13/1/04

The film concerns the reconciling of a jaded American captain with his warrior self when he learns the way of his doggedly old-fashioned enemy, the Samauri.

This film is lavish in its production design and cinematography; Japan is all misty mountains and cherry blossom. It is exciting in its many skirmishes and large battles; the first glimpse of the mounted samauri in full armour, galloping through the mists is a haunting moment, beautifully captured. It is sensitive in its portrayal of the Japanese and their past and it has a charismatic and tragic male lead; the samauri leader, Katsumoto.

Unfortunately the film has also come with a certain amount of Oscar attmepting baggage which cuts the hamstrings of a valient attempt at a real message about western commercialisation and the ethics of selling military equipment to other nations intent on using it to supress their own people. We have pantomime baddies and buffoons appearing, moustaches a-twirling to emphaises these parts of the plot in a clumsy shorthand which destroys the import of that message. In sharp contrast to these brash and unsubtle passages are the more sensitively handled messages of respect and responsibility, shot with quiet care and attention in the parts of the film involving the samauri village.

Ken Wanatabe steals the film from under the nose of Tom Cruise, imbuing gravitas and charisma into a role which could have become merely a shaven-headed, buddhist wise man picked from off the shelf. Tom Cruise acts earnestly and enjoys one scene stealing moment disturbingly familiar to those who have already seen Love Actually.

The film is great entertainment and well worth seeing, but it is not quite as serious and worthy as it would like to have us believe.