a big fan of that film, so my enjoyment here was pretty limited. It's a pretty lightweight outing that never really explains what the main conflict is about and is content to allow every character to be encapsulated by a single trait. That said, it's mildly entertaining and the battle scenes are a well staged.
Rated 22 Aug 2019
25
6th
Random white guy shows up and is better at the thing the locals have been doing all their life. It's a competent movie, but it's a perfect example of the "White Saviour" trope.
Rated 30 Apr 2019
89
34th
My SCORING: 99-96=Great; 95-90=Very good; 89-85=Good; 84-80=So-so; 79-70=Boring; Below 70=Forget it.
Rated 29 Oct 2018
90
77th
way of the samurai
Rated 18 Oct 2018
60
19th
O filme é uma bosta, mas eu vejo sempre. Adoro!
Rated 21 Sep 2018
45
46th
This is probably the worst of the historical action-dramas which came out during this time. Cruise is fine and the action is at times interesting but everything had been so overdone by this point, an Eastern setting doesn't hide just how rote this has all become.
Rated 07 Jun 2018
69
74th
This is a beauty of a film; the cinematography, visuals and scenery are truly spectacular using a lot of contrasting colour. The action scenes are well choreographed and convincing. Watanabe and Cruise are good in the leading roles, the story is probably the weakest part as it seems too familiar, but nevertheless a good movie.
Rated 22 Apr 2018
38
25th
So the LAST SAMURAI is Tom Cruise?!
Rated 20 Apr 2018
81
92nd
Plot 16/20 Fiction 15/20 Casting/Acting 17/20 Worldbuilding 17/20 Entertainment 16/20
Rated 06 Apr 2018
82
71st
One of those films that was way better than it had any right to be. Cultural tone-deafness aside, the movie has some legitimately great acting performances and memorable battle scenes. The samurai futilely charging at machine guns still resonates with me today.
Rated 02 Jan 2018
73
91st
#18#, rw4, liked!, rewatch(4) }**{ #04#, story, reviews.
Rated 26 Sep 2017
14
44th
7/7
Rated 22 May 2017
70
54th
Borrows heavily from Shogun - but enjoyable
Rated 21 Nov 2016
77
56th
Very cinematic. decent but not my favorite.
Rated 14 Aug 2016
9
91st
Tom Cruise deserves every penny he gets. as far as the "white guy leading indigenous army" movies go, this one might be the most respectful I've seen
Rated 18 Jul 2016
75
82nd
The movie gives us a glimpse into life in both feudal and modern Japan. The depiction of duality and the painful way of progress is the true heart of the movie. As for historical accuracy, it's kind of a mishmash. We know that there were indeed samurai uprisings against modernization and that these samurai were often viewed as heroes even by the Emperor himself. Thus even though all characters are made up in the movie, it still succeeds in portraying the actual spirit of Japan in the period.
Rated 01 Jun 2016
79
60th
Good swordfighting scene, nice armors, some enjoyable conversation. It's hard to feel why this war was important, why the samurai have fought, who is the good and evil. Lacks thought-provoking dialogues except the end. It's hard to understand if it was the war of tradition vs western modernism or the morality vs corruption.
Rated 07 May 2016
55
47th
A movie featuring Tom Cruise about how a white guy is better at being Japanese than actual Japanese people are. It is actually not as racist or awful as that makes it sound though. Tom Cruise is better than usual, and some serious effort is made to treat the subject matter with some degree of respect (although the effort is not entirely successful). It's not good, but it is fun, and there are definitely worse ways to spend an afternoon.
Rated 26 Apr 2016
15
82nd
W4E1P1S2V1M2A2R2. Probably need to rewatch, and it has its problems, but its right up there with the other war/historical epics of this time period.
Rated 15 Mar 2016
10
3rd
A waste of money and effort that attempts profundity and achieves nothing
Rated 11 Aug 2015
100
91st
"The Last Samurai" does bear an undeniable structural and emotional resemble also about a 19th-century soldier who casts off his imperialist ways to be absorbed into a native culture But in this film the white man is played by Uber Movie Star Tom Cruise with a melodramatic steamer-trunk's worth of emotional baggage two factors that tend to draw focus away from the fact that a culture is being obliterated and toward the interloper's personal journey through self-loathing to redemption and heroism
Rated 16 Apr 2015
2
22nd
The Last Nigga on Earth, starring Tom Hanks.
