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Tom Cruise’s controversial period drama with 66% Rotten Tomatoes is now streaming on Prime Video

ByAditi Srivastava
Jan 04, 2025 02:40 PM IST

Despite mixed reviews, Cruise's 2003 movie grossed $456 million and sparked debate over its portrayal of cultural themes and the 'white saviour' trope.

Tom Cruise's 2003 historical drama, The Last Samurai, is now streaming on Prime Video. Though met with mixed critical response (66% on Rotten Tomatoes), the film enjoys a cult following. The story follows a disillusioned American soldier who, while training the Japanese army during the Meiji Restoration, becomes fascinated by the samurai code of honor after encountering a group of rebellious warriors.

The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai

The Last Samurai starts streaming on Prime Video

The Mission: Impossible star has long charmed fans with action-packed movies and daring stunts, but this historical epic remains one of the most debated films of his career. Released in 2003, the movie is set in 1870s Japan.

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The story is about Captain Nathan Algren who after being held in a peaceful samurai village, meets Katsumoto, the leader of the rebels (played by Ken Watanabe). Over time, Algren learns their way of life, including their discipline and honour, under the guidance of Ujio, a master swordsman. Torn between the modern army he was hired to support and the traditional samurai he has come to admire, Algren faces difficult choices about loyalty, morality, and identity.

The film is now available to stream on Prime Video. Made on a budget of $140 million it grossed $456 million worldwide, in addition to receiving four Academy Award nominations.

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The Last Samurai controversy

Even though it became really popular with fans, Tom Cruise's actioner also raised some eyebrows for pushing the "white savior" concept, where a Western hero is the one who saves a non-Western culture. Some viewers wondered if Cruise's character took the spotlight away from the Japanese actors, making a deep cultural story feel more like a Western story.

In this film, a white American soldier ends up embracing and standing up for traditional Japanese values against Western ways. Some historians argued that the film romanticised the samurai era and presented an inaccurate portrayal of Japanese history and culture.

However, for the Top Gun star, the movie is very close to his heart. In an interview with Black Film he opened up about his love and respect for the Japanese people, and culture. “When I go to Japan, it’s so different. I am absolutely fascinated and in awe of the culture. I find it aesthetic and the people are fascinating. I wanted to know more about the people and how they lived, how they got to where they are today,” Cruise said at the time.

Stressing the importance of Japanese values and disciplines in his life, he continued, “When you study the sword; that is the greatest sword ever made in the history of this world. It is both a powerful weapon and it is also aesthetically superb. It is an amazing culture and I have always been fascinated by it.”

Defending the controversy surrounding the film Ken Watanabe highlighted how The Last Samurai broke stereotypes about Asians in Hollywood. "Before 'The Last Samurai,' 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."

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