tom cruise long hair last samurai

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Hottest Tom Cruise Long Hairstyles and How To Get Guide

By Rehairsystem

June 15, 2023

When it comes to style and Hollywood, no one can forget the iconic Tom Cruise. Known for his action-packed movies and charming looks, Tom Cruise has been a fan favorite since the 1980s. Throughout his career, he has sported a variety of hairstyles that have left a lasting impression on his fans. From here, we will take a look at some of the hottest Tom Cruise long-hair hairstyles and provide a styling guide to achieve them.

About Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise has been entertaining audiences for over three decades. Born in Syracuse, New York, in 1962, he began his career in the early 80s with hit movies like Top Gun and Risky Business. He has won several awards for his acting career, including three Golden Globe Awards. In addition to his on-screen success, Tom Cruise has been a style icon for many, inspiring generations with his hairstyles and fashion sense.

Tom Cruise Hairstyle Over The Years

His 2023 hair look.

At the Academy Awards luncheon on Monday, Tom Cruise made a splash with his fresh appearance. The 60-year-old actor displayed a debonair style, showcasing a deep tan and a lengthy hairdo that fans seldom witness on him. This was his first red carpet event in eight months, and he definitely caused a stir with his loose tresses.

See More : Sylvester Stallone Hairstyle       

In the 90s and 80s

In the 80s and 90s, Tom Cruise was known for his iconic hairstyle, which consisted of a short and sleek haircut. He frequently styled his hair with a side part and combed it neatly, which created a sophisticated and polished look. The cut was tapered around the sides and back, with the top being slightly longer to add texture and dimension. The hairstyle perfectly complemented his chiseled features and charming persona, making him a heartthrob during that era.

Mission Impossible Hairstyle

Tom Cruise’s hairstyle in Mission Impossible is a short and textured crop with a side part. The cut is tapered around the sides and back, with the top being left longer to create volume and texture. The hair is styled in a messy and tousled way, which gives him a rugged and daring look, perfect for his role as Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible franchise. His hair is regularly styled with some product to hold the texture and volume in place, giving off a carefree and effortless vibe.

Top Gun Maverick Hairstyle

Tom Cruise’s hairstyle in Top Gun Maverick is a modern take on his iconic 80s and 90s look. He sports a short and well-groomed haircut, with a side-swept fringe that adds volume and texture to the top of the head. The sides and back are tapered, giving a clean and polished look to the overall hairstyle. Cruise’s hair is always perfectly styled, reflecting the precision and attention to detail required in his character. This classic and timeless haircut suits his mature demeanor and sophisticated persona.

Last Samurai Hairstyle

Tom Cruise’s hairstyle in Last Samurai is a nod to the traditional Japanese Samurai warrior style. His hair is styled in a bun, called “Chonmage,” which is shaved on the sides and tied at the top of the head. It gives a regal and stoic appearance, which represents the disciplined and honorable nature of his character, Captain Nathan Algren. The hairstyle requires attention to detail and maintenance, reflecting the character’s strict values and training as a Samurai warrior. The hairstyle added to the authenticity and realism of the film and showcased Tom Cruise’s versatility as an actor.

Tom Cruise Long Hair

The straight, middle-part cut is one of Tom’s classic long hairstyles, which requires minimal upkeep and can be achieved using a brush, comb and styling wax. He regularly pairs this look with a beard that complements his unique facial features.

For a more dramatic appearance, Tom can also be seen flaunting a long, wavy haircut. This look can be achieved by applying a generous amount of volumizing mousse and blow-drying the hair to create texture. Tease the top layer of hair and scrunch the ends for a beach-ready appearance.

Tom Cruise proves that long hair is not restricted to hippies, rockstars, and trendsetters. With a bit of creativity, effort, and dedication to bold hairstyles, anyone can make an impact with long hair.

We love the Tom Cruise’s long hair . He  has sported a signature long hairstyle for decades, now considered one of the most iconic looks in modern pop culture. His versatility in carrying off different looks with his long hair – from sleek and straight to voluminous and tousled – has earned him worldwide admiration.

See More : Freddie Mercury’s long hair

12 Popular Tom Cruise Haircuts

Elegant and pulled back.

Tom Cruise looks simply perfect with a pulled-back hairstyle. This hairstyle is easy to achieve by brushing hair back and applying some hair gel or styling cream to keep it in place.

Slick and Casual Hairstyle

This hairstyle is perfect for the laid-back, casual look that Tom Cruise often flaunts. It can be achieved by running some gel or pomade through clean, damp hair and combing it back.

Cool Spikes

Tom Cruise has also sported spiked hair on several occasions. This edgy look can be achieved by applying some hair wax to damp hair and using your fingers to spike it up.

Sexy Bedhead Hairstyle

Tom Cruise’s sexy bedhead look has been admired by many over the years. To achieve this look, apply some hair mousse to damp hair and scrunch it using your hands.

Blonde Highlights

Tom Cruise experimented with blonde highlights in the early 2000s. It’s a bold look that can make anyone stand out. To achieve this style, the hair needs to be bleached and then colored with blonde highlights.

Classic Tom Cruise Hairstyle

Tom Cruise’s classic hairstyle features short hair on the sides and a slightly longer top. This timeless look can be achieved by using a trimmer to cut the hair at the sides and scissors to leave some volume on the top.

Cruise’s Shaggy Hair

Tom Cruise’s shaggy hair is another iconic look that he’s pulled off with ease. This hairstyle is perfect for those with wavy hair. It’s achieved by keeping the hair longer and using a hairdryer to add volume.

Tom Cruise’s buzz cut is a low-maintenance yet stylish look that he often sports. It’s achieved by trimming the hair very short.

Does He Wear A Toupee?

It is unclear whether Tom Cruise wears a toupee. There have been rumors and speculation about his hair, with some people believing that he may wear a wig or hair system to maintain his youthful appearance. However, without any confirmation from Cruise himself or his representative, it is impossible to know for sure.

It should be noted that modern toupees and wigs provided by retailers like Rehaisystem.com are designed to look very natural and blend seamlessly with the wearer’s natural hair. So even if Cruise does wear a toupee, it may be difficult to tell.

Has Tom Cruise Had A Hair Transplant?

While the actor may have experienced some natural thinning or loss of hair over the years, he has not publicly confirmed or denied any such treatment. However, even if Tom Cruise had undergone a hair transplant, it would be his own personal choice and something that he has every right to do for his own appearance and confidence. 

How to Style Your Hair Like Tom Cruise?

To achieve Tom Cruise’s hairstyles, you will need a good hairstylist and some hair products, including styling cream, hair gel, hair wax, and hair mousse. Be sure to consult with your hairstylist to get the exact look that you desire.

Or you can go to a wig shop to order a wig of the same style as his. This is also a good choice. If you can’t find a suitable wig shop for the time being, why not take a look at the wig products of our store, Rehairsystem .

Our hairpiece shop offer includes:

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Tom Cruise’s hairstyles have been a source of inspiration for many over the years. From his classic looks to his edgy and bold styles, there’s something for everyone. Whether you have short hair or long, straight or wavy, you can definitely find a Tom Cruise hairstyle that suits you. Use this guide to get started, and always remember to consult your hairstylist for the best results.

About Rehairsystem

Hello, Rehairsystem.com is your go-to destination for premium human hair replacement systems. We are a factory direct supplier that is passionate about providing the world with first-class customized hairpieces. Our mission is to change people's lives through our high-quality hair systems, which come at an affordable price point for all budgets and lifestyles!

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Actor Tom Cruise attends the 20th Annual People's Choice Awards on March 8, 1994 at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.

Tom Cruise, Porträt, geb. 03. Juli 1962,;Sternzeichen Krebs, Deutschland-Premiere;"Mission Imposible 2", Köln, (Photo by Peter Bischoff/Getty Images)

Actress Paula Wagner and actor Tom Cruise attending the premiere of 'The Others' on August 7, 2001 at the Director's Guild Theater in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)

Premiere of "Vanilla Sky. " Premiere of "Vanilla Sky. " Tom Cruise. (Photo by Fernando Camino/Cover/Getty Images)

Tom Cruise during "Minority Report" - London Premiere at Odeon Leicester Square in London, Great Britain. (Photo by Fred Duval/FilmMagic)

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise (L) is welcomed by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, 28 August 2003. During a press preview in Tokyo today, Tom Cruise unveiled some clips of his latest film "The Last Samurai", which portrays Japan as a nation in an historic struggle to maintain its warrior traditions. AFP PHOTO / Kazuhiro NOGI/POOL (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/GettyImages)

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes during The World Premiere of Columbia Pictures' "The Pursuit of Happyness" at Mann Village in Westwood, CA, United States. (Photo by E. Charbonneau/WireImage for Sony Pictures-Los Angeles)

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Tom Cruise Talks About "The Last Samurai"

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In order to prepare for the role of Captain Nathan Algren in The Last Samurai , Tom Cruise endured months of strenuous physical training while at the same time trying to get inside his character. Cruise's character Algren is a decorated veteran of the Civil War who's lost his soul. Hired by the Emperor of Japan to train Japan's first modern army, Algren finds a kindred spirit in the form of Samurai leader, Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe). Together the two men discover much about each other's culture and find that ultimately their lives are not so different as they appear on the surface.

Producer Marshall Herskovitz praised actor/producer Tom Cruise for his work ethic, dedication, and incredible focus. "Tom threw himself wholeheartedly into the preparation. I've never seen an actor do as much research for a film. He had a library of information and was amazingly helpful. Ed and I have always challenged each other, that's the center of our creative relationship, but it's rare for us to be stimulated in a similar way by someone else. Tom became a part of our creative partnership and it's been incredibly enjoyable and rewarding," said Herskovitz.

Interview with Tom Cruise

You learned Japanese, you learned to fight with swords, you learned a little bit of everything. What was most challenging for you? The character was really challenging. I needed every bit of the months before shooting and every bit of the months during shooting to get to the character and work on it. Definitely, the physical aspects of it were…At the beginning, I just thought, “How am I going to do this?” I didn’t tell anybody that (laughing). I told Ed Zwick, “Oh, I can do that. Don’t worry about it. I can do that.” But I just knew I had to be very, very disciplined about preparing for it. But also the physical transition and the character development at the same time, I just kept diaries while I was doing that. I knew that things were going to change and I was constantly looking for the character.

You’re in great shape. Is there a regular workout routine you stuck with after filming? No, I do so many different activities. It’s role-dependent, just to be able to do what I have to do. I’ve lost 25 pounds I had to put on.

Do you ever have any second thoughts about doing your own stunts? No, no I don’t. I’m very safe when I go to do them. I’m meticulous and safe.

You described working on this as being like a full course meal. Can you elaborate on that? Three countries, over 2,000 crew members, different cultures. It was just beautiful is what it was, just beautiful. I loved it.

Why did you pick this movie? For me as a man, philosophically, when you talk about honor and integrity, that’s the way I want to live my life. It moved me. And also I’m just fascinated with their culture and this gave me the opportunity to explore it and to honor the things that I love most about their culture. And to work with Ed Zwick; it’s a very ambitious film. How can you say no to that?

Hiroyuki Sanada plays one of the samurai who initially doesn't accept your character. Sanada said that behind the scenes he helped you by giving you pointers. He did. He’s tough, he’s good. He worked with me. I worked many months before shooting but then when I came in he was always very supportive and very helpful.

Several of your co-stars have mentioned you had Penelope Cruz and the kids on the set with you. What was that like having family there? Fun. I always have my family with me when I’m working. It just becomes part of the life.

Were there activities you could do with them during your downtime? It was great in New Zealand because there was sea-kayaking and caving and all that stuff. It was a lot of fun.

The real Ron Kovic ("Born on the 4th of July") is here at tonight's Premiere. What's it mean to you to see him here? Well for me, I’m really proud of this film and it’s just always good to see Ron. I was born on the 3rd of July and he was born on the 4th of July so that experience that we went through, that was a very powerful experience making that film. I’m just glad to see him and he’s doing well and he says he feels stronger and he looks really happy.

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Top 15 Tom Cruise Hairstyles Of All Time

Tom Cruise’s haircuts have been the inspiration for a lot of men around the world for quite a while now. Black hair, blue eyes, and blatant cockiness of Cruise are synonymous with Hollywood entertainment.

From his early breakout roles in the 1980s to his current blockbuster hits, Cruise has consistently rocked various haircuts that have become iconic in their own right. In this article, we will explore some of his most memorable hairstyles over the years.

Growing old doesn’t mean you can’t change your hairstyle from time to time – the greatest movie star of all time best proves this statement. 

