# the last samurai



## Shinzu (Jun 8, 2004)

anyone see this movie?  i thought it was fantastic.  tom cruise did an amazing job.  the plot was deep and well devised.  2 thumbs up for this one!  a must see for martial artists!!

your thoughts?


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## Kempojujutsu (Jun 8, 2004)

Like it so much, bought the DVD when it first was released. Great Movie


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## Kenpo Mama (Jun 8, 2004)

Fantastic movie, i really enjoyed all the sword work.  Not to mention Tom Cruise - aahhhh!  He really got into the whole spirit of the warrior.

Donna  :asian:


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## Ender (Jun 8, 2004)

I don't know how accurate the movie was, or how close it portrayed the samauri, but it was very entertaining.


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## Shinzu (Jun 8, 2004)

i really wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was.  i was happily surprised.  you can tell they did a lot of hard work on the film.  it's about time they made a quality martial arts film.


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## Randy Strausbaugh (Jun 9, 2004)

Enjoyed the movie, good scenery and good action.  The plot seemed to remind me an awful lot of Last of the Dogmen, though.


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## Flatlander (Jun 9, 2004)

Whoever trained Cruise to handle a sword did a good job.  they couldn't have had THAT much time to do it, so they must be a skilled teacher.  I especially like the part where he tries to spar the brother in law of the guy he killed, and he gets whacked in the face right away.


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## Bob Hubbard (Jun 9, 2004)

Was definately a 'keeper' for me.


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## Han-Mi (Jun 10, 2004)

Ender said:
			
		

> I don't know how accurate the movie was, or how close it portrayed the samauri, but it was very entertaining.


I talked to a kenpo instructor/friend of mine who is into the Samurai history and sword arts. He said that it was pretty accurate as far as customs and traditions, only a couple of mistakes. 

I loved the movie too. The one thing that annoys me is that someone on TV insulted the movie saying that Tom Cruise was the last samurai and that that was stupid. I just wish I coulda walked on the screen and kicked that guy upside his head, then tell America that the actual samurai character was the "last samurai" and that Cruise was just the star and the one whom the story followed. Actually the samurai character was just the last samurai to live and die by the sword. There were still other samurais. And I think he actually could have been classified as a ronin since he was rebelling against his lord.


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## oldnewbie (Jun 10, 2004)

Can anyone give me info on the gory vs. action parts of the movie. I mean, do heads fly off, does blood fly across the room etc.

I want to rent, but need to decide if my 11 year old martial artist son should watch.

Thanks


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## pete (Jun 10, 2004)

> that the actual samurai character was the "last samurai" and that Cruise was just the star and the one whom the story followed. - Han-Mi



yes, just as daniel day-lewis was not the "last of the mohicans", but the white guy who learned to live as one.


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## Flatlander (Jun 10, 2004)

oldnewbie said:
			
		

> Can anyone give me info on the gory vs. action parts of the movie. I mean, do heads fly off, does blood fly across the room etc.
> 
> I want to rent, but need to decide if my 11 year old martial artist son should watch.
> 
> Thanks


Well, It gets pretty violent.  Lots of cutting, slashing, stabbing, some blood, etc.  But it's not totally oveer the top.  You know, I think its a good story, and I don't think its too violent for an 11 year old.  He's probably seen worse in video games.

PETE!  Last of the Mohicans rocked!  That's one of my very favorite movies.


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## white mantis (Jun 10, 2004)

I enjoyed every minute of it. Two thumbs up over here! :samurai:


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## tshadowchaser (Jun 10, 2004)

I also enjoyed it.  I didn't expect anything like what i saw. Hell I dont like Tom Cruise and i liked the show. 
 I thought the costums where beautiful (when fully arrmored) and thought that the portrail of the life in a village that was training for war may have been somewhat accurate.(I don't know for sure I'm not that old .....really)


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## oldnewbie (Jun 11, 2004)

> Well, It gets pretty violent. Lots of cutting, slashing, stabbing, some blood, etc. But it's not totally oveer the top. You know, I think its a good story, and I don't think its too violent for an 11 year old.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Bob Hubbard (Jun 11, 2004)

Its not excessively bloody...but it is violent.
I wouldn't say it was any bloodier than Gladiator, maybe a bit less.  
People do get cut, shot, stabbed and there is blood...but not like in Kill Bill. (Gods....)

