The Last Samurai: or, Dances with Wolves, Revisited

This is a perfect example of a movie that could've achieved greatness, but fell short and remained only decent.

Pros:

Lush cinematography, excellent acting all around, good special effects, interesting storyline--technically well-done.

Cons:

Where to begin? This film reminded me so much of Dances with Wolves.Man is disillusioned and bitter about life. Man is discarded by his own people. Man meets folk of a different culture. Man learns they are far more benevolent and civilized than his people. Man joins them. Man aids them in fighting those whom he originally worked for/lived with. Get the picture?

Cruise's character served in the Indian wars in the past, reluctantly taking part in an Indian village's massacre. The movie gives no real context to these events, and portrays the Indians as peaceful victims. Additionally, the colonel he serves under, who plays a role in the later acts of the film, has no inner life or motivations for his actions. He's the typical cartoonish villain, committing evil acts for the mere pleasure of doing so.

Worse, the colonel visits Cruise later, asking him why he hates his own people so much. Here, the director could've redeemed his earlier lapses by having Cruise explain that he hates how events have played out, but doesn't hate his people or country. Instead, Cruise refuses to answer him.

Lastly, the tactics of the Samurai in battle were puzzling. One minute, they'd devise an ingenious method of wreaking casualties on the enemy; the next, they'd do something outlandishly stupid. I had a hard time believing men who trained for battle all their lives would be so foolish.

All in all, a disappointment. Two-and-a-half Stars.