The Last Samurai
2003 · 2h 34m · Drama, Action, War
Watch it tonight if you're craving epic action with real emotional weight—Tom Cruise's turn as a conflicted warrior learning honor from the samurai he's meant to destroy is surprisingly moving, and the battle sequences are absolutely stunning. Director Edward Zwick crafted a visually gorgeous film that respects its source material while delivering the spectacle you want, even if the white-savior narrative occasionally stumbles.
Plot
Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai's way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.
Director: Edward Zwick
Cast: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Timothy Spall, Tony Goldwyn, Hiroyuki Sanada