10 Greatest Samurai Films Of The 21st Century

Very few samurai films outside of Japan have accurately captured the feel and authenticity of that culture. The only American film on the list, The Last Samurai, is one of very few to do so. Directed by Edward Zwick, it delivers a powerful story, rousing performances and incredible practical fight scenes that have rarely been matched by its contemporaries.

Influenced by the real-life French army captain Jules Brunet, we follow Nathan Algren (Played by Tom Cruise), an American Cavalry officer ashamed of his role in the massacre of Native American tribes. He journeys to Japan to train the newly formed imperial army to battle the forces of Katsumoto (Ken Wantanabe). But after being captured by the enemy, Algren comes to appreciate their culture while also slowly finding his own inner peace.

What many often miss at first glance is that The Last Samurai is plural; the film is about more than just Nathan Algren's revelatory time with the clan of warriors. It instead focuses on their final days and their last plea to an emperor and society that seems destined to leave their way of life behind. It's a narrative laced with tragedy and its tale of the old being replaced by the new puts it in lofty company.