It was a risky storyline but i do believe they pulled it off. Tom Cruise plays a borderline alcoholic/burn out U.S cavalry soldier who travels to Japan to train the Emperors army in the art of modern warfare. He finds a country on the brink of civil war as the ancient Samurai clash with the modernist elements of the 'new' Japanese government.

Cruise is captured during the very first battle and is incarcerated in a mountain village of the Samurai. He quickly learns their language (yeah right) and begins to empathise with their ways and traditions. His loyalty turns and he finds himself standing shoulder to shoulder against the new Japanese army, sent to remove the Samurai.

Good action scenes abound.