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| Media: |
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DVD |
| Region 1: |
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United States & Canada [?] |
| Format: |
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NTSC [?] |
| Languages: |
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English, Français |
| Subtitles: |
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English, Français,
Español |
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| Director: |
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Edward Zwick |
| Starring: |
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Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe |
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| Amazon.com review: |
| While Japan undergoes tumultuous transition to a more Westernized
society in 1876-77, The Last Samurai gives epic sweep to an
intimate story of cultures at a crossroads. In America, tormented
Civil War veteran Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is coerced
by a mercenary officer (Tony Goldwyn) to train the Japanese
Emperor's troops in the use of modern weaponry. Opposing this
"progress" is a rebellion of samurai warriors, holding
fast to their traditions of honor despite strategic disadvantage.
As a captive of the samurai leader (Ken Watanabe), Algren learns,
appreciates, and adopts the samurai code, switching sides for
a climactic battle that will put everyone's honor to the ultimate
test. All of which makes director Edward Zwick's noble epic
eminently worthwhile, even if its Hollywood trappings (including
an all-too-conventional ending) prevent it from being the masterpiece
that Zwick and screenwriter John Logan clearly wanted it to
be. Instead, The Last Samurai is an elegant mainstream adventure,
impressive in all aspects of its production. It may not engage
the emotions as effectively as Logan's script for Gladiator,
but like Cruise's character, it finds its own quality of honor.
--Jeff Shannon |
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