The Last Samurai

In 1876, former U.S. Army Captain Nathan Algren, an alcoholic traumatized by his actions during the American Indian Wars, is approached by his former commanding officer, Colonel Bagley. Bagley asks him to train the newly created Imperial Japanese Army for a Japanese businessman, Matsue Omura, who intends to use the army to suppress a samurai rebellion against Japan's new emperor. Despite his hatred of Bagley, Algren takes the job for the money. His old friend, Sergeant Zebulon Gant, accompanies him. Upon arriving, Algren meets Simon Graham, a British translator knowledgeable about the samurai. Algren struggles to train the poorly disciplined Imperial conscripts. Omura and Bagley arrive with word of an attack by the rebels on one of Omura's railroads. Against his wishes, Algren is forced to lead a counterattack. His fears are proven true when the conscripts flee in terror and are easily routed by the samurai, while Gant is killed. Algren is wounded, and he is taken prisoner when samurai leader Moritsugu Katsumoto spares him. Imperial General Hasegawa, a former samurai who once served with Katsumoto, is allowed to commit seppuku. Algren is taken to Katsumoto's village and, at Katsumoto's request, is taken in and tended to by Taka, Katsumoto's sister, who Algren later realizes is the widow of a samurai he killed before being taken prisoner. While initially poorly treated, he eventually gains the samurai's respect. With Taka's help, Algren overcomes his alcoholism and guilt, learns the Japanese culture, and is trained in the art of kenjutsu. He develops sympathy for the samurai, who are upset that modernization has eroded their political power. Algren and Taka develop an unspoken affection for each other. One night, ninjas infiltrate the village and ambush Katsumoto. Algren saves Katsumoto's life and then helps defend the village, concluding that Omura is responsible. Katsumoto requests a meeting with Emperor Meiji in Tokyo. He brings Algren, intending to release him. Upon arriving, Algren observes how the Imperial Army is now fully trained and equipped. Katsumoto, to his dismay, discovers that the young and inexperienced emperor is a puppet of Omura. At a government meeting, Omura orders Katsumoto's arrest for carrying a sword in public and offers him either seppuku or the humiliation of a trial. A disgusted Algren resigns his post in the Army. After defeating Imperial agents sent by Omura to assassinate him, Algren enlists Graham and Katsumoto's men to free their leader. During the rescue, Katsumoto's wounded son Nobutada sacrifices himself to allow the others to escape. As the Imperial Army marches to crush the rebellion, a grieving Katsumoto contemplates seppuku, but Algren convinces him to fight and pledges to join the samurai in battle. Taka dresses Algren in her late husband's samurai armor, and Katsumoto presents him with a newly forged samurai sword engraved with an inscription dubbing Algren "the warrior in which the old ways have joined the new." On the battlefield, Algren and Katsumoto meet with Omura and Bagley for parley; Katsumoto refuses to surrender. The samurai use the Imperial Army's overconfidence to lure them into a trap; the ensuing battle inflicts massive casualties on both sides. With their numbers dwindling and imminent imperial reinforcements arriving, Katsumoto orders a suicidal cavalry charge on horseback. Bagley is slain by Algren, but the samurai are quickly mowed down by Gatling guns. Deeply touched and filled with remorse by the slaughter, the Imperial captain (previously trained by Algren) tearfully orders to cease fire. Katsumoto, mortally wounded, commits seppuku with Algren's help as the soldiers kneel in respect. Later, as trade negotiations conclude, the injured Algren interrupts the proceedings. He presents the emperor with Katsumoto's sword and asks him to remember the traditions for which Katsumoto and his fellow samurai fought and died. The emperor realizes that while Japan should modernize, it can't forget its own culture and history.