Tom Cruise’s Short Bio

The world’s most powerful celebrity needs no introduction. Thomas Cruise Mapother IV popular by his screen name Tom Cruise is an American actor and film producer par excellence. The brightest-shining golden boy has to his credit hits like Top Gun and Rain Man. He is the heartthrob of thousands of the cine-goers irrespective of their age.

Born in 1962 in Syracuse, New York, young Tom wanted to become a priest. But destiny has something else planned for him – to be one of the highest paid and most sought after actors in screen history. It was while in high school, that Tom Cruise developed an interest in acting.

At 18, he went to pursue his dream acting career. Though his role was a small one in his debut movie Endless Love (1981) yet he was loved and appreciated by both male and female audiences. It was the movie Risky Business that proved to be a career marker for Cruise. Tom Cruise starred in some of the top class films of the 1980s .

The list is a long one and includes movies such as Top Gun (1986); The Color of Money (1986), Rain Man (1988). In the 90s, Tom Cruise boasted of having the chubbiest wallet in the world earning an average of 15 million dollars. He played the lead role in the blockbuster hits Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), Mission: Impossible (1996) and Jerry Maguire (1996) for which he bagged an Academy Award Nomination for best actor.

Beside the blinking stardom, there is another side of the man too. Tom Cruise has donated to charities such as The Tsunami Relief Fund, The Ashley Flint Fund, and Themoms.biz Diabetes Fund. Tom Cruise is a golden boy with a golden heart.

Popular Tom Cruise’s Hairstyles

Cruise always amaze us with his acting and looks. These are the 10 Tom Cruise haircuts that became the inspiration for the male counterpart of the world obviously loved by the women.

1. Elegant and Pulled Back

For every man, it is very important how to dress for the occasion. Along with that comes opting for the right hairstyle. It sometimes seems really easy, but it’s not always that way. However, the fact that it is not easy doesn’t have to mean that it can’t be simple.

We see that on this 2014 photo of Tom Cruise from the premiere of his movie Edge of Tomorrow where he chose to grow his hair a little bit and then pull it to the side and backward to achieve a classy, elegant look.

2. Slick and Casual Hairstyle

Around the beginning of the decade, Cruise rocked a slick and casual haircut. He wasn’t afraid to show his cowlick and his medium length hair still falls around his face in a perfect way. We are sure that all men in their thirties admire this cool look. At least we do!

3. Cool Spikes

To nurture the image of a cool guy, Tom Cruise frequently combs his hair upwards and pulls it to the side, creating cool spikes in his bangs . This is one of the haircuts of Cruise that certainly makes him look younger and looks great with a pair of cool sunglasses and nice rocker-jacker. One thing is for sure – he never fails to prove why he is considered to be one of the most handsome men alive.

4. Sexy Bedhead Hairstyle

This sexy bedhead hairstyle Tom Cruise wore at the Los Angeles premiere of his film Super 8 in June 2011.  This was definitely not the first time that he rocked a long hairstyle , but it sometimes seems as though through the years it only gets better and better.

It sure looks like a style that not everyone can pull off, but if you like how it looks, you can try growing your hair. Tom Cruise’s long haircut makes any man look younger and doesn’t require a lot of effort on a daily basis.

5. Blonde Highlights

We are all witnesses of Tom Cruise’s hairstyle changes over the years. He has indeed worn a lot of different interesting hairstyles which have all suited him really well. However, one thing that is not spoken of a lot is his hair color.

Partly that is because it usually is his normal dark brown color. Here we have an example from 2011 when he was filming the movie Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol where he wore subtle honey blonde highlights , which really made his green eyes pop.

6. Simple and Short

Cruise showed once again that it doesn’t have to take a lot of work for a man to look sexy and elegant. He appeared on the premiere of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol with a short and simple haircut, slightly slicked to the side to go with his classy suit. One true gentleman, that’s for sure!

7. Classic Tom Cruise Hairstyle

One important aspect of aging for both men and women is – dignity. From this 2018 photo of Tom, we do notice that he looks a little bit older and the hairstyle hasn’t changed much from that 2016 pulled back hairstyle that Tom Cruise wore.

But it has just reached absolute perfection and evolved into a personal trademark of this movie icon that just looks better and better.

8. Cruise’s Shaggy Hair

He went for a shaggy  razor cut with angled layers and slightly side swept bangs to frame his strong features. This haircut of Tom Cruise was in trend for quite a long time,

9. Tom Cruises Buzz Cut

Tom Cruise is all about style & hairdo personified. Blessed with a thick, healthy hair Tom Cruise has been experimenting with his hair often to suit a wide array of characters and to retain a fresh look. Tom sported a more casual look with buzzed clipper cut that complements his rugged facial hair.

10. Tapered Hair

He preferred a classic tapered hairdo with short sides and a slightly more length on the crown. Cruise at times sported the fringe with full bangs across the forehead, other times he opted for a side-swept angled forelock.

Sometimes he tried a side part to add volume and lift to his hair. The dash of color added to his hair added depth to his chestnut locks.

11. 80s Top Gun Military Cut

In the iconic 1986 film “Top Gun”, Tom Cruise sported a military-inspired haircut to fit his character, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. This haircut, often called the ‘Maverick Cut’, was a classic ’80s hairstyle featuring closely cropped sides and a slightly longer top, perfectly aligned with the clean and professional standards of the military.

12. Ethan Hunt Pompadour

When you hear the name of Tom Cruise which movie series comes to your mind first? For me, it’s the Mission: Impossible series. Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, sported many cool hairstyles ranging from short to long in length.

In the picture, he rocks a pompadour hairstyle characterized by its voluminous top and shorter sides. The Ethan Hunt Pompadour perfectly complements his role as a spy in the series.

13. Maverick Returns With Hard Part Comb Over Haircut

Returning to his iconic role in the sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022, Cruise sported a modern version of his ’80s Military Cut. This matured version, featuring a short hard part comb over haircut, reflects the growth and progression of his character.

Celebrities are always the talk of the town and showbiz because of their style, attire, and looks. Whatever they do it becomes a trend! Tom Cruise’s haircuts have never disappointed his fan base either! 

14. The Last Samurai Long Middle-Parted Hair

For “The Last Samurai”, Cruise adopted a completely different hairstyle. He kept his hair long with a middle part. In this hairstyle, the hair reaches to his neck. This transformation made his fans go crazy over his hairstyle.

15. Tom Cruise’s Latest Hairstyle- Wavy Mullet

In his latest public appearance, Tom Cruise has been spotted sporting a trendy and unique hairstyle known as the Wavy  Mullet. This hairstyle features shorter hair on the sides and front, gradually transitioning into longer, wavy locks at the back.

This fusion of lengths creates a striking contrast and adds a touch of individuality to the overall style. The wavy texture adds volume and movement, giving the hairstyle a relaxed and effortlessly cool vibe.

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7 thoughts on “Top 15 Tom Cruise Hairstyles Of All Time”

the last one looks like heh is cleaning his teeth

I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

wow…. tom was.really.superb star.his smile was nice his superb stylish hero i love u so much tom

super sexy hair style… my fav. Actor.

wow…awesome hairstyle..i like it..

Tom Cruise auditions for American Idol

Awesome hairstyle..i like it..!!

Comments are closed.

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Screen Rant

“this is how he wins”: tom cruise’s subtle acting elevates last samurai fight scene, expert reveals.

A stuntman explains how one fight scene in The Last Samurai perfectly encapsulates Tom Cruise's physical performance in the period epic.

• Tom Cruise's physical performance in The Last Samurai is perfectly captured in a battle scene with the master swordsman Ujio.
• Cruise's character in the film, Captain Nathan Algren, goes through a significant moral transformation, grappling with issues of identity, loyalty, and honor.
• The Last Samurai represented a departure from Cruise's typical action-packed roles, requiring him to delve more into the emotional and psychological aspects of his character.

A stuntman explains how one scene in The Last Samurai perfectly captures Tom Cruise's performance. Directed by Edward Zwick, the film follows Cruise as an American soldier who is sent to Japan during the late 19th century to eliminate the last samurai, Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), but after being captured in battle, he begins to embrace the samurai culture and eventually joins them in their fight. The Last Samurai was a big box office success, became the sixth highest-grossing film of 2003, and was nominated for four Academy Awards.

In the latest episode of Corridor Crew 's "Stuntmen React" series, stuntman Gui DaSilva-Greene appeared to react to one scene in The Last Samurai , which perfectly captures Cruise's physical performance.

DaSilva-Greene, who called The Last Samurai one of his favorite movies, reacted to the scene in which Cruise's character battles the master swordsman Ujio (Hiroyuki Sanada). The stuntman went on to explain how the scene perfectly captures Cruise's performance. Read a portion of his commentary below:

He's supposed to be a soldier, so he shows that he's in pain, but then he has to show that he is going to overcome it, so you show the, "Oh that hurt," and then the "I can't show you that hurt though." So it's the same with feeling of anger or emotion and not being allowed to show it. Most people when they cry they, don't want you to see them cry, like they immediately wipe it away. They don't just let the one tear drop like we see in all the movies. It's like, "I'm vunerable," so immediately I'm going show it for a moment, but then I have to get back into my strength, not show that. You hint at it, you don't go full Jackie though. You have to go like quarter Jackie and then pull it away from everybody. Ways that you do it without showing like the facial expression is through body language which we see when he goes for the ribs for the first time, you see that aspect. That's where he pulls our heartstrings here. This is how he wins over everybody, including the audience as this man who is fighting these demons along with having to be a captive and earn the respect of the people around them, and that's like one of the biggest things that I care about when it comes to seeing a fight scene is how does it push us forward in the story or make us care about the character.

Is The Last Samurai Real At All? True Story Explained

The last samurai was a different type of performance for tom cruise.

The Last Samurai was a departure from typical Tom Cruise movies up until that point. At the time, the actor was (and still is) best known for his association with action-packed franchises like Mission: Impossible and sci-fi films like Minority Report and Vanilla Sky . However, The Last Samurai represented a slight detour in Cruise's career as he took on a more dramatic role in an epic historical drama . While his previous roles focused more on action and stunts, The Last Samurai required Cruise to delve more into the emotional and psychological aspects of his character.

Cruise's character, Captain Nathan Algren, is a disillusioned American soldier grappling with issues involving identity, loyalty, and honor who undergoes a significant moral transformation. Even though The Last Samurai required a slightly different type of performance from Cruise, he approached it with the same level of physical and technical training he applies to his other roles. To play a soldier-turned-samurai, Cruise underwent extensive physical and technical training in sword fighting and the martial arts . Cruise's usual dedication to authenticity, combined with the more dramatic demands of the role, is perfectly captured by Algren's battle with Ujio in The Last Samurai.

Source: Corridor Crew

The Last Samurai

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12 Teriffic Tom Cruise Hairstyles

One of the biggest stars in the world is Tom Cruise, who has been in the business of movies for over two decades. Tom Cruise had made a few movies, but he really got the attention of the world when he starred in the 1986 smash hit movie, Top Gun. Playing a Navy fighter pilot, Tom Cruise won the hearts of everyone, and has been on top of the world ever since. For his many roles, Tom Cruise has had to be like a chameleon, which means he had to change his appearance.

To show you all what we were talking about, we have found 12 Terrific Tom Cruise Hairstyles.

Once you get done looking at this list, you’ll have a new appreciation for the many roles Tom Cruise has played. Okay we have said enough about Tom Cruise. Are you ready to check out the list of Tom Cruise hairstyles? If so, you can go ahead and scroll down now!

Tom Cruise Brunette Buzz Cut

In the movie Top Gun, Tom Cruise had to have a military style hairstyle, and here we see his hair is very dark and really short!

Tom Cruise Light Brown Long Layered Hair

For the movie, The Last Samurai, Tom Cruise had to grow his hair out, and he had it a lighter color too!

Tom Cruise Spiky Short Hair

Here we see Tom Cruise with his hair cut short, and to make his hairstyle look more stylish, he has decided to make his hair spiky in front!

Tom Cruise Short Hair Spiky Bangs

Tom Cruise has his hair cut short in this picture, and here we see he has his bangs spiked a little bit, which makes the hairstyle look pretty cool!

Tom Cruise Brunette Short Hair with Blond Highlights

People with dark hair can sometimes get blond highlights, and Tom Cruise has some blond highlights here in his dark brown short hair.

Tom Cruise Mega Short Light Brown Hair

Tom Cruise has his hair a nice light brown color in this picture, but he cut it very short, which makes him look mature yet handsome.

Tom Cruise Long Blond Curly Hair In a Pony Tail

For the movie, Interview with the Vampire, Tom Cruise had to play a famous blond vampire named Lestat. Tom Cruise had to bleach his hair blond, and he also had it curly and pulled it back in a pony tail.

Tom Cruise Messy Short Hair

Here we see Tom Cruise looking like he got caught in a windstorm, but despite the messy look, he really pulls it off well!

