Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Iseerphia All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

Tobias Burrows It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

davidvpcol The passion, the reality that we see in the characters, the plot, the music, the performance, everything is just perfect. Impossible to dislike this movie. Tom Cruise at his best. You really gets into the characters and the plot, you feel part of the cause, you can even feel the honor of the samurais. This is not a movie, this is real art.

classicsoncall The theme of honor and integrity run throughout this picture, with Tom Cruise portraying a former Civil War and Indian Wars soldier who's disillusionment with killing has stripped him of his humanity, leaving him a broken and dispirited individual. Aimless, Captain Nathan Algren (Cruise) accepts an offer to train the Japanese in the art of warfare to put down a Samurai uprising against the new Emperor's quest to modernize his country. What Algren comes to understand following his capture by the Samurai will change his life, one which will offer a renewed dedication to discipline and learning. For Tom Cruise, it's an intense role in a picture that calls to mind the 1990 Western epic "Dances With Wolves" in it's examination of a foreign culture and how becoming familiar with the unknown can be a life defining experience. Perhaps even more charismatic than Cruise is his opposite in the story, Ken Watanabe as the Samurai Master Katsumoto Moritsugu. From Katsumoto, Algren attains a spiritual view of life that he never had before, grounded in values deemed noble, like honor, loyalty, and personal integrity. When it comes time to test Algren's new resolve, he joins the Samurai quest to turn back the forces that would diminish or destroy an entire culture for the sake of elusive modernization and monetary gain. Perhaps most notable is the manner in which Algren earns the eventual trust and admiration of his Samurai hosts by learning the language and adopting their martial art tactics. The Samurai way is emphasized a number of times in the story with the ritual seppuku performed by General Hasegawa (Togo Igawa) following an early American defeat by the Samurai, and later on as Katsumoto accepts death as his spiritual reward on the battlefield. What influences the story most is the ever present honor among a people to maintain their traditions and way of life.

haventmadeupmymindyet I've been a fan of Tom Cruise basically since forever, so in my humble opinion I'd say this is probably his best movie. Great performances by both Cruise and Watanabe.

tughan_a This movie is such a movie that you could notice another detail every other time you watch it. The plot has been set so elegantly, set aside the historical discrepancies, i believe it shows a better front and side of Japanese culture and people which are sacred for many Japanese. Please make no mistake, this is not a classical Hollywood heck&slash action movie and there is no popular triumph scene and cliché in the end for you... Everything falls into place brilliantly and every actor/actress in this movie did a great job from top to bottom in my opinion, surprisingly Tom Cruise included, i think this movie is one of the movies he played his part best. The ambiance of the movie is so wonderful, authentic, and historical,the music by Hans Zimmer is so exquisite i think one of the best movie music has ever been created that represents the environment and emotional level of the film. So many detail levels this film has, it just inspires and appeal to your intellect with grace and cool satisfaction. Legend, bravery, romance, dignity, and profound comprehension at their best. One of the few wonders of the movie world as it is showing one of the wonders of real world which Japanese culture has been sharing with us and cherishes it.10/10