It is just foolish destruction

I went to see "The Last Samauri" with Drac last night, and I have to say- I don't think I've ever been as disturbed at the thought of war as that movie. It took me a while to get over "Glory" as a kid, probably because I saw the edited one first, and then the unedited one afterwords. But, god, why?

I actually had to turn my head from the screen a couple of times. Why couldn't I watch it? I had very little problem with "Kill Bill", but that was more or less a revenge movie with the heroine kicking tail the whole way. The hero of "Samauri" had angst running much deeper- post-war trauma from battling on the American Forces at Custer's Last Stand. (Anyone else seen the pictures of Custer's Last Stand at Jefferson Barracks? It's in a museum out that way... I would spend ten seconds on each picture and be done before Mom had moved on from her third. Custer's Last Stand was the one that stayed in my mind.) The hero, Nathan Algren, has a transformation, and the movie had a tangible turning point. You could see where he no longer fit into the world outside.

So, yes, there was a plot. Even so, my stomach turned as I watched the massacre at the beginning- was there more to come? I could almost feel the pain as soldiers were stabbed, shot, and sliced. I don't know that I really want to see another movie like that.

Saving Private Ryan? Yes, war was a necessary evil for that plot, too. But- don't ask me why- I just sort of accepted it (or skipped past it) when I watched it. (Netflix + DVD Rental = Good) I'm still feeling the effects of last night's movie, though, and I just don't know why.

I could blame it on being a woman, but that's gender-biased. Maybe I just let myself get too invested in the characters. I go to movies to escape, generally. If and when Drac decides to buy it, he can just watch it when I'm not over.