You do see at least 1 decapitation.  Some of the concepts may be a bit too much for a youngster.  What I've usually done is prescreened the films in question before taking my nephew to see them.  

:asian:


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## oldnewbie (Jun 11, 2004)

Thank you Sir.

I think I can effectivly judge now.


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## Samurai (Jun 15, 2004)

You can find Parental Movie Reviews at
http://www.screenit.com

It details all the violence, cussing, sex, and drug use in ALMOST every movie out their in the past ten years or so.

Thanks,
Jeremy Bays


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## oldnewbie (Jun 15, 2004)

Thanks for the link.

Cool site.


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## marshallbd (Jun 15, 2004)

oldnewbie said:
			
		

> Can anyone give me info on the gory vs. action parts of the movie. I mean, do heads fly off, does blood fly across the room etc.
> 
> I want to rent, but need to decide if my 11 year old martial artist son should watch.
> 
> Thanks


It has some pretty violent scenes but not as graphic as say "Braveheart"  My nine year old non martial artist daughter saw it with me and was fine with it...I say watch it with him and talk about it afterwards....enjoy and let us know how it goes :asian:


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## theletch1 (Jun 16, 2004)

I really enjoyed the movie for the movies sake.  As for portraying samurai accurately,  nah.  Keep in mind that the samurai were an elite group of individuals within their society (to include a standing law which allowed them to decapitate any commoner whom they felt had not been deferential enough to the samurai.  The only person the samurai had to justify the beheading to was the Daimyo to whom the commoner owed allegiance).  The final battle scene was (I believe) based on a true battle which did indeed take place in 1877 only the numbers were reversed.   3000 men armed with fire arms decimated a MUCH larger force of samurai...but then what kind of heroic last stand would that have been for our heroes.  Like I said at the beginning of the post, I enjoyed the movie for the sake of entertainment and have even watched it more than once.


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## Feisty Mouse (Jun 16, 2004)

I really enjoyed it.  Although I respect Tom Cruise as an actor, I've never been crazy about the roles he's played necessarily.  When the movie first came out, I was rolling my eyes about another star vehicle.  But he did a very good job, and the other actors shone through as well.

Very nice.


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## Shinzu (Jun 16, 2004)

it was very well planned out, and the sword work was excellent.  it wasn't overly violent but definitely not boring also.  the part where the ninjas attacked was excellent!!


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## MisterMike (Jun 17, 2004)

Yes it was! I even saw one with a large shell on his back.


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## Shinzu (Jun 17, 2004)

MisterMike said:
			
		

> Yes it was! I even saw one with a large shell on his back.




funny guy u are...hee hee


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## MisterMike (Jun 17, 2004)

Actually, I did think it was a great film. I was glad to see some interest for the Samurai out of Hollywood. Anyone have the Lone Wolf and Cub movies? I'm probably gonna try some of those next.


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## Baytor (Jun 19, 2004)

I really liked the last samurai.  I was impressed with Tom Cruise as well...he didn't seem like how he is in almost every other movie.

Is "Shogun Assassin" a Lone wolf and cub movie...I thought it was.  What other ones are there?


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## KenpoTex (Jun 20, 2004)

The Last Samurai was great, I bought it the day it came out.  Like Letch said, it wasn't 100% accurate.  If I'm not mistaken, the real "Katsumoto" (sp?)  wasn't the emperor's teacher, he was the shogun that the emperor deposed.  Anyway, good movie.


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## mj-hi-yah (Jun 20, 2004)

I loved it! :samurai: It was a beautiful movie, violent but very moving and with an important message.  A must see for anyone interested in Martial Arts!


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## cali_tkdbruin (Jun 20, 2004)

Let me toss in my two coins, IMHO _*The Last Samurai * _ was a really good flick. I really enjoyed it! :asian: 

And while on this genre of movies what about the *Kill Bill  * series from Quentin Tarantino? Now that, like most of his movies was some good stuff... :ultracool


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