TOP Gun becomes Shogun in this epic tale of honour and conflict between eastern and western cultures.

Tom Cruise stars as American soldier Nathan Algreb who is headhunted by the Japanese Emperor to defeat the country's Samurai warriors so an arms treaty can be sealed.

Cruise sets off with a witty and funny Billy Connolly in tow as a fellow soldier who, unfortunately, meets a gruesome end fairly early on in the film.

In Japan, Cruise is guided by the superb Timothy Spall who plays an English translator who ends up on the battlefield himself by the end of the film.

Cruise starts his mission against the Samurai and kills one of their finest warriors in the first skirmish.

However, Cruise is taken hostage by the Samurai and their leader Katsumoto decides to spare his life.

In return, Katsumoto wants to learn about foreign cultures from Cruise but, at first, the American soldier is reluctant to share his secrets.

However, Cruise eventually ends up falling in love with the Samurai culture and the widow of a warrior he killed.

Cruise even turns sides and fights for the Samurai in their final, bloody battle with the newly-enforced Japanese army.

Ken Watanabe plays a superb role as the Samurai leader Katsumoto and his demise proves a real tear-jerker as the audience comes to love this honourable man just as much as Cruise does.

The cinematography is superb and the film really captures the essence of Japan where east meets west in an unlikely, but very though-provoking, way.

This film has certainly made me want to visit the Land of the Rising Sun again. AG