Tom Cruise Long Wavy Hair

Here we see Tom Cruise with his hair grown out and touching his collar. Cruise has his hair grown out, and he has it parted to the side.

Tom Cruise Short Hair Long Bangs

Tom Cruise has his hair cut short a good portion of the time, but here he has his hair cut pretty short, but he has his bangs grown out so long that they are practically in his eyes!

Tom Cruise Short Hair with Hints of Grey

Tom Cruise recently celebrated his 50th birthday, and here we see the hints of his age because you can see a little bit of grey in his sides and along his bangs too.

Tom Cruise Short Grey Hair

For one movie role, Tom Cruise had to play a bad guy, and his hair had to be completely grey for it. Though Tom Cruise is not old enough for a pure grey head, he does look rather interesting!

So, were we right about these Tom Cruise hairstyles? Did these hairstyles surprise or impress you? If you want to talk about Tom Cruise, or anything else, be sure to leave us a comment below. However, if you didn’t like these hairstyles, we have links to even more lists below. All you have to do is click one and you’ll be on a new page. Now, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!

If you liked this list of 12 Terrific Tom Cruise Hairstyles, then check out 25 Gorgeous Pin Up Girls Pictures , 25 Remarkable Little Tattoos , and 30 Excellent Living Room Paint Color Ideas .

Tom Cruise Short Hair Spiky Bangs is the best one. My friend John always try to follow this one.

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The Last Samurai

Tom Cruise Has A Strict Rule Regarding His Look During Public Events

A t 61, Tom Cruise continues to dazzle fans with his youthful looks. It could be a side effect of doing all those dangerous stunts , something to do with the adrenaline rush. Still, this man once said that he barely sleeps because of his busy career .

One thing's for sure: the Mission Impossible star takes care of himself more than he'd like to admit. Just look at his hair, which he has strict rules for. Here are some interesting facts about his crowning glory.

Do Nicole Kidman's Adopted Kids Refuse To See Her Because Of Tom Cruise?

Tom cruise doesn't want people touching his hair.

In 2017, while Cruise was promoting The Mummy in Australia's The Project , a hair and makeup artist was told to "step away" from him. The show's employee "attempted to tame" one of the actor's messy strands when his assistant said, "No, no, no, no." The incident later revealed that the actor's staff members are "never allowed" to touch his hair except if he's "in privacy," like when his own glam team does his hair.

It seems like Cruise hates being touched by strangers in general. One time, he snapped at an exec of an Australian media corporation after the latter approached the Top Gun star on the red carpet. "Get your effing hands off me," the actor allegedly told the big boss. His house is also designed to avoid run-ins with his helpers .

"Tom runs his household staff with absolute military precision and with the utmost attention paid to security," a source revealed. "His Bel Air mansion is divided into zones, meaning that housekeepers and other support staff that work in the kitchen and food preparation area, aren’t permitted to go into another area of the house that falls outside of their allocated zone."

A nanny even said before that "if [Cruise] went on camera and said how he didn't have any help raising his children, [we nannies] couldn't say anything." The Golden Globe winner notably gets defensive in interviews , especially when asked about personal questions like his Scientology involvement and his past marriage to Nicole Kidman .

In 2005, Tom Cruise had a heated interview with 60 Minutes ' Peter Overton. "Put your manners back in," he told the journalist who kept asking him about Nicole Kidman.

Leah Remini Had To Step In At Tom Cruise And Katie Holmes' Wedding After Nobody Was Addressing Suri's Moment Of Distress

Tom cruise dyes his hair.

It's no secret that Cruise has been dyeing his hair to hide those silver strands natural to his age. Nothing wrong about that. If anything, whoever's doing his hair is doing a great job. In fact, Michael White, who's done the Risky Business alum's hair in multiple movies, revealed that he had a specific job to keep the actor's hair intact during action scenes. "So let's say, Tom goes over to hit the sky, and comes back, and his hair is in his face, but in the master the hairs not in the face," he explained.

"So, the what your job really is, is to go right there and say to the director in the script supervisor that, that's not going to cut to the master? Are you going to use that cut that he just did? Oh, yes, we are?" he continued. "Well, we have to do it again. Because you won't, I'm sure you've been to films where you go, and then they cut back and forth."

Here are Cruise's most iconic hairstyles:

Does Tom Cruise Speak To His First Wife After Scientology Tore Their Marriage Apart?

Tom cruise is accused of getting a hair transplant.

Like David Beckham who's known for his luscious hair, Cruise has also been rumored to have had a hair transplant . It's a common procedure among men in Hollywood. Some of those who've reportedly had it are Elton John, John Travolta, Jude Law, and Mel Gibson. His Hair Clinic once claimed: "It appears Tom's been getting transplants along his hairline for quite a while. I see clear signs that his hairline has been peppered with hair grafts every couple of years."

But according to Hair of Instanbul , Cruise's consistent hairline is likely all-natural . Explaining how the actor has managed to keep his hair that way, the clinic wrote that "being an A-list actor under constant scrutiny, it's conceivable that Cruise invests heavily in premium hair care routines, ensuring his hair stays in prime condition."

They added that "these factors combined likely contribute to the actor's enviable hair density." Neither Cruise nor his hairstylist also confirmed any of these transplant speculations. And even if it were true, the authograph-avoiding movie star would have probably kept it a secret like what that nanny once said about his interviews.

Tom Cruise had a wig on in Interview with the Vampire but Brad Pitt refused to wear one, so his hair had to be done every day by Cruise's hairstylist Michael White.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, the last samurai.

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Edward Zwick 's "The Last Samurai" is about two warriors whose cultures make them aliens, but whose values make them comrades. The battle scenes are stirring and elegantly mounted, but they are less about who wins than about what can be proven by dying. Beautifully designed, intelligently written, acted with conviction, it's an uncommonly thoughtful epic. Its power is compromised only by an ending that sheepishly backs away from what the film is really about.

Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe co-star, as a shabby Civil War veteran and a proud samurai warrior. Cruise plays Nathan Algren, a war hero who now drifts and drinks too much, with no purpose in life. He's hired by Americans who are supplying mercenaries to train an army for the Japanese emperor, who wants to move his country into the modern world and is faced with a samurai rebellion.

The role of the samurai leader Katsumoto (Watanabe) is complex; he is fighting against the emperor's men, but out of loyalty to the tradition the emperor represents, he would sacrifice his life in an instant, he says, if the emperor requested it. But Japan has been seized with a fever to shake off its medieval ways and copy the West, and the West sees money to be made in the transition: Representatives from the Remington arms company are filling big contracts for weapons, and the U.S. Embassy is a clearinghouse for lucrative trade arrangements.

Into this cauldron Algren descends as a cynic. He is told the samurai are "savages with bows and arrows," but sees that the American advisers have done a poor job of training the modernized Japanese army to fight them. Leading his untried troops into battle, he is captured and faces death -- but is spared by a word from Katsumoto, who returns him as a prisoner to the village of his son.

It's at this point that "The Last Samurai" begins to reveal itself as more than an action picture. Katsumoto, who conveniently speaks English, explains he has kept Algren alive because he wants to know his enemy. Algren at first refuses to speak, but gradually, during a long, rainy winter of captivity, he begins to have philosophical conversations with the other man about the ethics of war and warriors. Some of these talks sound like Socratic exchanges:

Katsumoto: "Do you believe a man can change his destiny?"

Algren: "I believe a man does what he can until his destiny is revealed."

For Algren, the traditional village life is a soothing tonic. Haunted by nightmares from his wartime experiences, he confesses, "Here I have known my first untroubled sleep in many years." He has been lodged in the house of Taka (Koyuki), the widow of a man he killed in battle, and although she complains bitterly to Katsumoto, she maintains a smiling facade in Algren's presence.

Algren: "I killed her husband!"

Katsumoto: "It was a good death."

Katsumoto has pledged his life to defending the dying code of the samurai. Algren finds himself gradually shifting allegiances, away from the mercenaries and toward the samurai, but his shift is visceral, not ideological. He bonds with Katsumoto, respects him, wants to find respect in his eyes. The movie illustrates the universal military truth that men in battle are motivated not by their cause but by loyalty to their comrades.

"The Last Samurai" breaks with the convention that the Western hero is always superior to the local culture he immerses in. It has been compared to " Lawrence of Arabia " and "Dances With Wolves," films in which Westerners learn to respect Arabs and Indians, but this film goes a step further, clearly believing that Katsumoto's traditional society is superior to the modernism being unloaded by the Americans. Katsumoto is the teacher and Algren is the student, and the film wonderfully re-creates the patterns and textures of the Japanese past; its production design, sets and costumes are astonishing.

Watanabe is a deep, powerful presence; he has the potential to become the first world star from Japan since Toshiro Mifune . Cruise is already a star, and will be targeted by those predisposed to see him and not his character, but here I think his stardom works for the film, because he takes with him into battle both the cocksure pilot of " Top Gun " and the war-weary veteran of " Born on the Fourth of July ." The casting helps the film with its buried message, which is about the re-education of a conventional American soldier.

The supporting cast is splendid: Koyuki quietly stirs as the widow who feels sexual attraction but suppresses it; Tony Goldwyn blusters and threatens as the hard American mercenary; Timothy Spall is the British translator who knows the words but not the music. Scichinosuke Nakamura plays the emperor as a tormented, shy man who admires Katsumoto's values, even while agreeing with his advisers that the rebellion must be put down. "I am a living god -- as long as I do what they say is right," he muses at one point, in words I somehow doubt any Japanese emperor would ever have employed.

The director is Edward Zwick, whose other war films (" Glory ," "Legends of the Fall," " Courage Under Fire ") have also dealt with men whose personal loyalties have figured more importantly than political ideology. Here he gives Algren a speech attacking Custer, whose last stand was fresh in everyone's mind. ("He was a murderer who fell in love with his own legend, and his troops died for it.") Yes, but how would Algren describe this film's final battle scene, in which Katsumoto leads his men into what appears to be certain death? To be sure, his men share his values, but is there an element of seeking "a good death"? Is a there a line between dying for what you believe in, and dying because of what you believe in?

That the film raises this question shows how thoughtful it is. If "The Last Samurai" had ended in a way that was consistent with its tone and direction, it would have been true to its real feelings. But the ending caves in to Hollywood requirements, and we feel the air going out of the picture. An art film can trust its audience to follow along to the necessary conclusion. A Hollywood ending assumes that the audience caves in at the end, turns dim-witted and sentimental, and must be fed its lollypop.

"The Last Samurai" has greatness in it, but sidesteps the ending that would have given it real impact. If there's going to be an alternative ending on the DVD, I know what it would have to show -- and so, I suspect, does Edward Zwick.

Note: Which character is the "last samurai" -- Katsumoto, or Algren? A case can be made for either answer, which suggests the nature of their relationship.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

The Last Samurai (2003)

Rated R for strong violence and battle sequences

154 minutes

Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren

Ken Watanabe as Katsumoto

Timothy Spall as Simon Graham

Tony Goldwyn as Col. Benjamin Bagly

Koyuki as Taka

Hiroyuki Sanada as Ujio

Billy Connolly as Sgt. Zebulah Grant

Shin Koyamada as Nobutada

Scichinosuke Nakamura as Emperor

Aoi Minata as Magojiro

• Marshall Herskovitz

Directed by

• Edward Zwick

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Tom Cruise’s Historical War Epic Remains Controversial — and Underrated

The Last Samurai may be a product of its time, but it was also a step forward for representation.

Discussions of The Last Samurai often focus on the obvious incongruity of a movie where Tom Cruise dons samurai armor to become the steward of traditional Japanese culture. The picture of Cruise’s bearded, American-Jesus-like face, writ large on a movie poster under the word “samurai,” was more a symbol of Hollywood tradition when the film appeared in theaters on December 5, 2003. Yes, this is a white-savior narrative — Cruise’s cosplaying can’t disguise it — but the first face onscreen is Ken Watanabe, who received an Oscar nomination for his role as Katsumoto, the samurai leader. What the actors represent offscreen, culturally, is the reciprocal of their characters and the film’s central conflict between tradition and modernization.

The Last Samurai follows Cruise’s character, Captain Nathan Algren, a guilt-ridden, mercenary veteran of the American Indian Wars who enters Japan to train the Emperor’s army so they can quell a samurai revolt. Set early in the Meiji era, when Japan opened to the West after 200-plus years of isolationism, the film pits Katsumoto and the country’s old, sword-wielding, feudal ways against new American technologies like the Winchester rifle and the dreaded howitzer. That these are weapons is almost incidental to the plot; the old and new are vying for dominion.

