Triangle Offense Video!
14 years ago
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Spring15 years ago
Thursday, 14 May 2009
The movie The Last Samurai was about Nathan Algren (by Tom Cruise), an American captain who had gone to many wars; and unfortunately, these memories of wars have happened to be his tragic flaw. However, one day, he was ordered to go to Japan, and so, he started his 'hero's journey'...
The setting of the story was around 1878, when the Japanese Empire was modernizing. Nathan Algren was ordered to go to Japan to teach the Japanese how to use modern weapons such as guns and cannons; and also to teach them how to fight with those weapons in a war. At the time, Nathan was alcoholic, apathetic, and had just lost his job... so basically his life was miserable, and he had lost himself. In the 1st war, He led the modernized soldiers to fight with the samurais, who refused to be modernized. And then, in the end, the samurais won the war.
After the samurais' victory of the 1st 'Modernity v.s. Tradition' war, somehow the samurai didn't kill Nathan, instead, they took him back to their village. In the village, the they took care of Nathan. They provided him a place live, provided him food, and also cure his injuries...etc. At first, Nathan didn't quite understand the culture of the samurai. In fact, he even belittled it sometime. However, as time went by, he started to love the culture of the samurai. Which I think, it's because that he found himself in this kind of honorable way of life, which everyone were tough yet respectful.
Then, after a few months, the samurais brought Nathan back to Tokyo, for him to return to his army. Also, on n the other hand, they went to Tokyo for the 'leader' of the samurais to meet the emperor of Japan. However, unfortunately either of these went well. Nathan didn't return to his army, instead, he chose to help the samurais to defeat modernization; and for the 'leader' of the samurais to visit the emperor, and talked about the conflict between modernization and the traditional, the 'leader' of the samurais turned out to become a prisoner.While the 'leader' of the samurais was in the prison, Nathan, along with some other samurais, went to rescue him; and one tragedy that happened in this movement, was that the son of the 'leader' died. 'Father, it is my time, please let me stay,' said the son. Then, just before he died, he pulled out his swords, ran to the soldiers, and wanted to kill them with his last breath. However, he got shot to death in the end. And then after the 'leader' of the samurais was rescued, the samurais, and Nathan, returned to the village. They began to prepare for the 2nd war against the modernity.
In the 2nd war between modernity and tradition, the modernized soldiers were no longer weak as they were in the 1st war. They have learned better skills of using the weapons, and were better trained for fighting in a war; yet, the samurais stayed the same... Therefore I believe that most of the people could predict how the 2nd war ended.Yes indeed, the samurais lost the 2nd 'Modernity v.s. Tradition' war.
However, even though the samurais lost the war, I was impressed by their spirits. They were always proud of who they were, no matter how much things have changed, due to the modernizing. In the end of the movie, the 'leader' of the samurais asked Nathan to kill him. He told him that he was honored to die in a war. And then, when he died, all the soldiers bowed to the 'leader' of the samurais. In which, I believe it was because that they were touched by the spirit, and loyalty of the samurais, to their tradition... and most importantly, like I'd mentioned that they were always proud of who they are.
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1 comments:
Dear Jez:
Nice summary of the movie! I like your theme be proud of who you are!
Mr. Laffin
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