Tom Cruise, Timothy Spall, Billy Connolly, Tony Goldwyn, Ken Watanabe ...( see more  see more... ) , William Atherton

An epic set in Japan during the 1870s which centers on Captain Nathan Algren, an American who is being requested to carry out a very special mission. Captain Algren, a respected colonial military offi...( read more  read more... )cer, is hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern warfare. As the Emperor attempts to eradicate the ancient Imperial Samurai warriors, in preparation for more Westernized and trade-friendly policies, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai. This tension places the colonial officer at the center of a struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his own sense of honor to guide him.

Flixster Users

82% liked it

356,931 ratings

Critics

65% liked it

211 critics

R, 2 hr. 24 min.

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Release Date: December 5, 2003

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DVD Release Date: May 4, 2004

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Stats: 25,433 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (25,433)


  • November 14, 2009
    Everything you want from a historical epic. It's a long history lesson that remains gripping, with characters defending their honour in big battle scenes. Tom Cruise plays his favourite Maverick role and there's even a bit of Billy Connolly. Very enjoyable.
  • July 18, 2009
    This is a great movie, the Eastern look and feel is spot on, the samurai's are awesome and I love their warrior armour and weaponary. Its a perfect samurai flick. Watanabe is brilliant as is his warriors, the battles are great slicing action and the vista's are excellent. Cruise ...( read more)lets it down in my opinion, he just loves himself too much and shows of, it needed a smaller name in the role, with less of an ego, the usual problem with this type of film. I love the oriental Eastern style and look, if you do to you'll like this.
  • April 23, 2009
    A big production with some amazing views, a great quality film with a western view on the Samurai style films. It also captures the spiritual sense.

    It is perhaps a little disappointing that people will watch, and have watched this film purely because of Tom Cruise being the ...( read more)lead, when although this is one of Cruise's better roles it certainly isn't the Cruise element that makes the film, but I'm sure he would have raised the box office ratings.
  • March 27, 2009
    A disillusioned cavalry officer is ordered to train an army to fight against a rebellious samurai in Japan, only to be captured and come to respect his erstwhile foe. Yes, that's right, it's Dances With Japs. Or maybe, How The East Was Won. This film is exactly what i was expecti...( read more)ng; a typical Hollywood historical epic. Tiny Tom is troubled by clumsy flashbacks of an atrocity which now shapes his entire personality and sets off to do his duty, only to learn to admire the noble savages while they learn from his pig-headed self-destructiveness and provide him with a handily widowed village babe and surrogate family. He then switches sides leading to the wobbly lower-lip inducing heroic final battle after which an American invents modern Japan (probably shouldn't have nuked it 70 years later then, huh?) The script is the usual laughably formulaic nonsense you'd expect (the ending especially provoked one particularly loud and obnoxious raspberry aimed at the screen) and everyone's favourite cultist shouts, gets all dewy eyed and moons over doe-eyed Japanese beauties on cue, although I'd have to say he does not look too out of place with a katana in his hand. Despite the cliche riddled script, there is enough action and spectacle to maintain the interest, with the battle sequences as well staged as you'd expect but it is the smaller scale fight sequences that are the most impressive, particularly the bonding bloodshed Tom and Ken share when dealing with a cadre of attacking ninjas. In fact it falls to Ken Watanabe to provide the real meat of the story and he brings an intensity to his character that is sorely lacking from the rest of the cast. It's a serviceable Hollywood blockbuster that's undemanding yet entertaining enough but I couldn't help thinking that it would have been a much better film if Cruise and his character weren't in it.
  • January 4, 2009
    I love this movie - not a big Tom C. fan but he is a good actor- and this movie is really good -
  • February 9, 2010
    "Katsumoto: You believe a man can change his destiny?
    Algren: I think a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed."
  • February 9, 2010
    My fave Tom Cruise movie (2nd, Minority Report 3rd, Vanilla Sky)
  • February 7, 2010
    A truely fantastic tale of the end of a way of life.
    A new era usred in by the greed of the American's and Japenese busenes men looking to make money whilest destorying a agent way of life.
    A film that will take your breath away as we remember the sad so called evolution of hum...( read more)anity.
    We will kill our own for power, greed, and to move forward as we pave over the past like a pot-hole.
    The brave Samurai that were sworn to protect the Empire, country and way of live betrayed by there own people.
    Ken Watanabe is truely fantastic in this movie, and if you can get past the glits and glamour that hollywood have spun into this you can see that underneath this is a truely outstanding film with one of the most sadest endings i have ever witnessed.
    ''There is Life in every breath...''
    ''That is, Bushido.''
  • February 5, 2010
    a beautifully made film- could have used a better actor than tom cruise though....:I
  • February 1, 2010
    Very good movie, I really like it. I like how it takes place in Japan, and how the main character changes his beliefs.

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Comments


  • nechtjar
    April 7, 2009
    Tom Cruise is my favourite actor of all time and this's my favorite of his work.
  • oerigjerogjoierjg
    April 5, 2009
    Great movie! I cried during the scene when the English used the machine guns and mowed down the Samurai's.
  • jovilpollentes
    March 9, 2009
    amazing.........................
  • ianrooms
    February 21, 2009
    wowwwwwww, it's awesome movie...
  • Marti34
    January 19, 2009
    "The Last Samurai" That is all.Thank you Directed : Edward Zwick Starring : Tom Cruise, Timothy Spall, Billy Connoly, Tony Goldwyn, Ken Watanabe, William Atherton, Edward Zwick, Ted Field, Richard Solomon, Charles Mulyehill, Vincent Ward
  • alejandro5249
    November 21, 2008
    alex
  • elsheikhalassam
    September 24, 2008

    I think that this film
    Look purely political and technical outlook film stock
    And a wonderful actor Tom Cruise
  • ajischillin
    July 15, 2008
    http://www.tomcruise.com/tom-cruise-the-last-samurai-movie.html
  • blackcrade7th
    July 11, 2008
    i love this movie. i like all samurai stuff.

    awesome!!!!!!! i would see it many times as it can be possible!!!!
  • ShibooErida
    April 4, 2008
    Loved this movie. Watched it at least 3 times, which is a lot for me.

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The Last Samurai Trivia


  • In what movie does Civil War Hero Capt. Nathan Algren dedicate himself to the ways of Bushido? (2003)  Answer »
  • In what movie did Tom Cruise say the following...? "I believe a man does what he can until his destiny is revealed to him?   Answer »
  • In what film was the line, "the perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life," spoken?  Answer »
  • In "The Last Samurai", what happened to Nathan Algren?  Answer »

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