blake johnson

Despite being put-off by early previews for this movie, I really enjoyed this movie— it succeeds as a brilliantly entertaining and moving film. Set in Meiji-era Japan, the plot is actually derived from a rebellion of a famous Japanese warrior, Saigo Takamori, known as the Satsuma Rebellion. The movie explores various cultural differences between the US and Japan, such as conceptions of honor, justice, and tradition, in a way which does not feel forced or trite.

My original fear for this movie was that it would take the Tom Cruise-as-samurai image too seriously, but it actually serves as a source of humour. For instance, one scene which shows Tom Cruise emerge in full traditional samurai armor caused the whole theater to laugh. Yet the movie takes this concept seriously enough to make it meaningful.