For a man who has lost everything from his self worth to his honor he is going to find them once again in the last place on Earth he would have thought possible. Captain Nathan Algren was a decorated Civil War Veteran who had fought in many battles and received many awards for his honorable service. But after the war is continued enlistment in the Army has soured him to life and he finds himself empty. His constant battles with the Native Americans who he has found to be honorable and brave and the deeds he has had to commit against them makes him almost wish for death. The arrogance of his commanders has made him wish for a different life. That is why he has spiraled into the alcoholic Veteran that has been putting on shows to sell rifles for the Winchester Company. That is when he is offered a job by a Japanese minister to help try and modernize Japan with Western weapons and fighting techniques. It makes no difference to Nathan who to him killing one man whether they be Japanese or Indian is all the same to a man that has become so use to bloodshed and war and the money is right. So with his friend and some of his commanders he travels to Japan to help them squash a civil war. The war is against the Samurai who are fighting against the modernization of Japan and the death of the ancient ways. Their leader is Katsumoto a former teacher of the Emperor who believes his services are the best for the country and his lord. He has abandoned all modern technology so much in fact that he refuses to use any type of firearm. So it should be easy his commanders decide to defeat the Samurai and send their troops into battle before they are ready. The battle turns into a massacre and Nathan is captured by Katsumoto himself who is unsure why he spared him. But he takes Nathan back to his village where Nathan once again begins to find himself and his honor and starts to realize that maybe its wrong to end the Samurai way.

This is the type of epic tale that far encompasses anything you would ever expect. The movie has a little of everything from incredible battle sequences and fighting to an enduring tale of the Samurai and the value of honor. The movie even mixes in a little romance and love as Nathan finds himself loving a culture and a way of life unlike anything he had ever dreamed of. While the movie might sell itself with the epic battles and the wonderful fighting sequences it’s the story and the plot that makes the movie. It’s the tale of two warriors that while they may not totally understand each other they see something in the other that makes sense to them. I have to admit a few years back I truly despised Tom Cruise as an actor as he only seemed to ever play one-dimensional characters of the arrogant variety. But lately he has had some stirring performances as flawed men who are trying to discover themselves. I like him like that; he is very believable and is a very good actor when he is playing three-dimensional characters. So much in fact that I am truly beginning to respect him as an actor and anticipate his next movies. Tom Cruise obviously put a lot of heart and effort into this movie from learning to fight and learning to speak Japanese and it truly shines through on the screen as he captures and enthralls you with his performance. This is clearly one of the year’s best films as it encompasses everything you would like to see in a movie in a sprawling and epic way that captures your heart and your mind.
5 stars out of 5