The Last Samurai: A White Man's Quest To Save The Inferior Japanese

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The Last Samurai: A White Man’s Quest to Save the Inferior Japanese The Last Samurai is a action/history movie produced in 2003 and directed by Edward Zwick, written by John Logan. The movie tells the story of Capt. Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a military officer hired by the Emperor of Japan to train the country’s first army in modern warfare. The imperial Omura cabinet’s priority is to repress a rebellion by traditionalist Samurai, who have remained devoted to the dynasty yet reject Western philosophy. When the unprepared army confronts the Samurai for the first time, they panic, and the Samurai easily claim victory. Algren is badly wounded during the battle but his courageousness fighting leads Katsumoto, the samurai leader, to save his life. Algren is nursed to health, and learns to love the old Japanese way, becoming a top advisor to Katsumoto. When ninja assassins attack Katsumoto and the tribe, it is Algren who raises the alarm and assists in the Samurais victory. Algren and Katsumoto then travel to Tokyo, where they learn that the army is now well organized and has powerful weapons. WHen Katsumoto is arrested, Algren tries to warn Katsumoto of a planned assassination attempt, but he is ambushed by Omura’s men. Algren, using Samurai skills, is …show more content…

For white, male, viewers like myself, it is possible the most dangerous. This movie subtly implants in the mind of viewers like myself a feeling of superiority. What is most about this film is that it does so in an indirect way, subtle enough as to not cause a stir, yet prominent enough to enforce the idea. We are led to believe that only people like us can be the hero and it is up to us, as whites, to save the inferior people of color from themselves. Although openly disputing these assertions in a public atmosphere, the films plant ideas like this in our unconscious minds, eventually manifesting in thoroughly racist

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