It always bugs be that he that he get his ass kicked in the first one. Tom Cruise's character would of had sword training as an officer and experience in war using a sword. Granted he would still lose to some one with more training but not that badly I would think.
Kendo has nothing to do against an actual fencer, fencing is superior to kendo, have they been using real swords and both of them being masters the kendo user wouldn't stand a chance of winning.
Heh, the first scene was kind of unfortunate for Algren. He didn't WANT to fight the kid, and didn't touch him, he was just trying to be polite and give the kid his sword back, and he gets the shit kicked out of him for it. At the same time, I noticed this time that when Algren got up the first time, he held the sword more like a Samurai would, and it seemed like Ujio recognised that as well as respecting him for getting up. I think THAT is also when Taka realized why her husband lost. The second scene, after the draw, you could see Ujio waiting for Algren to come out of the daze he was in, before lowering his weapon.
Dumb dramatization. Cruise didnt know wtf Sanada was talking about. Could have mistook for a challenge, he was just playing with the kid to begin with. That Jap guy who speaks English (lord's son) can translate to Nathan (Cruise): he just wants you not to touch the bokken, not asking too much reallly. Nathan not wanting more trouble than he is already would have obliged. Problem solved.
