Shogun meets Dances with wolves. Review on The Last Samurai Movie

It is the misty early morning and the Japanese soldiers cluster nervously in a forest clearing. They have rifles in their hands and are facing an enemy armed only with swords and spears. But they are new to fire arms while their enemy has 600 years of sword fighting culture behind them.

Slowly one hears the enemy's battle cries and the mist parts to show a surreal slow motion silhouette of horned battle helmets and charging horses as the enemy attacks their position. The contrast between the western garb wearing soldiers clutching their rifles with the horse borne samurai with swords is brilliantly picturised.

Indubitably the best aspect of the movie is the cinematography and camerawork which is stunning at times. The backdrop of blooming cherry blossoms besides Katsumoto's old mansion, the contrasts of black and white during winter of snow and stone, the misty eerie near gloom of the forest while the soldiers wait for the samurai to charge (I can confidently assert that had I been one of those waiting soldiers, I'd have needed Pampers and quickly) and so on. Verrry nice.

But the Last Samurai requires at least one big leap of faith in one big moment. If Bob Beamon like, you achieve it, you'll enjoy the movie.

It is the romantic notion that a beleagured Samurai leader, fighting a last ditch battle for survival against modern tools of war, fighting accusations of treachery against the Emperor will have enough reserves of the milk of human kindness towards a mercenary who is training the Japanese army in precisely the new tools of war which the samurai opposes. That recognising in the heat of battle, a kindred brave soul, the samurai will spare the mercenary's life and even befriend him.

If Katsumoto was on the way to becoming Gandhian in outlook, perhaps. But otherwise, unlikely, wouldnt you say?

But for this one major glitch and some minor ones (the Emperor gives the minister Omura a Katana or long sword for committing suicide. Only the Wakizashi, the short sword is typically used), I found it a very watchable movie. It has plentiful drama, lots of stirring action, beautiful even poetic picturisation at times and an emotionally engaging story line. It is difficult not to get caught up in the story and not empathise with either our hero or the samurai warlord as they come together, bond on the backs of similar memories and wage their last Quixotic battle.

The movie can be really enjoyed if you suspend disbelief or are happily blessed with ignorance of Japanese custom. If, not then you have to tolerate the rising crescendos of disbelieving mental gasps as the movie moves on. It is difficult to believe that such things could have happened and that is perhaps the movie's greatest flaw. Some of Katsumoto's dialogues also seem dismayingly straight out of a hollywood scriptwriter. He is therefore, in the final analysis, not credible as the fearsome, principled Samurai general who is fighting for traditional values.

Perhaps if Katsumoto had been the hero of the movie then a much better movie might have been obtained. But the hero is our disenchanted US warrior turned mercenary turned unlikely Samurai. It is an interesting role but seems irrelevant besides the momentousness of the events of which he is a largely unwitting part but in which Katsumoto is a principal player.

Katsumoto is based on the real life of Saigo Takamori, a Japanese warlord who helped bring down the Tokugawa shogunate and restore the emperor to his throne. Takamori rebelled again when the Meiji government began modernising Japan, a move Takamori saw meant the death of the Samurai sense of values.

So, after all this running round the mulberry bush, whats the final verdict?

Watchable certainly, great camerawork and emotionally engaging story line. If you get caught up in the story then all is well and you might stumble from the theatre with moist eyes. If like me, you were caught up but aware of the inconsistencies then you'll still like the movie and might still stumble away with moist eyes. If neither, better luck with the next movie and you can perhaps give vent to your feelings in MouthShut.