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I didn't expect anything from The Last Samurai, but it's a terrific movie. I raved about it in the shoutbox, scroll back a bit. I'm going to see it again tonight (already the second time in six days).
The Last Samurai is an old-style epic, a very well-made though straightforward movie. Good length too, at just a shade over two hours. They didn't bloat the running time just for the sake of bloating - perfect, really (like the blossoms). It sets up the themes quickly and efficiently, establishes a few interesting characters, then lets it all play out as it should, rather than bogging down in cliche or heavy hommage, and without tacking-on unneccesary commercial concessions - with the important narrative decisions coming from character rather than plot mechanics. The action sequences are crisp, the final battle is fantastic, the acting is all uniformly good and the cinematography is breathtaking. I'm not much of a Cruise booster, but he's very right for this role.
In short, a grand time at the cinema.
GRADE: A-