--- title: "The Last Samurai: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-last-samurai/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-last-samurai" critics_score: 64 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Last Samurai (2003): what the critics said Critics' score 64 from 12 reviews: 4 positive, 5 mixed, 3 negative. The reviews lean towards qualified approval, with praise clustering around the battle sequences, period craftsmanship and Ken Watanabe’s commanding presence. Even several detractors find the swordplay and spectacle effective, while the more enthusiastic critics see a satisfying blend of Western and samurai traditions. Tom Cruise’s performance divides opinion: Empire praises his restraint, but the Los Angeles Times finds his emotional range limited despite enjoying much of the spectacle. The main reservations concern sentimentality, predictability and a romanticised account of cultural conflict. For some critics, those weaknesses are tolerable within a rousing action drama; for others, the historical fantasies and reverence for Cruise’s character make the film self-congratulatory. The spread is wide rather than a matter of minor caveats: admirers respond to the performances and action, while detractors find the storytelling simplistic even when they praise the staging. ## Empire — Will Lawrence Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it brisk, rich and more fun than a history lesson. He singles out Tom Cruise’s understated performance and Ken Watanabe’s commanding Katsumoto. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/last-samurai-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2003. Honeycutt calls the film a hugely satisfying entertainment and praises its successful blend of Western and samurai movie. He singles out the performances of Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe, along with the film’s battle sequences and period craftsmanship. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/last-samurai-review-2003-movie-1153330/) ## Radio Times — Sloan Freer Rating 4/5. Freer describes the film as a sweeping action drama with a poignant personal odyssey. The review singles out its clash between old and new cultures, while noting its use of the “noble savage” image. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-0ve1zx/the-last-samurai/) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 4/5. 9 January 2004. The review finds the film predictable but satisfying, with Tom Cruise giving one of his strongest performances. It praises Edward Zwick’s large-scale battle scenes as especially thrilling. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-samurai-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Manohla Dargis Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 5 December 2003. Dargis finds the film flawed but ultimately enjoyable as an epic spectacle. She praises Ken Watanabe’s commanding presence and the pulse-pounding sword fights, while criticizing the film’s historical fantasies and Cruise’s limited emotional depth. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-dec-05-et-dargis5-story.html) ## Screen Daily — Peter Brunette Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 3 December 2003. The page identifies Peter Brunette’s review of the 2003 film, but its critical verdict is unavailable in the accessible text. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the page. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-last-samurai/4016334.article) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 5 December 2003. The page is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be confirmed. Its headline suggests a contrast between the Wild West and the East, but no specific praise or complaint is available. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/05/movies/film-review-from-the-wild-west-to-the-honorable-east.html) ## Time Out — TCh Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The available page identifies the piece as a film review, but its verdict is unavailable. The visible description offers no clear praise or criticism to single out. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-last-samurai) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 2/4. 4 December 2003. The critic finds the film simplistic and overly sentimental, concluding that it could use more edge. He praises the crisp direction and John Toll’s majestic cinematography of the Japanese countryside and samurai. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-last-samurai/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 9 January 2004. Bradshaw finds the film competently made but often silly and self-congratulatory. He praises the final battle scene, while criticising the film’s adoration of Tom Cruise and its conceited tone. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_Film_of_the_week/0,,1118521,.html) ## The New Yorker — David Denby Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 30 November 2003. Denby finds the film earnest and entertaining but weighed down by high-flown clichés and an inauthentic East-meets-West fantasy. He praises the samurai’s dramatic entrance through the mist and the slow-motion horses in the final battle. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/12/08/warriors) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 8 January 2004. The critic finds the film simplistic, sentimental and predictable, though it delivers the swordplay and spectacle promised. He singles out the slow-motion fight scenes as poetic, while faulting the story for offering no surprises. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-last-samurai-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-last-samurai.md