I want to say it was a good film. The best parts are the battle scenes..they don't cut away to much. Its full contact for a lot of the hitting..I like that instead of lame cutaways.

Also, I saw some of the worst keying ever in the beginning. When Cruise is on a ship heading for Japan...he's looking off the boat and it's horrible. His hair is swaying in the wind and it looks like it was painted in!

I can't believe they let that go. But, its there...if you go see it look for that shot. Also, the weirdest ending.....a CU of Cruise's face. It's like the ultimate "me" moment...that's not including the battle scenes where REAL Samuri get killed off...every last one and Cruise is left standing. Give me a break....not possible.

Some beautiful cinematography, some excellent battle sequences, a mediocre story line ("Dances With Wolves meets Japan") and a lame actor.

I give it a B+

Tom Cruise auditionned for a part in our Lady X: The Ronin (ep. 13) movie this past summer, but Keith and I passed on him in favor of a fresh young actor. I think we went with the right choice.

I am eager to see this, if only for the cinematography.

I, too, am not a big Tom Cruise fan. To be sure, he has been very entertaining in several films. But, in my lay opinion, his is a problem shared by the majority of young and youngish actors today; he only seems able to play himself. Regardless of how he is costumed or what lines he's reciting he's always essentially the same character. While it certainly must take more skill than I have to even do that, it's monotonous. But apparently it sells very well around the world (maybe he's better if dubbed in Spanish or Japanese?). He's certainly one of the wealthiest actors of all time.

Tom Cruise is great in Born on Forth of July and few other movies. But, it seems to have been lost because he's over acting lately.

If he could chill out for a year and relax...maybe he would come back with something decent. He's just to....into what he's doing and it shows. Sometimes he needs to just relax and not draw on the intensity he has...its nice, but not needed all the time.

The lead Japanese actor is wonderful by the way... don't remember his name, but he is a real gift.

Actually, you're right. I thought he gave a throughtful performance. It's Cruise that tried to overact during their duel scenes..

I agree on a few parts in this thread in that Tom Cruise is Tom Cruise. But to say he is a lame actor and essentially able to play only himself is absurd.

Has anyone even seen Magnolia?

Let's think of some actors that seem to always play themselves:

DeNiro
Pacino
Stewart
Wayne
Ford

Well I suppose I could go on and on but my point is, is that he has character. Is Tom Cruise Tom Cruise when you see him? Yes.

Are the actors listed above the same as well? Yes. I'm not putting Cruise in the same class as Pacino and DeNiro; NO WAY.

I just saying the guy can act. To say he's a LAME actor shows no real judge of talent.

See

Color of Money, The (1986)
Rain Man (1988)
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Far and Away (1992)
Few Good Men, A (1992)
Magnolia (1999)

Come on... A lame actor? He held his own with Hoffman, Newman and Nicholson (Newman and Hoffman won the Academy Award for their roles. You don't pull that off by playing opposite some Lame Actor.

Magnolia is #3 in my top 10. Very good movie. Everyone should see that one first :-). He and every other person in that movie gave a terrific performance. It contains like 4 of my top 6 actors/actresses too.

Hey what about Jerry McQuire? Not just anyone can pull off the "Show me the money" line! And, he made Renee Zelwieger (sp?) look freaking hot, or wait, she is already hot, but that "show me the money" line...talent!?!

Born on Forth of July is amazing...underrated by so many. I get chills watching that movie because it goes in so many places...just checkout the hospital scene when he's puking and shiting on himself. It's so real...sick, but sad because it is what happened.

Also, the way he was 17 years old on the wrestling team...looked 17! Then he turns around and he's an older bald guy in a wheelchair. I love that movie, so many great scenes...if only we could get a good print on DVD. The transfers stink...very contrasty instead of clean.

Cruise is great in Minority Report too. If we look at it in Hollywood terms...he's probably the best Hollywood actor there is out there. He does big budget and he's great...in my opinion he's the sucessor to Harrison Ford. If you remember, Harrison did some great films...Witness, Mosquito Coast...Raiders etc. I think Cruise is carrying the large budget genre along after Harrison Ford.

By the way, Hollywood Homocide was truly horrible wasn't it? Harrison forgot how to act in that movie..

It must be the director's...cause it's hit or miss.

Murph

Well put.

Wow, think about it. I grew up idolizing Harrison Ford. Start Wars, Raiders, Blade Runner. I never thought about Tom Cruise being the successor of Harrison, but you are right; he does BIG BUDGET better than anyone right now.