In the opening scene, Katsumoto realizes something’s amiss when his idyllic mountain meditation is interrupted by a vision of a white tiger. This is a premonition of Algren, who inhabits a more industrial milieu when we meet him at a San Francisco trade show. There, “railroads, cannons, and Western clothing,” as Emperor Meiji (Shichinosuke Nakamura) later puts it, are ready to be exported to Japan. Trotted onstage with brass fanfare as a sham war hero, Algren raises his rifle in a drunken stupor and tells the audience, “My thanks on behalf of those who died in the name of better mechanical amusements and commercial opportunities.”

These words, a eulogy for the innocent Cheyenne village he helped massacre, could apply equally to Katsumoto’s samurai generation as it rides in through the mists of time, clashing with contemporary, mechanized forces on the battlefield in Japan. Even before that, Timothy Spall’s British narrator notes how “the ancient and the modern are at war” for the country’s soul.

In telling the story of Japan’s Westernization (really, its Americanization, transposed from post-World War II in a turn-of-the-millennium historical epic), director Edward Zwick relies on cinematic convention. He even repeats a scene from his own Civil War movie, Glory , where the commanding officer in dark blue deliberately rattles the non-white soldier-in-training to prove he’s not ready to hit a target under pressure. At the same time, the Japanese actors who surround Cruise in prominent roles show they’re more than capable of holding their own against the international movie star.

Cruise may be the headliner, but Watanabe is the movie’s soul.

Hiroyuki Sanada plays Katusmoto’s second-in-command, Ujio, and like Watanabe, he’s another actor who’s remained in the limelight (though perhaps not enough so ) 20 years after The Last Samurai . By introducing global audiences to such talents, the film arguably did more to move the needle, representation-wise, than other 2003 releases like Lost in Translation and Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (both set in Japan, but with fewer top-billed Japanese names).

In this way, The Last Samurai managed to plant one foot in the future despite being stuck in the Eurocentric past, with Zwick and co-screenwriters John Logan and Marshall Herskovitz framing the narrative. Even Algren’s love interest, Taka (the mononymous Koyuki, fresh off Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Pulse ), isn’t thrilled about playing house with the unwashed foreigner who killed her husband.

In the third act, Cruise predictably wears his plot armor as the movie goes full Braveheart (with the same cinematographer, John Toll). These internal tensions somewhat reflect the story’s underlying concern with the double-edged sword of progress. If nothing else, The Last Samurai was, as Watanabe alluded in The Guardian last year, a crossroads away from the kind of offensive yellowface caricatures seen in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

“Before The Last Samurai ,” Watanabe said, “there was this stereotype of Asian people with glasses, bucked teeth and a camera. It was stupid, but after [ The Last Samurai ] came out, Hollywood tried to be more authentic when it came to Asian stories.”

While not above reproach, The Last Samurai was a landmark in more authentic Hollywood representation.

The film is loosely based on real Japanese history, with Katsumoto standing in for Saigo Takamori (1828–1877), who led the Satsuma Rebellion and has been called the “last true samurai.” Starting the action in 1876 aligns it with America’s centennial as it reconfigures around Algren, who’s only out for capitalist gain until he sees the beauty of the cultural paradigm he’s worked to obliterate. That’s what The Last Samurai is really about, but it’s easy to lose sight of its broader theme when the movie is so very specific about the story it’s telling (and who’s telling it).

Katsumoto mourns the loss of traditions, something Cruise and other real-life proponents of the theatrical experience might find relatable now more than ever. These days, The Last Samurai’s widescreen visuals are relegated to your typical streaming service, Paramount+. Before it landed there, the film’s supporting cast helped prime the Academy Awards for homegrown Asian films like Parasite and Japan’s own Drive My Car . Nothing can stop progress.

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The Last Samurai

2003, Adventure/Drama, 2h 34m

What to know

Critics Consensus

With high production values and thrilling battle scenes, The Last Samurai is a satisfying epic. Read critic reviews

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Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) is an American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army in the art of modern warfare. As the government attempts to eradicate the ancient Samurai warrior class in preparation for more Westernized and trade-friendly policies, Algren finds himself unexpectedly affected by his encounters with the Samurai, which places him at the center of a struggle between two eras and two worlds.

Rating: R (Strong Violence|Battle Sequences)

Genre: Adventure, Drama, War, Action

Original Language: English

Director: Edward Zwick

Producer: Tom Cruise , Tom Engelman , Marshall Herskovitz , Scott Kroopf , Paula Wagner , Edward Zwick

Writer: John Logan , Edward Zwick , Marshall Herskovitz

Release Date (Theaters): Dec 5, 2003  wide

Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2011

Box Office (Gross USA): $111.1M

Runtime: 2h 34m

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Co: Radar Pictures, Warner Brothers, Bedford Falls Productions, Cruise-Wagner Productions

Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, DTS, SDDS

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Capt. Nathan Algren

Ken Watanabe

Timothy Spall

Simon Graham

Billy Connolly

Zebulon Gant

Tony Goldwyn

Col. Bagley

Hiroyuki Sanada

Masato Harada

William Atherton

Winchester Rep

Shun Sugata

Shin Koyamada

Scott Wilson

Ambassador Swanbeck

Gen. Hasagawa

Schichinosuke Nakamura

Emperor Meiji

Chad Lindberg

Winchester Rep Assistant

Ray Godshall

Convention Hall Attendee

Masashi Odate

Omura's companion

John Koyama

Omura's bodyguard

Edward Zwick

Marshall Herskovitz

Tom Engelman

Scott Kroopf

Paula Wagner

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Critic Reviews for The Last Samurai

Audience reviews for the last samurai.

This movie is far from perfect. A predictable plot and unnecessary love interest hurt the experience, and the lack of subtitles for scenes entirely in another language can be frustrating. That being said, The Last Samurai has a lot to like. Tom Cruise is, as always, captivating, and Ken Watanabe earns his Oscar nomination. The chemistry between these two feels natural, as if they truly have a brotherly bond. The cinematography and costume design add a sense of authenticity. Hans Zimmer created another great soundtrack fitting of the time period. If you enjoy action flicks or Tom Cruise, give this movie a watch.

A fascinating and inspiring epic, The Last Samurai is a powerful film. The story follows a disillusioned Civil War veteran who's recruited to train the Japanese army in Western warfare as they prepare to take on a Samurai rebellion. Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe lead the cast and give excellent performances. The directing is also quite remarkable, and captures the spiritual aspects of nature and of the Samurai culture. Additionally, the writing does an effective job at depicting the culture clashes, and at developing the characters. The score by Hans Zimmer is brilliantly done as well, perfectly complementing the film and enhancing the themes. The Last Samurai is a smart and passionate drama that's well-crafted and compelling.

"The Last Samurai" (at least for me) falls in the same category as "Troy" for being a good film, but lacking emotional resonate. Just like "Troy" the acting, the high production values, and big scale battles outdo any hiccups from the plot. The Last Samurai follows an American military advisor embracing the Samurai culture he was hired to destroy after he is captured in battle. The story is serviceable at best. Its slow pace is fitting since the protagonist is adsorbing Japan culture. This gives the audience a good idea of the protagonist steady transformation over the course of the film. However, even the film protagonist suffers from some cliche traits. Haunted by past demons, a chance of redemption, being an alcoholic, and a new found sense of honor. The whole plot is like this. For every good idea it has there is some negative to it. The primary one being an examination on war which the film has no clear stance on. The protagonist is haunted by his previous war experiences, but embraces a culture that fight with honor in war. From a viewer standpoint should we applaud the hero fighting to a keep a culture alive or be worried that our hero has not learn a nothing from his past experiences. It's this kind of uneven writing that contribute to it emotional detachment. The acting is top notch from the American and Japanese cast. Tom Cruise does play a rather cliche flawed hero, but makes the hero worth following. He never over plays his character almost as if Cruise knows the hero has been done to death. Cruise co-star Ken Wantanabe outshines him. He is able to hide his character confuse emotion perfectly. The intensity of his looks and the conviction of his lines make him shine brighter than Cruise. The villains played by Spall and Connolly are colorful, but contribute little. The same could be said with actress Koyuki who's given little to work with and not enough time to go beyond a one dimensional character. The splendid cinematography captures the well orchestrated battle scenes giving them a sense of scope and raw feel to them. These battle scenes won't stack up against a Kurosawa epic or 13 Assassins, but the battle scenes are a stunning sight to behold. The costumes are nicely detailed and even the samurai armors look convincing down to the smallest piece. The Last Samurai writing is mixed, but everything else from acting to production values justify its two and a half hour running time. You might not be emotionally invested into the film, but you will be satisfy with this epic that captures the look and entertainment of a epic.

Ha, Tom Cruise as a Japanese samurai; I suppose the next thing you're going to tell me is that he just turned fifty. No, I'm kidding, I know that Cruise isn't going David Carradine from "Kung Fu" on us, and thank goodness too, because that beard on his, or rather, "the" definitive baby face is unconvincing enough. Tom Cruise has indeed faced truly "impossible missions", like convincing people that he's not actually Xenu (Seriously, why won't he get old?), but facial hair, on the other hand, is a whole different story, brother. Okay, I suppose you get used to it after a while, but really, looking at Cruise in this film and Matthew Broderick in "Glory", I think that it's safe to say that Edward Zwick just loves slapping unconvincing facial hair on baby-faced actors (Except for DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond", though that's just because DiCaprio makes everything convincing). Shoot, as Brad Pitt made clear with that middle-aged glam-rocker do in "Legends of the Fall", Zwick just seems to love putting unconvincing hair of any kind on actors of any kind, and I say actors of any kind because Pitt doesn't so much have a baby face anymore, though that might just either be the baggage that you can expect from being Robert Redford's clone (Of all celebrities to age fast and not that well) or because Tom Cruise stole Pitt's youth in "Interview with the Vampire". Okay, seriously, I can go on all day with these Tom Cruise baby face jokes, and lord knows I would if my reviews weren't overlong enough, but hey, I've got to give it up to him that he's managed keep looking cool enough to pull off some awesome action, though definately not cool enough to pull off that...- yeah, well, you get the point. He's certainly cool enough carry this film, or at least stand among the many strengths that keeps this film running until it's "last" (sorry for that stretch) breath, which isn't to say that the film doesn't go winded by more than a few things along the way. Edward Zwick is quite decidedly a slow storyteller who will sometimes dip as low as dull, yet typically just doesn't deliver on a whole lot of bite or momentum, as this film's development segment further proves, for although it is quite a distance from dull, it is steady to a fault, though that, at the very least, is exactly what you'll be begging for once the development segment concludes and leaves the film to take an unexpected tremendous drop in momentum through a sudden burst of sobriety within the atmosphere. The body of the film rarely descends as low as dull, and reasonably picks back up on more than a few occasions, yet it does still have those occasions of dullness in the midst of consistent dryness that slows the film's steam down nearly to a crawl, and certainly to an often disengaging state. Zwick almost always tackles extremely promising projects, only to end up squandering potential through one kind of glaring misstep or another, and this film's slowness, all but alone, squanders its potential, doing so with the help of something else that Zwick all too often falls into: being too theatrical for his own good, as Zwick tends to drench his films in a consistent degree of overambition, or rather, glorification, until he hits the occasional dramatic note that he propels nearly past its breaking point, dropping his films into sweeping sentimentality that suddenly spikes momentum perhaps too high, which not only leaves the subsequent drastic drops in momentum as the film comes down from its dramatic high rather off-putting (Seriously, how many endings did "Blood Diamond" have?), but dilutes genuine dramatic effectiveness. That doesn't happen terribly often here, yet it does happen quite a number of times, as Zwick taints the film with a consistent degree of subtlety-damaging glorification, broken up by sentimentality that ranges from often disconcerting to occasionally near-cloying, while giving this film too much steam at one time, until you're left a little bit exhausted by the time we plummet back into the slowness, which now seems even slower. It's made all the worse by conventions, for although this film's basic concepts are, in quite a few ways, rather unique, that concept goes plagued by a couple of cliches that either grow more and more prevalent as the film progresses or go brought more and more to attention by Zwick's pronounced lack of subtlety. Either way, the film often treads familiar ground, until, after a while, it falls too deeply into a formula that we've seen time and again and makes it hardly hard to guess the rest, and, as you can say about nearly all other Ed Zwick films, it deserves better, yet just ends up held back by the slowness and overambition that has diluted the punch of many a potentially upstanding film that Zwick has done prior and since. That being said, Zwick rarely crafts an underwhelming film, for although he taints his visions to no end, his visions often go graced by compensation that brings the worthiness of Zwick's projects to attention just enough for you to walk away, not nearly as rewarded as you would hope, yet rewarded nevertheless, and this film is no exception to that rule. Nothing short of outstanding, the production designs reconstruct a lost era with impressive authenticity that catches your eye, supplements the believability and effectiveness of the film's substance and provides a dynamic vastness that compliments the film's sharp action sequences, which go cleverly staged, slickly choreographed and well-edited and provide genuine thrills, yet not expense of well-formed intensity that gives the action dramatic weight, because in the heat of battle, Edward Zwick tends to find his grip on resonance and leave the action to both dazzle and breathe life into the substance it's built around, which is something that can be said about the visual touches, and not just within the action. John Toll returns as Ed Zwick's go-to cinematographer and delivers as sharply as he always does, gracing the film with a lighting that marries both lushness and grit in order to fit the tone and catch your eye on any occasion, while delivering on scope that marries both a degree of broadness and a degree of tightness, giving this film is reasonably engaging epic sweep, while keeping intimate with the environment and atmosphere in order supplement the film's tones and depth. Another man who dazzles and firmly supplements the tone is, of course, my main music man, the great Hans Zimmer (A samurai film with American filmmakers, a lot of Asian cast members, a cast member as English as Timothy Spall and a German score composer; this film is multicultural as all get-out), whose spirited efforts often go misused by Zwick to exacerbate glorification and sentimentality, yet remain spirited nevertheless, as Zimmer renders his work hardly recognizable by playing with various unique combinations of good old fashion Japanese music and universal contemporary sensibilities, yet not at the expense of his trademark dynamic sweep, thus creating grand score work that doesn't simply fit the tones and themes, but amplifies them. Of course, with all of the sharpness of John Toll's and Hans Zimmer's work, they would have nothing to supplement were it not for the work of a certain other John (Hans was originally short for Johannes, which means John; you kids just got yourselves learnt), John Logan, whose story concepts are indeed worthy, with unique touches and complex depths that sadly go tainted by the conventions and other missteps within Logan's and Ed Zwick's flawed screenplay, which, even then, remains fairly strong, boasting a couple of occasions of memorably sharp dialogue, as well as lively characterization and story structure that may be familiar, yet remains reasonably worthy. The screenplay is flawed, though hits more often than not, only to find itself rather betrayed by Ed Zwick's directorial execution, which is indeed flawed, and yet, not without some high points, as Zwick does, as I said, find a grip on resonance during action, but also finds a grip on resonance when he needs to most, because with all of the film's sentimental moments and dramatic faults, when Zwick finds the proper string to pluck, he really delivers, partially with the help of the performances, particularly that of leading man Tom Cruise. True, Cruise's performance goes held back by a moderate miscast (Seriously, they should have gotten someone who can pull off that beard), as well as by the often superficial writing and direction that I spent almost all of the last paragraph and much of this paragraph going on and on about, yet still compels, as Cruise portrays the initial trauma, fierce alcoholism and broken frustration of the Nathan Algren with a striking presence and emotional range that he plays with rather skillfully as he conveys Algren's finding redemption, fear, revelation and other defining experiences and changes as the story unravels, thus making for a compelling lead performance that leaves Cruise to help in making the overall film itself as compelling as it ultimately is. The film makes many right moves, yet Zwick undercuts most all of them with his overambition and many collapses into superficiality, and that's a shame and all, yet the fact of the matter is that the film does make many right moves, and just enough for the good to well outweigh the not so good and create an epic that may not hit as much as it should have, yet boasts the occasions of genuineness, fair deal of style and consistent enjoyability needed to reward at the end of the day. In conclusion, the potentially upstanding project falls victim to Edward Zwick's trademark missteps of extended periods of slowness, if not all-out dryness, as well as overambition-driven atmospheric faults, from moments of overwhelming sentimentality to a consistent aura of pronounced unsubtlety that brings more to attention the many various story conventions and cliches that render the worthy story often predictable and help in leaving the overall final product to fall a ways behind its potential, yet still hold its own with the help of stellar production designs and action sequences, as well by striking, sweeping and lively cinematography by John Toll and score work by Hans Zimmer that supplement the tones and themes behind the story John Logan conceives well and structures reasonably well, with the hit-or-miss screenwriting assistance of director Ed Zwick, whose occasional moments of genuinely effective resonance, made all the stronger by inspired performances - particularly that of a miscast and directorially restrained, yet generally compelling Tom Cruise -, spark enough essence in "The Last Samurai" to help in making it a generally enjoyable and ultimately worthwhile epic, even with its udercutting shortcomings. 3/5 - Good

