Search - The Last Samurai [HD DVD] on HD DVD

ALERT - You are ordering an HD-DVD item. This format can be played only in HD-DVD players (the discs will NOT play in regular DVD or Blu-Ray players). If you do NOT have an HD-DVD player, you should not order this item.

The Last Samurai [HD DVD]
The Last Samurai
HD DVD
Actors: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, William Atherton, Chad Lindberg
Director: Edward Zwick
Genres: Action & Adventure, Drama, Military & War
R     2006     2hr 34min

Epic Action Drama. Set in Japan during the 1870s, The Last Samurai tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a respected American military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country's first army ...  more »

     

Larger Image

Movie Details

Actors: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly, William Atherton, Chad Lindberg
Director: Edward Zwick
Creators: Edward Zwick, Charles Mulvehill, Graham Larson, Marshall Herskovitz, John Logan
Genres: Action & Adventure, Drama, Military & War
Sub-Genres: Tom Cruise, Period Piece, Military & War
Studio: Warner Home Video
Format: HD DVD - Color,Widescreen,Anamorphic - Subtitled
DVD Release Date: 04/18/2006
Original Release Date: 12/05/2003
Theatrical Release Date: 12/05/2003
Release Year: 2006
Run Time: 2hr 34min
Screens: Color,Widescreen,Anamorphic
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
See Also:

Similar Movies

The Patriot
Extended Cut
Director: Roland Emmerich
   R   2006   2hr 45min
   
Troy
HD DVD
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
   R   2006   2hr 43min
Gladiator
Widescreen Edition
   R   2003   2hr 35min
   
Braveheart
Sapphire Series
Director: Mel Gibson
   R   2009   2hr 57min
   
Kingdom of Heaven/Crusaders
Director: Ridley Scott
   R   2006   2hr 24min
Dances With Wolves
Director: Kevin Costner
   PG-13   2011   3hr 1min
   
Last of the Mohicans
1992
Director: Michael Mann
   PG-13   1999   1hr 52min
Kingdom of Heaven 10th Anniversary
Blu-ray
6
   R   2014   0hr 48min
The Shawshank Redemption
Blu-ray
   R   2010   2hr 22min
Master and Commander The Far Side of the World
Blu-ray
Director: Peter Weir
   PG-13   2008   2hr 18min

Similarly Requested DVDs

Waterworld
HD DVD
Directors: Kevin Costner, Kevin Reynolds
   PG-13   2006   2hr 15min
   
12 Monkeys
HD DVD
   R   2006   2hr 10min
   
The Kingdom
Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD
Director: Peter Berg
   R   2007   1hr 50min
   
Blood Diamond
HD DVD
   R   2007   2hr 23min
   
The Bourne Supremacy
HD DVD
Director: Paul Greengrass
   PG-13   2006   1hr 48min
   
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
HD DVD
Director: Michel Gondry
   R   2007   1hr 48min
   
U-571
HD DVD
Director: Jonathan Mostow
   PG-13   2006   1hr 56min
   
V for Vendetta
HD DVD
Director: James McTeigue
   R   2006   2hr 12min
   
Ocean's Thirteen
Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD
Director: Steven Soderbergh
   PG-13   2007   2hr 2min
   
Beowulf
Director's Cut
Director: Robert Zemeckis
   UR   2008   1hr 55min
   
 

Member Movie Reviews

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 1/2/2019...
ALERT - You are ordering an HD-DVD item. This format can be played only in HD-DVD players (the discs will NOT play in regular DVD or Blu-Ray players). If you do NOT have an HD-DVD player, you should not order this item.

Solid Samurai plotline. Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe and others shine in this.