I don't know if it's his agent or him, but he picks the right films to do. When was the last stinker he did? Days of Thunder? (Eyes Wide Shut doesn't count; that was Kubricks own crap)

I was hugely disapointed in Hollywood Homicide and I dig both of the leads in that and Ron Shelton but that film just missed on all kinds of levels. Too bad. And what was up with Lena Olin being the love interest? What, did she have one more film under contract owed to her?

I think Harrison is in dire need of a quality film. It's not that I disliked his recent work (What Lies Beneath was actually pretty cool) but where is the Harrison we all know and love:

Air Force One
Clear and Present Danger
The Fugitive


Well, INDY 4 is in production and I'm sure he will kick ass as INDY as usual; but I am almost sure of one thing. Spielberg and Lucas will fu**ing ruin it like they did with Part 3.

Remember how cool RAIDERS was? How it almost seemed plausible? By the time they did 3 it was like what just happened? Why is Connery an idiot and Marcus a total imcompetent? The whole cast were a bunch of dumbasses.

Sigh

Yeah, Tom Cruise has really proven to be reliable.

I've always been a fan of Ben Stiller's impressions of Tom Cruise over the years. Probably the best was on" The Ben Stiller Show" that ran on Fox and is now available on DVD (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008PHCU/qid=1073549844//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i0_xgl74/002-6456019-7031258?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846#product-details) (I was and am a huge fan of that show, all 13 episodes). Ben does Tom performing a one-man show on Broadway, "Tom Cruise: Dress Casual" that has to be seen to be believed...

Hey John Hudson -

We're totally on the same page. I'm guessing you're in your 30's by the we agree??

I know what you mean - Harrison Ford needs something to sink his teeth into. I'm thinking that the 80's could have been his time for a few reasons...his younger age and the time period being open to the 2nd generation of "blockbusters" after the Jaws/Stars Wars phenomenon. They were spending money and using the 1970's indepenent mind-set.

Also, we forgot to mention Vanilla Sky...a very cool film that needs to be watched at least 2 times to understand the depth. There is something about Cruise's choices that really go against the typical Hollywood shlock. He's SO Hollywood in his choices that it's ok with me because he's not making excuses - he's giving the situation the best. It's just like Harrison in Raiders...it's PURE Hollywood popcorn film. We all LOVE it because it didn't attempt to be anything else...a pure fantasy of joy for its audience.

I think Cruise might have a more action-type thing happening right now. But, I have a feeling he's in-the-know about his age...maybe 1-2 more of these and he's going to have to dig deeper. I think Harrison Ford is making a mistake with Indy 4 - and I mean that in a way like HE is making a mistake. Of course, we'll all go and see it! It's Indiana Jones!! But, think about it...he'll be 62 when it premiere's.....unless he's going to be TRUTHFUL about his age in the film and do the right thing..it'll make him look pretty stupid. I truly hope they don't have him running around so much...it better be truthful and circumstantial. Like, I'd rather see him dig into the professor-side of himself...using his smarts more, mystery getting uncovered...that sort of thing. I'd like to see him go in the closet and pull out the whip and jacket...like, dust it off....show it. That'll give me chills...be real Indiana and we'll believe again...

Damn, I wanna write Indy 4's screenplay now! I bet that my idea is better than what they're doing!! lol

Murph

I would love a good Indy-4 with Ford in it, but he's a bit long-in-the-tooth. Do you think he can get beat up, jump onto hard surfaces, or punch the bad guys out at his age and still make it look like he won't be laid up in an intensive care unit for 6 months? Remember how old and tired Sean Connery looked in the last James Bond flick he did? Even the wig didn't fit anymore. Ya gotta know when to fold 'em and when to walk away.

Nick

SAMURAI was full of so many cliches, I just shook my head...

Cruise was Cruise...

Why kill off so many Samurai in the name of honor? That made NO sense...

The set design and the lead Samurai, Watanbe, were the only good thing. The cinematography was run-of-the-mill.

I give it a B-, because Watanbe was so good. It was a Cruise vanity project.

heath

Mr. Murphy

Yes, I am 33. LOL

I agree with your take 100%. That is weird, huh? I always wanted INDY 4 to be centered around the PACIFIC side of WW2. No more NAZI's. B O R I N G.

I wanted INDY to be caught up with the IMPERIAL FLEET and perhaps the dropping of the bomb. Probally too serious for people though and we have to be nice to the Japanese now (Think Pearl Harbor in that everyone was so concerned about upsetting the Japanese instead of telling a real story with historical accuracy)

DISCLAIMER - I am in no way trying to start anything here! I just wish Pearl Harbor had taken itself more seriously and ditched the candy ass love story.

