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The Last Samurai (Blu-ray, 2003)
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Set in Japan during the 1870s, The Last Samurai tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a respected American military officer 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 government policies, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai, which places him at the center of a struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his own sense of honor to guide him. The Last Samurai boasts gorgeous cinematography, landscapes, costumes and lighting. The 2.40:1 1080p VC-1 codec pays it off well. The video has a few technical issues and may have used noise reduction during some stage of production, but overall, the detail, colors and contrast are all very good. Depth is quite stunning on some of the landscape shots and sequences when the Japanese soldiers were lined up for training. Good detail on the uniforms and backgrounds showed off the textures capable at 1080p. Dark scenes were good, with gobs of detail, although a touch blotchy in areas where one might expect shadows. The picture is the best indicator that Zwick's cinematography decisions are those of a technician and not an artist. Watch the framing--the choices of what to show and what not to show--and the camera angles. These videographical decisions appear mechanically flawless, capturing the characters, landscapes and action beautifully. But something is missing. Instead of artistry and magic on the screen, the picture seems crafted. Again, it is quite beautiful, with good definition and adequate depth in 1080p, but the soul seems to be missing, for lack of a better explanation. Nowhere is this problem clearer than the monochochromatic battle scene shot in the forest. The blues and blacks appear unnatural and seem like a gimmick. The Last Samurai is one of Warner's HD DVD ports that only includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. While it is quite good, at 640 kbps, the treble does not seem as extended and the soundstage doesn't seem as expansive as most lossless PCM tracks. While the sound effects, gunshots and voices have good tonal characteristics and forwardness, composer Hans Zimmer's orchestral arrangement was generally shelved further back in the mix. The massed strings did not achieve good definition, but delivered the liquid midrange that some audiophiles enjoy. The best thing that can be said of the DD track was the way it was engineered. Attention to detail and dynamics are very good. Listen to the scene when the ninja silently invade the sleeping village, and the ensuing battle with the samurai. The mix of dialogue, sound effects and ambient noises is very good. Best of all, it is truly immersive, with good use of the surrounds and LFE, which delivers deep, tight bass in all of the battle scenes. The average HT fan will have no complaints. Final Thoughts -------------- The Last Samurai' is an engaging epic which definitely delivers in terms of great home theater demo material, with beautiful visuals and a top-notch soundtrack. On that level alone, it is worthy of consideration. An easy recommend for fans of the film.Read full review
The Last Samurai embodies the true essences of two cultures who come together for power, control, and yes, War. Tom Cruise played his role quite well. He gave the role his own little twist of credibility. Even though he had struggled with alcohol during the first parts of the film, it seemed to bring out a deeper, darker side of him, yet making him appear mortal and weaker than his captors. This film portrays white men in a negative light. Their brutality and greed for money are most definitely present in the film. Algren (Tom Cruise)is firstly fighting to get paid until the Samurai win him over with their more honorable ideals. Samurai heroes act out of honor and dutiful service whereas western heroes are cold and detached and could care less about saving anyone until someone offers them a bounty. This film recognized both western and Japanese genres' similarities and differences and incorporated them together. While it's probably a little convenient and hard to stomach that the lone white man would be the last man standing, if you look at how the cultures differ it's a little easier to accept. If a Samurai loses in battle, he has to take his own life. So, they're all essentially fighting to the death. Algren doesn't share the disgraced suicide belief, so when he knows he's beaten, he's more likely to surrender. because he has allies on the opposing side. IF YOU LIKE MY REVIEWS PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW BY VOTING. THANKSRead full review
If you like Period movies, then you don’t want to miss this one. The story starts off with Tom Cruise drunk and working for a rifle company trying to sell them by reenacting famous battles with Native Americans. He gets approached by one of his old commanders to train the new Japanese army against the feudal Samurai and their old general. He gets captured by the samurai in their first skirmish and is taken prisoner. He spends about a year and ends up falling in love with the culture and perhaps someone. What make this movie are the costumes and the scenery, the acting is good and the action is better. If you have the standard DVD widescreen addition then it really depends on how clean you want the picture. The Blu-ray version is a bit better and really shows it in the landscape and big battle shots throughout the movie. If you can get this movie for 10-14 dollars then its worth get it in Blu-ray.The movie is a bit older (2003) I think and will not look as good as the newer movies like letters from Iwo Jima.Read full review
The story follows a disillusioned American Civil War hero, Captain Nathan Algren, played by Tom Cruise, as he goes to Tokyo to train the Japanese army, who are embroiled in a battle with the remaining traditional Samurai. The Americans are there for the money, and that money is provided by the Emperor's Westernized advisors who want the Samurai out of the picture so that they may continue be the power behind the Emperor and increases their own wealth. In an early battle however, Algren is captured by the Samurai and held by them for the winter. During this time he learns the way of the Samurai and eventually ends up fighting alongside them - breaking his allegiance to the country he once fought for. Ken Watanabe in his performance as the samurai leader Katsumoto dominates the screen. Through Watanabe we see that the samurai are noble and intelligent. Hiroyuki Sanada was impressive as Ujio, the tough, brutal, yet loyal and disciplined Samurai. This film has amazing sets and battles. The sword fights are well rehearsed and the cinematography is well orchestrated. The costumes were striking and good replicas for a period movie. This film reminded me of Dances with wolves, which I also liked. Its not about which culture is more superior, it is about our mutual willingness to listen and learn from each other.Read full review
This has to be one of Tom Cruise's best films. His performance in this movie flawless, epic. From start to finish of the movie he made you feel for his drunk, didn't care for my life character. All the characters (actors) in this movie were epic I must say. Hands down I give this movie 5 stars for story and action scenes. I say this movie is a must buy in my opinion mostly for the story behind it. As for the blu-ray disc there isn't that much special features on the disc but at least has some. I am not a big fan of special features but is always a plus to have in my book. Blu-Ray looked pretty good but not great but still worth buying it in Blu-Ray instead of regular DVD format.
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