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‘His Energy Was Intimidating’

The last samurai director ed zwick on the “joyous, challenging, and exhausting” experience of working with tom cruise..

For years, Edward Zwick was primarily known as a television guy. He had come up through the TV ranks and had created, along with his writing and producing partner, Marshall Herskovitz, the hit series Thirtysomething . Later, he would also executive-produce the well-received Once and Again and My So-Called Life . Along the way, however, he also became a director of cinematic spectacles. Glory (1989) and Legends of the Fall (1994) were big award-winning period epics. Courage Under Fire (1996) and The Siege (1998) were topical, large-scale dramas.

In his lively new memoir, Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood , Zwick tells lots of stories about his up-and-down journey through the film and television industries. Among the most fascinating is his account of the making of 2003’s The Last Samurai , a rousing war epic about a 19th-century rebellion by a group of samurai opposed to the rapid westernization of Japan. In it, Tom Cruise plays an alcoholic American officer, haunted by his role in the Indian Wars, who joins in with Ken Watanabe’s Lord Moritsugu Katsumoto, the leader of the uprising and the “last samurai” of the film’s title. (At one point, Zwick writes, Russell Crowe called him about trying to play the Katsumoto character.)

The film was a huge hit, and today it feels emblematic of a bygone era of entertaining, star-driven period adventures. It’s also revered in the stunt community for its elaborate action sequences, full of impressive riding and sword-fighting, and its sprawling battle scenes. “It wasn’t Lawrence of Arabia , but we tried,” Zwick writes. The story of its making offers an insightful glimpse into what it takes to mount such a massive production with the biggest star in the world.

Excerpt from ‘HITS, FLOPS, AND OTHER ILLUSIONS’

Until this moment in my career, getting a movie made had been a war of attrition. The subjects that interested me never seemed to fall neatly into a category that was easy for executives to understand, by which I mean, to sell. I’d come to expect a kind of siege mentality — haranguing, shaming, whining, bullying, and generally making myself so annoying that I occasionally managed to wear them down until they gave me a start date. Such difficult births are quite common in the business. Every year during the orgy of self-congratulations we immodestly call “awards season,” you can count on someone in a tuxedo giving a tearful acceptance speech citing the decades of rejection that preceded such a halcyon moment. So much of Hollywood studio culture is fear-based: executives afraid that the wrong decision could cost them their jobs. I was accustomed to a gradual and sometimes grudging process of acceptance, often taking several weeks of dailies, or a first cut, sometimes even a successful preview for them to get excited about what they had on their hands. The reasons a studio decides to make a film are often quite obscure unless we’re talking about a superhero movie or big IP (intellectual property). On such corporate crusades, long before a single frame is filmed, a legion of marketers, accountants, and distributors have already run the numbers on its profit-and-loss profile, a release date has been set, and an advertising campaign is underway. But the path of a “one-off” (that’s what they now call regular movies) as it struggles to swim against the mainstream is littered with revised drafts and broken hearts. Deliberately or not, a studio will do anything it can to make a script more “accessible.” One thing you learn, when they call it a “passion project,” you know you’re in trouble.

The Last Samurai was an entirely different experience: the only time it felt like a studio was genuinely enthusiastic about what I had in mind. The movie had a green light from the moment Tom said yes. It was like the no-bid, cost-plus contracts I’d heard about between military contractors and the Defense Department. A million dollars of R&D to scout locations, hire department heads, and figure out logistics? No problem. A trip to Japan to do research and meet actors? Let us make the reservations for you! You want to shoot on three continents? Great idea! Within weeks we were in headlong prep. My first trip to Japan was overwhelming; I visited museums, met historians, and traveled all over the country. There was so much I didn’t know, and even more that we’d gotten wrong in the script. Since at least a third of the movie would be in Japanese, I needed help with the dialogue. The great screenwriter Yô Takeyama agreed to join me.

Vickie Thomas (the casting director whose impeccable taste I’ve come to rely on for 20 years) had arranged for me to meet Yôko Narahashi in Tokyo. Yôko’s ostensible role would be to help cast the movie, but it was soon clear she would be much more to me than a casting director. Bicultural and brilliant — her father had been the Japanese ambassador to Sweden — she was also a theater director and a teacher with her own acting school. In addition to serving as my translator and interlocutor, her insights into the nuances of culture and behavior, on set and off, saved me from innumerable gaffs, while her intimate knowledge of her country’s unusual casting traditions was a godsend. Like many institutions in Japan, casting was often hierarchical. To play a part like Katsumoto, starring opposite Tom Cruise, it was assumed that Hiroyuki Sanada — often referred to as the “Tom Cruise of Japan” — would be cast in the role. But upon meeting Ken Watanabe, I was so taken with his unusual blend of strength, humor, and emotional availability that I decided to cast him.

Upon hearing of my choice of Ken, the Japanese representatives from Warner Bros. made no secret of their displeasure. They informed the executives back in Burbank that this was a terrible faux pas . It was Hiroyuki Sanada himself who came to the rescue. By agreeing to play Ujio, Katsumoto’s majordomo, he was making a strong statement in support of Ken and the movie. I couldn’t have known that after surviving a battle with leukemia years before, Ken had found himself in debt to shady managers; at that time, the Yakuza was heavily involved in the business. To pay them off, for several years he had been obliged to play whatever roles on Japanese TV came his way, no matter how uninspiring, and it had hurt his career. In our early rehearsals, Ken seemed somewhat tentative, but Sanada’s deference never failed to endow his presence with the necessary aplomb. Day by day as his self-confidence grew, so did Ken’s performance. By the time we were ready to shoot, he had grown into the role, owning not just his size as the character but as a leading man going mano a mano with the biggest movie star in the world.

While reading a book about the Meiji dynasty I had seen a picture of an ancient monastery and asked if we could visit it. It turned out that the 700-year-old Buddhist compound was located atop a mountain outside Himeji, a midsize city. To reach it required taking a rickety funicular. But once there, walking the hand-hewn floors through temples shrouded in clouds was like being cast back in time. When I told the Warner physical production people I wanted to use it as Katsumoto’s home, I expected to be laughed out of their office. But I had forgotten this was a Tom Cruise movie. They figured out a way to make it work. There were just as many things I would have liked to shoot in Japan that proved too costly; there simply wasn’t the kind of open space and vistas we needed to stand in for the pastoral splendor of 19th-century Japan. I had been to New Zealand once before with my wife and kids for a backpacking trip on the Routeburn Track, a three-day trek through alpine meadows, emerald-green tarns, prehistoric ferns, and spectacular vistas. It was a north-south mountain range, as was Japan’s. Lilly Kilvert, John Toll, and I spent weeks flying up and down the North and South Islands in a helicopter ordinarily reserved for the prime minister (a Tom Cruise movie, remember?) until we found a pristine valley in which to build Katsumoto’s village. There, Lilly would bring Japanese carpenters to build the houses in the traditional sashimono style of wood joinery without nails. She also began planting rice paddies that wouldn’t be shot until the following spring.

Back in L.A., it was a cold, rainy winter. One wet evening, Marshall Herskovitz and I were scheduled to meet with Tom about the script. In addition to helping me produce the movie, Marshall had joined me in the rewrite — not only because the burdens of preproduction were beginning to overwhelm me but because, much as I hated to admit it, I knew his unique gift would bring the script to the next level. Also, because he insisted. He has a great love of the epic form, and his ideas and criticisms, however painful to hear, were brilliant. Tom quickly recognized Marshall’s ear for dialogue as well as his gift for sly humor and began to rely on him. This became something I depended on more and more as the demands of shooting drew closer.

After Marshall and I finished another draft, I got a call from Robert Towne’s assistant asking if I was available to meet. I knew that Towne — one of the few living writers in my personal pantheon — had an informal arrangement with Tom whereby he sometimes quietly rewrote his movies. I drove over to his house in the Pacific Palisades, harboring more than a little dread. Had Tom asked him to rewrite us? It turned out Towne didn’t want to talk about the script, except to point out several things he’d enjoyed. Apparently, he just wanted to take my measure. Still, as we spent a pleasant couple of hours talking about John Fante novels, it did feel like he was giving me his blessing.

That night, Marshall and I arrived at Tom’s house for a meeting and were told he was down at the tennis court. We followed a winding path through the fog toward the sound of strange percussive whacks, each accompanied by loud, guttural cries. Below us, we could barely make out five spectral figures hacking at each other with wooden swords. Though principal photography was still six months away, Tom was already working out every day, determined to do the scene where Algren takes on four assailants in a single take without a cut, chanbara style, as in the old samurai movies. No stuntman was going to play his part.

