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There's a terrific central story here that really draws us in, and Cruise's strong performance engages us in Algren's quest. As usual, Cruise throws himself headlong into the role--physically, emotionally and dramatically--and even if it's a rather self-conscious performance, it's some of his best work, with moments of gut-wrenching drama and astonishing physicality (he does all his own fighting and stuntwork). Watanabe is excellent as his spiritual foil; supporting characters such as the Samurai played by Sanada and Harada (and others) are fascinating and very well-played; and the amazing Spall shines in a small but key role. The film also looks amazing, with spectacular New Zealand scenery standing in for 19th century Japan. But Zwick's choices as a director are more troublesome--the film is choppy and over-edited, even in the quiet moments, with action scenes that rarely grab hold simply because we can't see what's happening. And the script refuses to immerse itself in the complexities of the culture, continually defining everything in Western terms. At first this echoes Algren's experience, but as he embraces the Samurai ways, the film finds itself at odds with him. Depth is only glimpsed in the complex emotions in the actors' eyes; everything else is simplistic or muddled. And while the film still has seriously powerful moments, it's never as profound or telling--or as gripping or emotional or even as sexy--as we know it could have been.