Rated 28 Mar 2015
56
34th
2.80/5
Rated 27 Feb 2015
72
64th
Koyuki is seriously great in this. Pretty long movie.
Rated 11 Dec 2014
65
33rd
Very much an outsiders perspective. Pretty cohesive dramatic spectacle. Kinda ridiculously romanticized and historically retarded but it doesn't hurt it too much.
Rated 29 May 2014
75
41st
- 10/10/10
Rated 09 May 2014
41
18th
The Last Samurai is dull, uninspired, and is a wasted opportunity in the realm of the Samurai genre in America.
Rated 18 Apr 2014
80
64th
80.000
Rated 09 Feb 2014
100
0th
good
Rated 29 Dec 2013
75
28th
Loads of fun, but never feels as deep as it wants to be.
Rated 22 Dec 2013
65
37th
With high production values and thrilling battle scenes, The Last Samurai is a satisfying epic.
Rated 19 Dec 2013
100
93rd
That Watanabe
Rated 24 Oct 2013
95
53rd
The Last Samurai is a decent film of historical fiction that has great acting(from both Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe) and I love the setting of the film - late 19th century Japan; the film gives a great look at the transformation the nation was going through at that time,moving from an isolated feudal society towards a open 'modern' and western one. Worth checking out.
Rated 12 Sep 2013
30
17th
Tom Cruise totally ruins this movie, and almost entirely ruined samurai movies for me in general. Its only saving grace is that it has pretty okay cinematography. Tom Cruise is the worst.
Rated 08 Sep 2013
66
35th
The setting is interesting, but the rest of the film failed to really excite me. The characters are a bit cliché and the whole film feels predictable. It pretends to have something important to say, but I couldn't uncover what it was exactly. The film felt a bit hollow to me and never gave criticism towards the samurai way of life, instead glorifying it and vilifying western culture, making it feel very one-sided.
Rated 07 Jul 2013
70
40th
An overlong film that works mainly on Tom Cruise's very good performance. It's a very typical story, but it's quite well done.
Rated 04 Jul 2013
79
54th
An epic film with incredible music and good acting. Sadly, the length of the film is a real issue. After you experience the highs of battle and Samurai action, there are many love sequences and other scenes thrown in to add more length to an already long movie. Ken Watanabe was amazing. I also thought that the conclusion of the film was done excellently up to the epilogue. Then it got a little cheesy. Still if you love Japan in it's full awesomeness watch this touching Samurai movie.
Rated 19 Jan 2013
30
6th
First of all, major complaint out the way, what was up with that music?! This is one of the most infuriating film scores I've heard in quite a while which thinks that every single moment of drama, no matter how minor, deserves gallons upon gallons of syrupy, "rousing", "moving" music. Yuck. The action is pretty good for the most part and the film looks nice, but the entire plot being driven by a blatantly awful decision was quite annoying. Also "SSAAAKKKKEEEEE!!!!!"
Rated 18 Jan 2013
26
5th
Dances With Wolves called, it wants its plot back.
Rated 24 Dec 2012
55
10th
Wow. Way to cliche it
Rated 15 Sep 2012
80
69th
Ok, so it's a Hollywood flick just bursting with clichès. However, Cruise does a damn good job and the scenery and atmosphere in general is fantastic. It could have been much, much worse.
Rated 30 Jul 2012
3
73rd
Epic hollywood cheese, striking production and costume.
Rated 08 Jul 2012
70
71st
Putting aside all problems of overt romanticism, far-fetched plots, and my exasperation toward yet another white savior movie - this was incredibly entertaining.
Rated 06 Jun 2012
80
68th
This is meant to be an accessible popcorn action movie for people who have never seen a Samurai film before. I kind of have a soft spot for it, because I was its intended audience when I first saw it. It has its moments.
Rated 26 Feb 2012
55
28th
I like to walk into bars and scream, "SSAAAAAAAKKKKKIIIIIIII!" The bars like to throw me out.
Rated 18 Feb 2012
80
89th
I enjoyed The Last Samurai. It won't fully appease those looking for a pure action film -- despite the fact that the action scenes are quite well-done -- but in terms of drama, characters and most other areas, it's a very good film. I had fun watching Cruise's character learn the ways of the samurai, come to appreciate their culture, because as he's doing so, we are as well. Obviously we're not learning sword fighting, but just observing that is fine by me.
Rated 24 Jan 2012
64
45th
Better than I would have suspected. I'm pretty certain the Samurai traditions would have called for his own seppuku a thousand times over, but still enjoyable.

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