There was one stunt we knew would be too dangerous. The moment the samurai are first revealed, emerging on horseback out of the misty forest, needed to be violent and terrifying. As we had written it, Algren, a former cavalry officer, draws his saber and fights while on horseback. As the conclusion of the sequence, Marshall and I had imagined him getting T-boned — his horse deliberately struck by another horseman, with Algren knocked to the ground and his horse falling on top of him. There was no way to do the stunt with Tom on a real horse, where the slightest wrong movement could put his head in the path of a swinging metal sword, nor could we really have one horse hit another, let alone have Tom’s horse fall on top of him. So how to do it?

These days it would all be done with CG, but that was still years away. To shoot it in cuts using a stuntman would inevitably look staged and give the gag away. It was Paul Lombardi, our special-effects guru, who suggested building an animatronic horse. It took months of experimentation, repeated failure, and reimagination, but six months and a million dollars later, Tom Cruise is fighting on horseback in the middle of a mêlée, or so it appears, and the real Tom Cruise has a live horse falling on him. I’ve never counted how many seconds of the fake horse — Wilbur, as he affectionately came to be known — are in the final cut, and I defy anyone to identify him without going frame by frame. All I know is they’re the most expensive frames of any film I’ve ever shot.

Our first day of shooting was in the Buddhist monastery. Riding up the funicular at dawn, we were enveloped by clouds. Moments later we broke through to be confronted with what looked for all the world like a cliché — the perfectly round, bright-red sun of the Nippon flag rising over distant mountains and setting the ancient temples aglow. Soon after, the entire crew gathered under the gaze of a 14-foot-high Buddha. Surrounded by hundreds of lit candles and dizzying incense, we accepted the monks’ blessings of good luck for the film. At lunch they even made us seasonal bento boxes of sashimi adorned with colorful fall leaves. It was as magical a time as I’ve ever had on set.

After lunch we were to shoot the first scenes to be performed entirely in Japanese. I’ll admit to being a bit nervous, yet as soon as the actors began to speak, I realized that although I couldn’t understand the words, their intentions were perfectly clear. At first, I’d confer with Yôko after every take. Did their performances seem natural? Were their line readings correct? If I had an adjustment, she would communicate it to the actors. But after a while, I began to allow my instincts to guide me. These were scenes we’d written ourselves, after all, so it made sense I might be able to follow along with its beats and rhythms. It was, I suppose, what directing silent films must have been like. Most surprising was how many times I’d see Yôko nod her head after I said I preferred a particular take. Remarkably, it was often her favorite as well. I was especially pleased as Ken’s sense of humor began to inform his performance. Over the course of a taxing shoot, that quality would prove to be a saving grace. He is one of the most delightful, soulful men I’ve ever met.

We shot in Japan for two weeks, mostly in Kyoto. After we wrapped on the  last night, Sanada took Ken, Marshall, Yôko, and me to his favorite karaoke bar.  I walked in expecting something glitzy and high end. It was just the opposite. No  bigger than a ship’s stateroom, there were only five seats at the bar, and Sanada  had reserved the place just for us. It’s possible he knew just how boisterous we  would get. When Sanada entered, I thought the bartender was going to faint. It  turned out, in addition to Yôko’s many talents, she was also a songwriter whose  tunes were there on the jukebox. Ken turned out to have a spectacular voice and  loved to sing American pop standards. (He would go on to be nominated for a  Tony for his performance in The King and I .) One of my favorite memories of  all time is seeing Marshall, a nondrinker, shit-faced for the first time in our long  friendship, clutching the mic and crooning “Danny Boy” at the top of his voice in  a rich basso profundo.

We flew back to L.A. for the second leg of our worldwide production. It’s hard to describe my wonder and delight as I walked onto the Burbank lot and found the famous New York Street completely transformed into Tokyo, 1876. Lilly’s production design was a marvel: every detail from the live eels to the wood joinery. Same with costume designer Ngila Dickson’s hand-painted kimonos and gleaming armor.

On our first day of shooting in Burbank, I happened to glance behind me and see Steven Spielberg. Moments later, David Fincher appeared, and then Cameron Crowe. How coincidental that they’d all “just happened” to be on the lot that day. I would later discover each was courting Tom to be in their movies and this was a chance to get a bit of face time. I will confess to being the tiniest bit self-conscious giving direction with that intimidating trio on my six (as they say in Top Gun ). But their visit prompted an oddly charming and very revealing reaction from Tom. While Fincher, Crowe, Marshall, and I were chatting behind my chair, the still photographer asked if he could take a picture. Tom must have been with Spielberg at the time, but when he heard about it, he asked for a copy and had himself photoshopped into the shot. Apparently, even movie stars have FOMO.

Shooting went well the first week, and then we hit our first speed bump. It seems the neighboring houses had grown tired of the noise caused by productions shooting deep into the night and had gotten wind that we were planning more late nights by the little pond at the border of the studio known as “Gilligan’s Lagoon.” That’s where we had built a set for Katsumoto’s Tokyo home. As a compromise we agreed to shoot split days — from noon until midnight — rather than work all night long.

We had already agreed not to use black powder in the antique rifles — again, because of the noise. The solution by the armorer was to turn the weapons into what essentially were battery-operated toys. When the trigger was pulled, a flash would appear, followed by a puff of smoke. The sound would then be added in post. It sounded swell in theory, but from the outset of shooting Katsumoto’s escape we discovered the gag rarely worked, and even when it did, it took far too long to reload for the next take. After only an hour of shooting, we were several hours behind.

Going into the second night of filming the sequence, we had lost at least half a day and I was getting worried. How would the studio respond to us falling behind so soon? To executives always ready to panic about the budget, it would augur worse to come. At lunch — in this case, that meant 6 p.m. — I was scheduled to have a meeting with the marketing department. Sweaty and stinking from the pond, I walked into a huge conference room and found it brimming with no less than 40 smiling faces. For an hour they regaled me with their plans for the movie’s release: billboards, talk shows, magazine covers, trailers, international premieres. I did my best to pay attention while unable to banish the single thought hammering my brain — We’re behind. We’re behind. How bad will it be tonight? 

It got worse. A couple of hours later, while still moving at a crawl, I was waiting for a lighting setup that was taking much too long (night lighting setups always take too long) and anxiety-mainlining peanut M&M’s at the craft-services table when Tom ambled up. He greeted me with his usual, peppy “How’s it going?!” I wasn’t in the mood to respond in kind.

“I don’t know,” I moaned, “the sequence isn’t really working. Those stupid  guns are killing us. We’re already behind and I’m worried we’re going to have to come back and reshoot at least half of it.” He listened as I went on. Then he  looked off into the night.

That was all he said before touching my shoulder and walking away. I stood  there, confused. Couldn’t he tell I was upset? Had he been in this situation so  many times that he just took it in stride? It was then that I began to realize the gulf  between my experience and Tom’s. No matter how many movies I’d made until  then, no matter how many battles I’d had with studios, or times I’d gone over  schedule, there was still some part of me that needed to be a good boy.

When I ran into Marshall, I recounted my non-conversation with Tom. Mar shall smiled and said, “He knows there’s not going to be a card in the credits that says, ‘This movie was made on schedule.’ ” Then he touched my shoulder exactly the way Tom had done and headed back to the set. Later that night, as I was setting up a shot, Cruise was passing by and stopped. “How ya doing, boss?”

“Better,” I said.

“Good, GOOD! You know what we get to do tonight?”

“MAKE A MOVIE!”

As he walked away, I realized I’d missed the subtext of our earlier interaction.  It had been Tom’s nonconfrontational way of reminding me I was the director, and  that directing was a samurai job. He didn’t want to see me shaken. We were going  to be shooting for another hundred days. If I was willing to compromise now, I  might compromise tomorrow, and that’s not the way he rolled.

I called the studio in the morning and told them we needed to reshoot. They didn’t say a word in protest.

After New Year’s, our huge traveling circus moved to its third continent. New Zealand was a dream. My family and I stole a delirious week in a house by the Tasman Sea before production started up again. The bracing weather changed hourly as storms moved in and out while we explored snowcapped mountains, shadowed glens of dense ferns, and fog-shrouded fjords. My daughter learned to surf, and my son went backpacking. I even had time to remember I was married. Sooner than I would have liked, Kevin de la Noy called to say I needed to come into the production office. Kevin had taken over as line producer once the scope of our ambitions revealed the need for someone of his unique genius. I had first met Kevin 15 years before when he was the location scout on the first incarnation of Shakespeare in Love . In the years since, this English logistics genius had risen to rockstar status: planning the logistics for the climactic battle in Braveheart , organizing the beach assault in Saving Private Ryan . I could hear in his usually jolly voice that he was beginning to suspect his greatest challenge loomed in the weeks ahead.

There are few Japanese in New Zealand. How then to populate the cities, seaports, and villages we had built? The answer was obvious: bring them over. This would prove harder than it seemed. In addition to auditioning thousands of “fighting extras” so as to find 700 with the ability to learn 19th-century fighting tactics, rounding up another couple hundred women and children, getting them all the necessary visas, and then leasing the 747s to fly them in, Kevin had to create an entire colony of translators, doctors, and chefs to accommodate them all.

Our base of operations was New Plymouth, a small oil-and-gas town on the  North Island. Within a week it looked like an occupying army had taken over.  Every laborer with a pickup truck was put to work, every piece of heavy machinery was commandeered. The restaurants and hotels were booming. As the  extras came to recognize me as their meishu (a classier honorific than “director”),  I couldn’t walk down the street to buy toothpaste without accepting and returning  any number of gracious bows. Not that I minded.

In addition to the Japanese cast I had hired Tony Goldwyn as Colonel Bagley, Algren’s former superior officer in the Seventh Cavalry, and Billy Connolly as Sergeant Zebulon Gant, in what I liked to think of as the Victor McLaglen role — the gruff, stalwart noncom straight out of a John Ford movie. Tony, a talented director himself, was a joy to be with, on set and off, while Billy was irrepressibly funny in the way I imagined working with Robin Williams must have been. At times I literally had to beg him to stop making us laugh so we could get back to work. Ken Watanabe’s commanding performance continued to thrill me while I came to count on Sanada’s vast experience in martial arts (known as Seiten wo Tsuke , literally “reach beyond the blue sky”) to help me stage the many fighting scenes. Koyuki, the actress playing the role of Taka, Algren’s reluctant host, was the greatest revelation. Her understanding of period behavior was expressed with exquisite simplicity and elevated every scene.

Working with Tom was joyous, challenging, and exhausting. His energy was  intimidating. It may sound surprising, but the one formative experience we had in  common was that we both wrestled in high school. Like all wrestlers, we shared a  tolerance for hard work and punishment. Tom was in every scene for 120 shooting  days, yet he never showed the slightest sign of fatigue, not even after getting the  shit kicked out of him by Sanada take after take in the mud and pouring rain.  Tom likes to think of himself as being chased by a shark, which he means metaphorically. I hope. His mantra when giving notes is, “How can we ratchet up the  pressure on my character?” By which he means, he wants a bigger shark.

He is also legendarily, at times maddeningly , self-confident, no matter if it’s about doing a dangerous stunt or a six-page dialogue in a single take. But there were times that very self-assurance could look opaque on film. And it was the opposite of what I wanted to see in him when, on the eve of the final battle, he has to say good-bye to Higen, the son of the man he killed. We were to shoot the scene at magic hour, an ineffably beautiful time in the village we’d constructed in New Zealand. Given that Algren knows he probably won’t ever see it again, I thought the fading light was appropriate. But it also meant Tom would have time for no more than a single take. This, I thought, gave it a degree of difficulty much higher than the most difficult stunt. If I hoped to get him to the right emotional place, I felt I needed to touch some vulnerable part in him that I’d yet to see him reveal in the movie.

I don’t mean to suggest he wasn’t completely open to my direction. If I had asked him to do a scene while standing on his head, I’m convinced he would have been willing to try. If I had said, “Listen, Tom, could you be just a tad more emotionally revealing in this scene?” he would have given his all. But the result would have invariably ended up feeling forced — precisely because he was trying to give me what I wanted. I didn’t want him to try to make something happen. I wanted it to happen.

While filming their earlier scenes together I had noticed how sweet and attentive Tom had been with the young actor playing Higen. Over the months of getting to know Tom, I’d also observed how close he was to his 8-year-old son, Connor. As the crew scurried to make ready, we were already losing the light. I took Tom aside.

“Tell me about your son,” I said.

He looked at me, surprised. I knew Connor had just returned to L.A. and  Tom wouldn’t be seeing him for a while. For a moment Tom was quiet. And then  he began to talk. It doesn’t matter what he said in those few short moments in the  fading light. I watched as he looked inward, and a window seemed to open and  his eyes softened.