Movie Reviews

Katsumoto is the King
Black Barbie | UK | 02/08/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's 1876. Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) has been sent to Japan in order to help the Imperial Japanese Army become more 'modern' and less 'traditional' and ultimately prepare them to fight the legendary Samurai. Events occur that cause Tom Cruise to be a captive of the deadly but extremely polite Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) who is the leader of the Japanese Samurai. At this point, the viewer begins to learn why the Samurai are fighting to preserve their way of life against Western influences and Cruise's character becomes emotionally bound to them and he integrates himself into their society after working hard to earn their trust. However, the film is not solely about the struggle for the Samurai to keep their way of life, another subplot includes the low key and shy love relationship between Algren and Taka, a quiet widow (played with subtlety by Koyuki). Though it isn't a big part in the film, it highlights the emotional aspect of the film and shows that this is not a film about swords. Positive Points:
In my view, Cruise has been a decent actor with fluctuating performances but in this current effort, he has shown that he is improving and learning how to adapt to different styles of acting. He plays the tormented captain with surprising intelligence and conviction. I was very impressed to see him speaking Japanese - I loved the way this film mixed both English and Japanese toghether because it gave it a strong edge. However, The real star of this film is Ken Watanabe (Tom who?). He played Katsumoto with such a commanding and intense presence that it was hard to concentrate on Cruise or any other actor in the film. Without doubt deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Special mention should go to Koyuki and Ujio (played by Hiroyuki Sanada). As supporting roles, they both acted convincingly without saying much but succeeded in showing that there are many more interesting characters besides Algren and Katsumoto. Great music score by Hans Zimmer and fantastic costume design that will not doubt trigger a trend in Samurai-influenced clothes. Negative points: While the film was entertaining, it focused too much on Cruise. The supporting characters were great too and people like Taka and Ujio should have had more developed personalities. What is Billy Connolly doing in this film? A Scottish man impersonating an Irish man? You didn't fool me Braveheart! But negativities cast aside, 'The Last Samurai' is an enjoyable, violent but immersing cinematic effort that shouldn't be missed if you are interested in Japan, a Cruise fan or if you just love historical dramas."
Five stars!
Ayako Doue | Colorado and Japan | 12/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a Japanese living in the United Staes, I can say totally, that this film is amazing. There're some critics says Tom Cruise's acting and so on, however, this film sucessfully depicts the history of Japan, and people's traditional lives and the end of samurai era. This is a spectacular movie with sweeping sword actions and it is based on the true history events in japan, I've seen a lot of samurai movies(made in japan for japanese) but i can say this one is GREAT as the other movies, plus this is not usual hollywood movies that awfully depicts samurais and even Yakuzas and brush off the truth. I can say, however, without Tom Cruise, this movie could have also been great as well. But i would guess that it is because of him, this movie gained more attention among people and so typical americans can get the idea of what samurai really is and what they really think. so overall i gave this movie 5 stars. I plan to go watch it again."
The last samurai
Rodrigo Llamozas | the last cubicle at the end of the hall... | 02/03/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)

"This film has been compared (a lot) to Dances with Wolves due to the fact that they both share similar themes. A Civil War era soldier who finds himself thrown in the middle of a different culture and ends up embracing it and becoming part of it. However, Edward Zwick's film differs from the Kevin Costner Oscar winner in that the principal character, Lt. Nathan Algren (Cruise) is down on his luck, having become a drunken caricature of his former self, deeply regretful of his actions, who accepts a job as an instructor for an incipient Japanese army that needs to be prepared to fight against the Samurai. As he arrives to Tokyo he starts training a useless bunch of would-be soldiers who are sent to fight even if they're not ready for it. As a result, the newly formed army gets butchered by the battle experienced Samurai. During that battle, Algren fights bravely and kills one of the highest ranking warriors, getting the interest of the famed Katsumoto, the last great Samurai leader, who orders him captured and brought to his son's village as a prisoner. Once there, Algren's life is changed forever as he gets to know the real lifestyle of the Samurai and their people. They turn out not to be the savages that the Japanese government makes them out to be. After spending winter with them, Algren "changes sides" and joins the Samurai in fighting the Emperor's army. The title of the movie tells the final outcome. The Samurai lose the battle. Progress triumphs over tradition. New over old. But Algren's past demons are redeemed by his courageous actions helping the Samurai. The true worth of this movie is its look. You can definetely see where the budget went (other than Cruise's salary). A whole village was built and the attention to detail is astonishing. The costumes are simply amazing, especially the battle armors. The costume designer is Ngila Dickson, who also worked in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Also of notice are the battle scenes, which are breathtaking. Very violent, but not gratuitous, they serve the story very well. As for the acting, Cruise does a fine job, and is slowly but consistently becoming a better actor (even if this particular performance was not nominated for an Academy Award), but the movie belongs to Ken Watanabe (who was indeed nominated) as Katsumoto. His presence demands attention. He is the center of every scene he's in. Koyuki's performance as Taka, Katsumoto's sister and Algren's love interest, should also be noticed."