Question

Identify three weaknesses of this movie. What aspects of The Last Samurai failed?

(Film/Movie): The last Samurai. 2003

Answer 1

The movie 'The Last Samurai' may be critiqued for its historical inaccuracies, cultural insensitivity regarding the 'white savior' trope, and lack of development for secondary characters.

Step-by-step explanation:

Weaknesses of 'The Last Samurai'

While 'The Last Samurai' was praised for its production value and performances, especially by Ken Watanabe and Tom Cruise, there are aspects of the film that received criticism. Here are three weaknesses identified:

1. Historical Inaccuracies: The film takes creative liberties with historical events and the portrayal of samurai culture. Some aspects of the samurai code and practices were modernized or Westernized, which has drawn significant criticism from historians.
2. Cultural Insensitivity: The notion of a Westerner coming to Japan and quickly adopting samurai skills and ethos raises issues of cultural appropriation and the trope of the 'white savior' narrative.
3. Character Development: Secondary characters in the movie are often less developed, which leads to a lack of depth and perspective from characters other than the lead.

'The Last Samurai' did cover different aspects of the samurai origins and cultural influences, as well as philosophy and symbols that defined the samurai class. Yet, the film's depiction did not fully align with historical records, sometimes oversimplifying or romanticizing these elements.

Answer 2

• Despite the movie being set in Japan during the 1870s, the flag of the United States is shown to have 43 stars, which wouldn´t happen be possible before 1891.
• The Meiji Emperor should have been called Emperor Mutsuhito while still alive, while his reign name could only be used after his death.
• According to Japanese tradition, weapons should have been prohibited in the Emperor's presence.
• According to Japanese tradition, Japan is believed to have been formed when a jeweled spear was dipped into the sea, not a sword, as it´s stated at the start of the movie.

Step-by-step explanation:

There are several historical inaccuracies, which reveal a deficient understanding of the Japanese culture and the samurai tradition.