The Last Samurai

Good God, this was horrible! Why I ever watched it, I don't know. You keep thinking that it HAS to get better, but no, shut the movie off. As bad as it is, it actually gets worse as you watch. Horrible, horrible movie, topped only by "Safe" and "Satyricon".

I bought this movie knowing it was a budget title simply for the reason that Lance Henriksen (Terminator) (Aliens) (Millennium) is in it - one of my favourite actors. He is really the only thing that kept this movie going and kept me watching as it is a rather poor movie. he accepts roles in some very low budget movies when really he deserves much much better as his performances in the three movies above i have quoted could not be matched but this one was really poor... The only other good actor in it is the sexy Arabella Holzbog, it was also her first movie. since this she has always been stuck in the b-movie sector and deserves better also and has recently stared in some "alias" episodes. This is not a good movie and there is not a lot to it story wise or anything it is quite pointless but worth one watch if you are a lance or Arabella fan.

this movie had a lot of outstanding acting and a very powerful story base. it is to bad that most people would only watch the movie but yet they would not understand the message of tiriny and oppression contained within the story. the fact that japan would turn its back on it own traditions in order to embrace the ways of the western civilization.

i have reviewed it many times and each time i have learnt more about the ways of the Japanese samurai and of Japanese tradition. many would just watch this move for the blood and guts but there is a deeper meaning within its plot. for instance: that a man, one man can open his eyes to what his enemies are fighting for and to change his opinion, teaches us that many times we would walk into situations knowing only half the facts. or that while one may seem to think that he is one the right side of a battle, when he sees the other side of the coin that his opinion could possibly change. this movie, although it was written in Hollywood, it has a lot of research behind it. the battles could have been a little more detailed but it held the compassion of war.

Without doubt this has got to be the worst movie I have ever had the misfortune to see. Though I can empathise with the other reviewer regarding the multi-layered depth of the storyline this is all lost to the viewer by its farcical delivery.

The actors did not stand a chance! Though I have not read the original script I am guessing that the movie stems from a subtle and well composed source. The multi-faceted snippets of a deep and diverse storyline that occasionally leak out from this disjointed movie are clues to this.

Despite the potential strength of the plot or the proved skills of the actors the delivery of the entire production of this film has slashed or destroyed all that was good about it.

I have to say, however, that this is one DVD that I will forever cherish. It is the perfect material to study to see what NOT to do!

I would recommend that all students studying Media and Film qualifications throughout the world study this film as part of their course.

For fun I started to compile a list of things that were wrong with it and in so doing realised that nearly every single facet of this film is flawed.

Good luck with your list...

Huge disappointment. Usually Lance Henriksen can offer some redeeming qualities to even the worst script as he did in Stone Cold. BUT, no one could save this movie. Continuity has been ignored with a passion. The story is WEAK and remains unjustified right through the final credits. This is not even a "rainy day watch." This is movie for laying down and avoiding. AND; as far as the DVD being "digitally re-mastered;" I fear the master was beyond help, because even state of the art home theatre could not make the audio enjoyable. The next time you want visitors to leave, fire this movie up, and you'll have your privacy in no time.