The Last Samurais
Film: 47 Ronin
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada
Directed by: Carl Rinsch
Duration: 1 hr 58 mins
Rating: * * 1 / 2
The legend of the 47 Ronin is quite popular in Japan
and the tale is somewhat similar to 300 by Frank Miller. The difference of
course is that the latter is a fictional account while the former is an 18th
century event that took place in Japan .
There have been a few films on this story, the most notable
one being Kenji Mizoguchi’s two part epic made in 1941. Subsequently, other
Japanese directors have also made an effort but in vain and this is the first
big budget Hollywood version that attempts to recreate the tale.
Even though considerable money has been spent (close to $175
million) this film doesn’t really click, thanks to a debutant director and very
average writing.
Keanu Reeves plays Kai, an orphan who is an outcast because
his father was a British sailor and the mother was Japanese. Incidentally, this
character is fictional and not a part of the original story. A group of Samurai
led by Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada) are left to fend for themselves after their
leader is forced to commit sepuuku
which is a similar ritual to hara-kiri.
The bunch of Ronin regroup to take on the villain of the
piece Kira who is protected by a witch Mizuki (Rinko Kikuchi of Pacific Rim and
Babel fame).
Having shunned Kai, Oishi has a change of heart and mind and realizes that he
would have to take the lead in salvaging the situation. Kai meanwhile has more
that one reason to join the cause - he is in love with the slain leader’s
daughter.
While the visuals and production design catches the eye,
it’s the screenplay which hits a few bumps. You never really empathize with the
characters because the focus is more on Kai rather than the 47 Ronins and
within them, it’s mostly about Oishi. There are a few dull moments in the
second half, when you want the director to really get on with it.
Making the film in 3D was totally unnecessary and hopefully
it will serve as a deterrent for the big studios to avoid this format.
Apparently Universal Studios are likely to incur huge losses on the film and it
is not too hard to see why.
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