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The Last Samurai

Poster for The Last Samurai

Data

Field Value
Title The Last Samurai
Year 2003
Rated R
Released 05 Dec 2003
Runtime 154 min
Genre Action, Drama
Director Edward Zwick
Writer John Logan, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
Actors Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly
Plot In the 1870s, Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a cynical veteran of the American Civil War, who will work for anyone, is hired by Americans who want lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan to train the peasant conscripts for the first standing Imperial Army in modern warfare using firearms. The Imperial Omura (Masato Harada) cabinet's first priority is to repress a rebellion of traditionalist Samurai, hereditary warriors, who remain devoted to the sacred dynasty, but reject the Westernizing policy, and even refuse firearms. Yet, when his ill-prepared superior force sets out too soon, their panic allows the sword-wielding samurai to crush them. Badly wounded, Algren's courageous stand makes the samurai leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) spare his life. Once nursed to health, he learns to know and respect the old Japanese way, and participates as advisor in Katsumoto's failed attempt to save the Bushido tradition, but Omura gets repressive laws enacted. He must now choose to honor his loyalty to one of the embittered sides when the conflict returns to the battlefield.
Language English, Japanese, Spanish, Danish
Country United States, New Zealand, Japan
Awards Nominated for 4 Oscars. 20 wins & 67 nominations total
Metascore 55
IMDb Rating 7.8
IMDb Votes 499,167
IMDb ID tt0325710
Type movie
DVD N/A
Box Office $111,127,263
Production N/A
Website N/A

Ratings

Source Rating
Internet Movie Database 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes 65%
Metacritic 55/100