The Last Samurai

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

Tom Cruise finally picks on someone his own size in this late-19th-century tale of a disillusioned soldier finding new inspiration in the way of the samurai. Save for the sappy conclusion, Cruise slices ably through the epic adventure, while the extras examine the noble fighters he tries to emulate. “A Warrior’s Journey” walks through Cruise’s transformation in the film with the star, director Ed Zwick (Glory), and the producers. Zwick’s video journal offers behind-the-scenes commentary on a number of shoots, and “Making an Epic” sits down with Cruise and Zwick to discuss what drew them to the project. But the coolest offerings suface in the second half of the supplements. “Costume Design” (no, really) covers badass samurai armor through wardrobing, “From Soldier to Samurai” wields all of the flick’s vintage weapons (from swords to bayonets to cannons), and “Imperial Army Basic Training” works out with the movie’s extras in simulated boot camp as they prepare for their massive battle scenes. Finally, for those of you skeptical about Samurai’s historical accuracy, “History vs. Hollywood” examines the realism of the flick. Surprisingly, anointing a 5'4" Caucasian the “last samurai” doesn’t come up.

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