The Last Samurai DVD: Review By Brian

When I first saw the trailers for The Last Samurai I was a bit perturbed by the fact that Hollywood has enough arrogance to cast Tom Cruise, a very caucasian male lead, as 'The Last Samurai'. I felt it would be a great un justice to the Asian community to put such a stamp on this story. Yet, as I watched, I was glad to finally come to the realization that I had taken the meaning wrong. A less confusing title might have been something in the vein of 'The Last of the Samurai', as it is more inline with how the storyline plays itself out.

A spectacular piece of cinema with the heart, visuals, and sensitivity to truly inspire. The Last Samurai has been one of the year's most intriguing films for several reasons. It's sheer flavor of epic storytelling, characters full of angst, pride and virtue, as well as cinematography so finely tuned to the storyline it becomes the main driving force in the experience.

The Last Samurai is not without faults though. Staying true to any Hollywood tradition, the film injects it's own take on the history of events. Made to tie up all loose ends and portray a sense of fulfillment to the audience, the story acts like a formulatic epic. Nonetheless, any qualms a viewer might have for it's lack of accuracy, the emotional impact of the film truly makes up for it, ultimately taking anyone watching through a unique experience.

As with any proud release by a studio, especially an Oscar nominee like this one, the special edition release of the film boasts some very intriguing content.

Feature commentary by director Edward Zwick

A feature commentary with the director of the film. A lot of what is revealed here in the commentary can also be seen in a lot of the featurette material. This makes for some carbon copied stuff, but none-the-less will holds interest quality...especially when the director speaks of his own personal accounts on the set.

The only down side is that we don't hear a peep from Tom Cruise or Watanabe.

Tom Cruise: A Warrior's Journey

A 13 minute journey into the training Tom Cruise endured to make the film. Interesting and informative. In all I found myself in a deeper appreciation of Cruise, his dedication, and his work as an actor.

Edward Zwick: Director's Video Journal

Footage from the set of the film. Also accompanied by a commentary track by director Edward Zwick. Inciting, but never really quite gets as deep as I would have liked.

Making an Epic: A Conversation with Tom Cruise and Edward Zwick

A 20 minute candid conversation with Tom Cruise and Edward Zwick. More talk about the film's production and surface level looks as some of the elements concocted for the film. Just as well, the pair do talk about their personal missions for the film and how they strived and struggled to achieve them. The most interesting part of the special features yet!

History vs. Hollywood: The Last Samurai

Ok. Maybe I was wrong. This feature was the most interesting out of the lot. History vs. Hollywood: The Last Samurai premiered on The History Channel. The extremely enthralling doc*mentary puts you on the path to the details of the actual historical accounts that inspired the storyline of the film. These sorts of 'what really happened' docs are becoming more and more frequent on DVDs today, and I don't think there's a person out there that is complaining. These are the kinds special features I have found to be the most compelling inclusion into these 'based on the truth' releases.

2 Deleted Scenes

2 scenes that didn't make final cut, yet show some deeper things happening within the relationships of the characters. Good stuff as far as 'deleted' material goes.

Featurettes

Some great little behind-the-scenes featurettes that give us a look into the various ends of production of the film.

Theatrical Trailer

Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio the picture is immaculet. Bright colors, vivid frames, and very strong contrasts within the darker realms of the film. This makes for a truly crisp appearance.

I am somewhat plagued with seeing films in the theater in it's raw gritty format, only realizing that I can't wait for the film release into the digital realm. This picture as much more pristine in it's digital state then I ever saw during it's theatrical release.

Presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 the soundtrack is mastered very loud in order to bring across all of the film's thundering moments. Mixed at moderate to heavy in the various surround sound speakers, each scene compliments the next and does not falter. A truly great blend of sound effects and score.

Buy this film for the action, for the drama, for the epicness, and for the actors. It's a great addition to any cluster of epic films you may have growing in your collection.