“Go,” I said, gently nudging him into position on the porch. He nailed the  scene with the depth of feeling I had loved in his best performances. I should also  mention his Japanese pronunciation was spot-on.

The light was gone. The AD called, “Wrap.” As Tom walked past me on his  way down the mountain, he caught my eye and mouthed, “Thank you.”

Excerpted from HITS, FLIPS, AND OTHER ILLUSIONS: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood by Ed Zwick. Copyright © 2024 by Ed Zwick. Reprinted by permission of Gallery Books, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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Movie Review

The last samurai.

US Release Date: 12-05-2003

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Starring ▸ ▾

• Tom Cruise ,  as
• Nathan Algren
• Ken Watanabe ,  as
• Billy Connolly ,  as
• Zebulon Gant
• Tony Goldwyn ,  as
• Colonel Bagley
• Masato Harada ,  as
• Timothy Spall ,  as
• Simon Graham
• Shichinosuke Nakamura ,  as
• Emperor Meiji

Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai .

The Last Samurai is beautifully shot. From a visual standpoint, it's beyond reproach. If it was merely shooting for a beautifully filmed action movie, it could have easily reached its goal. However, it tries to be a thinking person's action movie, and sadly if you stop to think too much about this movie, it begins to unravel.

Tom Cruise plays Captain Tom Cruise, formerly of the American army, but now a fulltime drunk/part time pitch man for Winchester rifles in the late 1800s. Ok, so his name really isn't Tom Cruise in the movie, but I've never been able to separate Tom Cruise from the characters he plays, he's just Tom Cruise in a costume. For the record, his real name in the film is Nathan Algren.

Cruise is hired by a Japanese official to come to Japan to train Japanese soldiers in the art of modern warfare. He accepts the job strictly for the money, and despite the fact that his old commanding officer, whom he hates, is also coming along. Just why the Japanese would want to hire this drunkard is a little sketchy. Surely, there must be other soldiers available.

The necessity for training soldiers is due to the uprising by a group of Japanese traditionalists, led by Samurai Katsumoto. The Samurai, clinging to the old ways and customs, want to prevent the westernization of their country.

While it wouldn't seem too hard for thousands of men armed with rifles to defeat a few hundred guys using only swords and bows and arrows, Omura (the Official who hired Cruise, and the movie's official bad guy), makes the mistake of sending Cruise and his newly trained men into battle, way before they are ready. The resulting battle, which is set in the woods, where the Samurai can take full advantage of cover, is a crushing defeat for the modern equipped army.

Cruise is captured by the Samurai and taken to one of their villages. He spends the winter in the village where he begins to learn about the Japanese culture. Before you can say, "Dances with Wolves", Cruise is wearing a kimono, meditating and wielding a sword with the best of the samurai. Hollywood never fails to try to prove that there isn't a culture in the world that an American can't walk into, spend a little bit of time, and end up surpassing the natives.

The result, as you can probably guess, is that Cruise ends up fighting with the Samurai when the inevitable final battle occurs.

A great deal of time is spent in this movie talking about honor, how it is a forgotten word and how the Samurai exemplify that word. The way I see it, it's very easy for them to have honor. They are the landed gentry of Feudal Japan, with all the time in the world to train to fight and meditate in their gardens. The men they are fighting against; the so-called modern army, are just a bunch of draftee peasants with a rifle slapped in their hands. Where's the honor in slaughtering a bunch of guys who probably didn't want to be there in the first place?

In truth, this is a Japanese tale with a starring role for a big American movie star slapped on top of it. Katsumoto is loosely based upon the Samurai Saigo, who did fight against the modernization of Japan. He is the actual Last Samurai, although this movie appears to be giving that honor to Cruise. And the filmmakers probably assumed that a movie like this, without a big name star, wouldn't fare so well at the box office.

At two and a half hours, this movie could have been trimmed slightly. The fight scenes go on too long, with some of them being shown twice, once at normal speed and then again in slow motion, like an instant replay. What's that about?

Entertaining at times and beautiful to look, The Last Samurai just fails to gel into the classic it seems to be striving to become.

Ken Watanabe and Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai .

As Scott said Tom Cruise is always Tom Cruise. He is such an icon as a movie star that he can never completely escape his own image. This is not to suggest that he cannot act. He is very much capable of conveying emotion, most notably anger. And although I think his persona fits better in a modern day setting he does manage to create a larger-than-life character in this movie. Therefore I disagree with Scott's questioning of why the Japanese leaders want him to train their soldiers. Yes he is a drunk but he is also an Achilles-like warrior. Believable or not Nathan Algren, in spite of his drinking, is shown as a man with amazing speed, strength, dexterity and courage before he even sets sail for Japan. The fact that he is able to learn the samurai fighting technique is acceptable if you accept the very existence of the character.

I do agree that the movie goes out of its way to show the samurai warriors as perfect heroes and pretty much all other military leaders as evil. There is no middle ground here, you are either honorable or dishonorable.

Despite this rather simple view of the world Last Samurai is entertaining. It is easy to let yourself get caught up in the dramatic sweep of the story. It is one of the most beautiful films to look at and there are plenty of heart-thumping action scenes featuring some great sword fights.

The ending is a bit disappointing. I would have preferred seeing Algren die on the battlefield with his comrade-in-arms. Seeing him head off into the sunset lessens the emotional impact.

Not a horrid movie by any means but a bit too long and a bit too self-important.

Koyuki and Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai .

The Last Samurai is like a big air balloon. At first, they are beautiful to look at, but after a while you get bored. Eventually you realize it is just nice decoration surrounding a lot of hot gas, moving along at a slow and predictable pace.

Photos © Copyright Warner Brothers (2003)

© 2000 - 2017 Three Movie Buffs. All Rights Reserved.

(CNN) -- Tom Cruise is Hollywood's Golden Boy, in more than one sense: a bankable movie star who can guarantee a blockbuster hit even when the project is less than stellar.

For a long time now, he's cruised on his box office power with projects such as "Eyes Wide Shut" (1999), "Vanilla Sky" (2001) and "Minority Report" (2002), films in which he played Tom Cruise more than his character. None of these were great films, but his marquee value saved the day, and they all made millions.

In the case of "The Last Samurai," he becomes an actor again.

"Samurai" is a spectacular epic adventure, and Cruise is stunning as Captain Nathan Algren, a Union soldier from the Civil War who loses his soul on the battlefield and sells himself off to the Japanese Imperial Army as a mercenary.

Now, Cruise can act. A quick look at "Rain Man" (1988) and "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989) proves the point. But with "The Last Samurai," Cruise not only shows -- once again -- that he can really, really act, but this role actually demonstrates an enormous growth in his skills. Cruise becomes Nathan Algren more than he has ever inhabited a character before.

Directed by Edward Zwick (1989's "Glory" and 1994's "Legends of the Fall"), the action begins shortly after the American Civil War. At the same time, Japan is shaking off thousands of years of deeply ingrained traditions and cultural isolationism. The emperor is determined to modernize his nation and needs a updated army to achieve that goal.

Standing in his way is the ancient culture of the samurai and those warriors' strict dedication to protecting their emperor -- and their way of life -- with traditional weapons of arrows and spears.

Finding a cause

Economic trade with the West is about to open, so the old ways are doomed. Katsumoto (played with great skill by veteran Japanese actor Ken Watanabe), the leader of the last of the samurai, decides to take a final stand before the end of this chapter in Japan's history.

At this point Capt. Algren, a borderline alcoholic, arrives as part of a group of former American soldiers hired to transform Japan's army into a modern-day fighting force, complete with cannons, Gatling guns, rifles and pistols.

Algren is a grim, angry man with no illusions. After a horrifying ordeal in the Civil War, and being forced to take part in hideous Indian massacres, honor and country are meaningless words to him. He goes about training the Japanese soldiers on automatic pilot. Never again will his emotions become involved in any kind of cause -- noble or otherwise.

Then his unprepared troops are suddenly called to duty. Algren knows his men are not ready, but he's overruled. Reluctantly he leads his green soldiers into battle against the renegade samurai. The result is a slaughter, and Algren -- much to his surprise -- is captured alive and taken prisoner.

Katsumoto, it seems, saw him in battle and was impressed enough to spare his life, while at the same time using Algren to practice his English skills and learn whatever he can about the enemy Algren represents.

Slowly, Algren begins to heal from his wounds and starts to observe the life around him. He's living in a traditional samurai village where every man, woman, and child devotes every moment to the spiritual and physical demands of honoring and learning the art of a samurai.

To Algren's dismay, he discovers that the woman caring for him, Taka (played by one of Japan's best actresses, Koyuki) is Katsumoto's sister -- and was made a widow when Algren killed her husband in battle.

The awakening of Algren's heart and soul and his renewed belief in honor and courage is beautifully realized by Cruise's performance. The samurai way of life restores his faith in the human spirit and reminds him that sacrifice in the service of a noble moral code is still worth fighting for.

Slowly, Katsumoto and Algren build a bond based on mutual respect and a deep belief in Bushido, the samurai's code of honor -- a code that, for Algren, transcends culture.

Love and war

Zwick and his co-producer and co-writer Marshall Herskovitz (screenplay credit also goes to John Logan) have created a beautiful film that combines terrifying battle sequences with a deeply moving love story. In fact, they've interwoven a number of love stories into this magnificent piece of work.

There is the love between the two warriors, Algren and Katsumoto, who have bounded like brothers; the forbidden love that develops between Algren and Taka; and finally the doomed love these people have for a way of life destined to disappear under the relentless march of progress.

All of this takes place on a canvas of great scope, showing an entire culture -- and a way of life that had lasted for centuries -- undergoing a catastrophic change.

This is a big movie, with big themes and bigger-than-life characters. The battle scenes are not only spectacular, they are also emotional. The men fight against all odds, using arrows and spears against cannons and bullets, all the while knowing their cause is doomed.

"The Last Samurai" is spectacularly filmed by John Toll, who won Academy Awards for both "Legends of the Fall" and "Braveheart." The production design by Lilly Kilvert feels utterly real and historically correct, sweeping you into this expertly crafted period piece.

This film has Oscar bait written all over it. You will be seeing "The Last Samurai" vying for all the top categories come Academy Award night.

"The Last Samurai" opens nationwide on Friday, December 5, and it's rated R. The film was produced by Warner Bros., a division of Time Warner, as is CNN.

The True Story Behind 'The Last Samurai'

Tom Cruise plays an American fighting alongside the Samurai. But how much of this story is based on real history?

The Big Picture

• The Last Samurai is a fictionalized account of Japan's past, blending entertainment with historical events.
• The film follows an American military officer who embraces the Samurai culture he was hired to destroy.
• While loosely based on real characters and events, the movie takes creative liberties and isn't entirely historically accurate.

When you see a movie poster that says the film is "based on a true story," it's fairly understood that there are going to be at least some Hollywood changes made, rendering the film less than 100% historically accurate. However, before it was easy to research on the internet what was fact from fiction, it was tough to know whether you were watching an accurate history lesson or a blend of Hollywood and an encyclopedia. One film that left many moviegoers wondering was 2003's The Last Samurai . Although this movie was constructed to resemble a first-hand account of Japan's past, the truth was that plenty of it was created for entertainment purposes . This leads to the question of what was the real story behind The Last Samurai.

The Last Samurai

An American military advisor embraces the Samurai culture he was hired to destroy after he is captured in battle.

What Happens in 'The Last Samurai'?

The depiction of the Samurai is nothing new in TV and film. This Edward Zwick -directed movie starred Tom Cruise as an American military officer who was hired by the Japanese government to train their army to combat the rising rebellion led by a group of outcast Samurai warriors . These warriors fought to resist Japan's rapidly growing modernization, which had been influenced by Western cultures. Cruise's character, Captain Nathan Algren, is there for a paycheck with no allegiance to the Japanese government whatsoever. In fact, Algren is facing his own demons with his involvement in the American-Indian wars.

The leader of the Samurai warriors is Katsumoto ( Ken Watanabe ), a compassionate yet deadly swordsman who heads the rebellion. In the first battle between the Algren-led Japanese forces and the Samurai, the American leader defeats a prominent warrior, resulting in him avoiding execution when captured. However, during his time with the Samurai, Algren learns to not only respect and understand the reasons for this rebellion but also how to fight like a Japanese warrior. Eventually, he joins the rebels to fight alongside them against the Imperial army. All of this makes for a highly entertaining film, yet it only somewhat borrows from the actual events that occurred during that time period.