Think INDY 4 in the South Pacific durig WW2. I would love to see it back in it's roots in terms of making a movie that could be nominated. The original RAIDERS was nominated for BEST PICTURE and can you even see the other 2 being considered? NO WAY. If I was helming it, I would take it back to a serious level and try and make THE BEST PICTURE as oppossed to something that will be marketed and sold at Burger King.

VANILLA SKY was kick ass; I almost forgot. I have to check into the Ben Stiller thing. I love Stiller.

I can't say that SAMURAI is a Cruise vanity project. He starred in it, that's it. It's not like Costner (who I also dig) where he wrote, produced, directed and starred!

I didn't like DANCES WITH WOLVES, mostly because it pretty much shut GOODFELLAS out at the Oscars. I was one p'd off 15 year old!

heath

Heath, definately a B- on Samuri...for sure.

John, that is funny huh? I like your idea - that would be a great story. It would line-up perfectly with the timeframe too.

You're right, if Speilberg directs something worthwhile it could be nominated. It's amazing how someone can direct something like Raiders and they do AI or Lost World Pt 7!! It seems like a waste of skill. However, he seems to redeem himself in odd ways...like with Minority Report. I think AI and Minority Report are cousins in a way, but I swear that Minority Report blows AI away...IMHO, of course. I haven't heard anyone say AI was good...it was misguided. Stanley Kubrick should have directed, but didn't...so Speilberg did a nice thing and made it come to life. It's like a doctor saving a baby and wife at birth...and then taking them home to raise them. It's still not his baby, but it'll kinda grow up ok. That's AI..not really that great. But, with the right guidence, I bet it would have been great. I also think that Speilberg thought he could capture the greatness...didn't happen!

By the way, we forgot to mention "The Firm" with Cruise. That's a good one too..I'll give him that one too.

I really want some good movies in 2004...come on indies and Hollywood!!!!!

Murph

lol :)

Richard,

The story may have been mediocre on the suurface but it's the underlying message of honor and being true to your beliefs that give the story it's strength and power. This may not be obvious to you as an American living in the US but as someone who lives in Japan these are two traits that are sadly giving way to vanity and greed. Then again it's going that way all over the world a lot longer. The sad part of the film, this is from my Japanese wife, is that the morals and ethics of the samauri and bushido that were the basis of life for over 1000 years have been all but forgotten in just 120 years.

The Japanese actor by the way is Ken Watanabe. He is a very talented actor and is deservingly very popular here in Japan. Hopefully, this will see him landing some more major roles to let more of the world see this mans talent.

I didn't like SAMURAI because it was full of cliches. Watanabe was cool. Oh, and to slaughter an entire group of Samurai just to make a point? I didn't get that, but then again, I don't get much. ;-)

heath

The worst part of the movie was the end...all these REAL Samuri are fighting to the last breathe...and Cruise is the last one standing? Yeah, ok...lol.

The absolute worse ending in a movie ever...a close-up of Cruise and fade to black. I mean, come on...after all that story and the whole meaning of it and you have to end on his face? At least end up on that tree in the garden or something with more meaning than Cruise's face.

I actually liked certain parts of the movie. But, I think it should have been thoughtout differently. An alcoholic American goes to Japan and becomes a Samuri and in the battlefield is the LAST one standing...and lives? Come on...it's Hollywood - beyond Hollywood. The "suspention of belief" just doesn't go that far in film...it goes pretty far, but not that much!

Murph

I still can't buy Cruise in the role, because he's larger than life, Cruise.

heath

I agree.

But, I did like him in a bunch of other movies like Born on the 4th of July, Vanilla Sky and few others. He's good in certain roles.

murph

I never said it didn't have holes, I was refering to the underlying message of the story. The thing that did get me was that it only took Tom's character a winter in the mountains to a: speak Japanese, I've been at it for three years and it still kills me, and b: become good with a katana, I'm a fairly big guy, 6ft, 88kg, and swinging one of those things around is bloody difficult. As for 'doing something just to make a point', maybe you should pay us a visit.

If you haven't seen The Last Samuri, but have Seen Dances With Wolves, you know 90% of the plot already.
And yes, in both films, the bad guys wear blue. And are lead by a skanky, greedy white american officer. Oh well.

There was a great documentary on the film on the History channel.
In real life, the modernization of Japan brought civil rights to the average citizen and women.

Under the rule of the Shogun/Samuri, peasants and women had no rights what so ever. Foreigners caught on Japanese soil were executed without trial.

But the hollywood version doesn't want to show that.

The concepts of honor didn't die with the modernization of Japan.

I thought the Japanese women who helped Tom Cruise recover was hot. But then I think Japanese women are the most beautiful of all the asian ethnic groups.