The Samurai Helped Unify Japan

History, as well as many old and new Samurai productions, like FX's Shōgun , has taught us that the Samurai were highly skilled warriors from Japan , emerging during the Heian period, which fell between the years of 794 to 1185 AD. Following a strict code of conduct and ethics called Bushido , the leading warrior faction at the time focused on loyalty, self-discipline, and especially honor. Contrary to what many might believe, the Samurai were not only swordsmen but also served as protectors and guards, possessing many other skills such as archery and horse riding. There is no doubt that the Samurai were a force to be reckoned with.

By the mid-1300s, the Samurai had become a well-established military elite culture separate from the commoners. They grew so powerful that they began to obtain political influence during Japan's period of government instability. Somewhere between 1400 and 1600, known as the Sengoku period , the Samurai reached the peak of their political and physical strength, possessing significant influence over the country. Their will and discipline helped unify Japan and brought stability to the nation.

Where Was 'Shōgun' Filmed?

With this new stability, the Samurai became more involved in government and civil issues as battles became less frequent. The combination of politicians and Samurai brought about a period of more cultural and intellectual pursuits. However, in the late 19th century, Japan underwent rapid modernization under the influence of Western powers . Intensely focused on preserving their culture and heritage, The Samurai rejected this expansion and change, resulting in them becoming outcasts of rebellion and ultimately leading to the Boshin War. This type of conflict is nothing new, as there have been plenty of Japanese stories depicting wars and battles .

Tom Cruise’s Character in 'The Last Samurai' Is Based on Jules Brunet

It's important to point out that the story of The Last Samurai was mostly fictionalized, and, although they did play a part in Western influence accessing Japan and what led to this story, America played little part in this chapter. While Tom Cruise's character, Captain Nathan Algren, is based on a real person named Jules Brunet , he was a member of the French military that came over to Japan during the Boshin War . The Boshin War was a clash between the Japanese government and the Samurai rebellion in response to the West's influence on modernizing Japan. The Tokugawa Shogunate, who'd previously held a centuries-long grip on Japanese rule, needed assistance in combating the Meiji Emperor. Having a positive relationship with the French and Napolean III , the Shogunate reached out to their allies, leading them to acquire Brunet, a highly decorated artillery expert, to help arm and advise their military.

Much like other characters featured in other Samurai films, there are often as many untruths as there are facts. For example, true is the fact that Brunet developed sympathy for the Samurai’s cause and eventually sided with them to fight against the imperial Japanese forces. However, despite the epic conclusion of the film’s last stand, the alignment of the fates of Algren and Brunet is hit-and-miss. Brunet fought alongside the Samurai through the Battle of Hakodate, where the Samurai, led by Saigao Takamori, made their last stand, but he fled back to France with some comrades following their defeat . The Japanese Empire, having re-established their power, sought to have him pay for opposing them. Still, Brunet was protected by the French government and put back in their military, where he continued his tenure through the Franco-Prussian War and the French Commune of 1871.

Ken Watanabe’s ’The Last Samurai’s Character Is Based on a True Samurai Leader

As for the leader of the Samurai rebellion, Ken Watanabe portrayed the character Mortisugu Katsumoto, who held a significant role in both the movie and history. Similarly to Algren, this character was also loosely based on a real Samurai warrior. Katsumoto can be directly linked to the iconic Japanese Samurai Saigō Takamori . Takamori strongly opposed and resisted the Japanese government's sudden transition from traditional culture and feudalism to Western-like modernization. His vocal opposition was a major wedge between the traditional faction and the Meiji government. Like the film's character, Takamori wouldn't budge from his commitment to traditional Samurai culture, values, and an intense sense of honor. He and the rest of the rebels believed that preserving Japan's traditional culture was paramount , even over the growing influence of Western powers on the country's government.

Katsumodo's eventual demise at the end of The Last Samurai was that of a leader fighting to a dramatic death to defend his people and his beliefs. However, in reality, Takamori's death took place long after the events the film depicts. Following the Battle of Hakodate, Takamori joined the Meiji government, where he rose to lead their military as a general by 1873 . This wouldn't last as he'd retire in protest of the Meiji government . According to Mark Ravina's work in his book "The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori," Saigo returned to his hometown of Kagoshima and opened schools called Shi-Gakko, where he trained former Samurai. After leaving his position, the political pressure dissolving the Samurai class continued, causing a desire to rebel among his students. As a result of the mounting pressure and actions taken by the Meiji, Saigo was forced to declare war, taking 15,000 soldiers into a final stand during 1877's Satsuma Rebellion. Although the specifics of his death aren't clear, by the end of this brutal battle , Saigo was critically wounded and committed Seppukku .

While Not Completely Accurate, ‘ The Last Samurai ’ Has Historical Merit

When comparing the real-life main characters of The Last Samurai to actual history, it's also interesting to examine the reality of the Japanese conflict itself. The Meiji Restoration , which occurred from roughly 1868 to 1912, marked the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the rise of imperial control under Emperor Meiji. The government, previously connected with the Samurai and their traditional values, was replaced by military rule focused on modernization. With increasing Western influence in the Meiji Empire , the Samurai felt they had no choice but to separate and form a rebellion to reclaim their rapidly changing countr y. In contrast to what The Last Samurai portrayed, the clash between the government and the rebels lasted longer than a few uneven battles.

Despite the efforts of the Samurai, they were eventually defeated by the Meiji Imperial forces , and the focus on modernization and industrial progress continued to shape Japan's government. The real Samurai rebellion was much more complex than what The Last Samurai depicts. The rebels were not just warriors who broke away from the Japanese imperial government; they were also advocates for preserving the country's centuries-old values and culture. Focusing back on the film, The Last Samurai has faced criticism due to it being racially insensitive and a historically inaccurate film . However, Watanabe, himself, has come out in defense of it , saying "I just thought we had the opportunity to depict Japan in a way that we were never able to before. So we thought we were making something special." Regardless of the side one argues, it's unfortunate that the movie doesn't make much light of the history it's based on and instead casts Cruise as its Great White hero.

The Last Samurai is currently available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S.

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The Last Samurai

• Nathan Algren, a US army veteran, is hired by the Japanese emperor to train his army in the modern warfare techniques. Nathan finds himself trapped in a struggle between two eras and two worlds.
• In the 1870s, Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a cynical veteran of the American Civil War, who will work for anyone, is hired by Americans who want lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan to train the peasant conscripts for the first standing Imperial Army in modern warfare using firearms. The Imperial Omura (Masato Harada) cabinet's first priority is to repress a rebellion of traditionalist Samurai, hereditary warriors, who remain devoted to the sacred dynasty, but reject the Westernizing policy, and even refuse firearms. Yet, when his ill-prepared superior force sets out too soon, their panic allows the sword-wielding samurai to crush them. Badly wounded, Algren's courageous stand makes the samurai leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) spare his life. Once nursed to health, he learns to know and respect the old Japanese way, and participates as advisor in Katsumoto's failed attempt to save the Bushido tradition, but Omura gets repressive laws enacted. He must now choose to honor his loyalty to one of the embittered sides when the conflict returns to the battlefield. — KGF Vissers
• In 1876--while still haunted by the massacres against the American-Indian tribes--the former Civil War veteran and now an embittered alcoholic, Captain Nathan Algren, is presented with an offer to train the inexperienced army of the Japanese emperor. However, when the untried Imperial soldiers are sent too early into battle against the seasoned men of the samurai leader, Katsumoto, Algren will find himself captured as a prisoner of war. Intent on knowing his enemy, Katsumoto spares Algren's life, only to see him, little by little, embrace Bushido: the dying code of the samurai. Now, Nathan faces an entirely new enemy. Will the last samurai find peace in his quest for redemption? — Nick Riganas
• Set in Japan during the 1870s, this movie tells the story of Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a respected American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first Army in the art of modern warfare. The Imperial Omura (Masato Harada) cabinet attempts to eradicate the ancient Imperial Samurai warriors in preparation for more Westernized and trade-friendly government policies, Algren finds himself unexpectedly impressed and influenced by his encounters with the Samurai, which places him at the center of a struggle between two eras and two worlds, with only his own sense of honor to guide him. — la pointe
• Former U.S. Army Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a bitter alcoholic traumatized by the atrocities he committed during the American Indian Wars, is approached by his former commanding officer Colonel Bagley (Tony Goldwyn) to train the newly created Imperial Japanese Army for a forward-thinking Japanese businessman Omura (Masato Harada) (an industrialist and pro-reform politician who dislikes the old samurai and shogun-related lifestyle. He quickly imports westernization and modernization while making money for himself through his railroads. Coming from a merchant family that was like many repressed during the days of Samurai rule and the cause for his extreme dislike for their nobility, he assumes a great deal of power during the Meiji Restoration and takes advantages of Meiji's youth to become his chief advisor (wielding power similar to those of the Shoguns)), who intends to use the army to suppress a Samurai-headed rebellion against Japan's new emperor Meiji (Shichinosuke Nakamura) (Credited with the implementation of the 1868 Meiji Restoration, the Emperor is eager to import Western ideas and practices to modernize and empower Japan to become a strong nation). Despite his hatred of Bagley (Algren dislikes Bagley for his role in the Washita River massacre of the Native Americans that Algren cannot get over) for his role in the Indian Wars, an impoverished Algren takes the job for the money, and is accompanied to Japan by his old friend, Sergeant Zebulon Gant. Upon arriving, Algren meets Simon Graham (Timothy Spall), a British translator knowledgeable about the samurai. Algren finds the Imperial soldiers are actually conscripted peasants that have no knowledge of firearms or battle. Early in their training, Algren is informed that the samurai are attacking one of Omura's railroads; Omura sends the army there, despite Algren's protests that they are not ready. The battle is a disaster; the undisciplined conscripts are routed, and Gant is killed. Algren fights to the last before he is surrounded; expecting to die, he is taken prisoner when samurai leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) (a warrior-poet who was once Emperor Meiji's most trusted teacher. He is displeased with Mr. Omura's bureaucratic reform policies which leads him into organizing a revolt against the Imperial Army) decides to spare him. Algren is taken to Katsumoto's village to live among his family. While he is poorly treated at first, he eventually gains the samurai's respect and actually becomes friends with Katsumoto. Algren overcomes his alcoholism and guilt and learns the Japanese language and culture. He develops sympathy for the samurai, who are upset that the pace of modern technology has eroded the traditions of their society. Algren and Taka (Koyuki Kato), Katsumoto's sister and the widow of a samurai killed by Algren, develop an unspoken affection for each other. One night, a group of ninjas infiltrate the village and attempt to assassinate Katsumoto. Algren saves Katsumoto's life, and then helps defend the village. Katsumoto requests a meeting with Emperor Meiji and is given safe passage to Tokyo. He brings Algren, intending to release him. Upon arriving in Tokyo, Algren finds the Imperial Army is now a well-trained and fully equipped fighting force. Katsumoto, to his dismay, discovers that the young and inexperienced Emperor has essentially become a puppet of Omura. At a government meeting, Omura orders Katsumoto's arrest for carrying a sword in public and asks him to perform Seppuku to redeem his honor. Algren refuses Omura's offer to lead the new army to crush the rebels, due to his sympathy. Omura sends assassins to kill Algren, but Algren kills them. Algren assists the samurai in freeing Katsumoto; in the process, Katsumoto's son Nobutada (Shin Koyamada) (Katsumoto's son who is lord of the village in which the Samurai are encamped. Nobutada befriends Algren. Katsumoto, the samurai lord, advises Nobutada to teach Algren in the Japanese way - Japanese culture and Japanese language) is mortally wounded, sacrificing himself to allow the others to escape. As the Imperial Army marches to crush the rebellion, a grieving Katsumoto contemplates Seppuku, but Algren convinces him to fight until the end, and joins the samurai in battle. The samurai use the Imperial Army's overconfidence to lure them into a trap and deprive them of artillery support. The ensuing battle inflicts massive casualties on both sides and forces the Imperial soldiers to retreat. Knowing that Imperial reinforcements are coming, and defeat is inevitable, Katsumoto orders a suicidal cavalry charge on horseback. During the charge, the samurai break through Bagley's line. Bagley is killed by Algren, but the samurai are quickly mowed down by Gatling guns. The Imperial captain, previously trained by Algren and horrified by the sight of the dying samurai, orders all of the guns to cease fire, disregarding Omura's orders. A mortally wounded Katsumoto commits Seppuku with Algren's help as the soldiers at the scene kneel in respect. Days later, as trade negotiations conclude, Algren, though injured, arrives and interrupts the proceedings. He presents the Emperor with Katsumoto's sword and asks him to remember the traditions for which Katsumoto and his fellow Samurai died. The Emperor realizes that while Japan should modernize, it cannot forget its own culture and history; he promptly rejects the trade offer. When Omura attempts to protest, the Emperor silences him by threatening to seize the Omura family assets and distribute them among the populace. While various rumors regarding Algren's fate circulate, Graham concludes that Algren had returned to the village to reunite with Taka.

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