47 Ronin
47 Ronin is, ultimately, a harmless piece of action movie fluff married to a period epic.
47 Roninis the Hollywood smash hit adaptation of an ancient Nipponese legend . When Lord Asano ( Min Tanaka ) welcomes Shogun Tsunayoshi ( Cary - Hiroyuki Tagawa ) to his house , itshouldbe a joyous occasion . Things go horribly unseasonable when devious Lord Kira ( Tadanobu Asano ) and his witch concubine ( Rinko Kikuchi ) hatch a plan to set up Lord Asano and shatter his accolade .
catch in the middle of the schema are Lord Asano ’s chief samurai , Oishi ( Hiroyuki Sanada ) , Asano ’s daughter Mika ( Ko Shibasaki ) and a half - breed servant make Kai ( Keanu Reeves ) , whose inscrutable past times could be the key to aid Oishi and his squad of forty - seven dishonored samurai violent storm Lord Kira ’s fastness , shoot down the evil violence therein , and avenge the perfidy against Lord Asano .
As the version of a fabled story and the debut feature - moving-picture show of Ridley Scott protege Carl Rinsch,47 Roninis ( on both counting ) an underwhelming affair . That does n’t mean the film is completely without deservingness ; it is simply evident that Rinsch still needs practice in compliments to his filmmaking proficiency , and that his reach far exceeded his compass where this particular film is relate .
Rinsch earned his directorial clout by directing TV commercials in the main tell apart by their sleek and unique visions of the future tense . With an untried director working in a genre ( menstruum composition ) that ’s so far removed from his build comfort zone ( sci - fi ) , the end result is a motion picture made up of collide style , which switch between deluxe period authenticity and fantastical fantasy in a way that is awkward and - ultimately - distracting .
The production design by Jan Roelfs ( Fast & Furious 6 ) , costume blueprint by Penny Rose ( sea robber of the Caribbean ) , and set decoration by Elli Griff ( Hellboy II ) all capture the grandeur , scope and finer details of feudal Japan . However , evenX - military personnel : First Classcinematographer John Mathieson ca n’t keep a line of consistency when his gritty - but - bright geological period piece is interrupted by the intro of elements like secret CGI beasts . It is not a problem of content , but rather tone ; Rinsch die to install a spirit for his world that allow the historical and over-the-top to be in harmony . Yes , the47 Roninlegend is filled with element of the mystic and/or supernatural - but where a fibre like Rinko Kikuchi ’s crone is match quite well within the movie ’s period fabric , pretty much every other fantastical element feels out of place - despite being catalysts for most of the big action consequence .
While47 Ronindoes indeed bear a mediocre amount of action , the pacing of the story is off and does n’t create the most thrilling tale to follow . Writers Hossein Amini ( Drive ) and Chris Morgan ( Fast & Furious 6 ) spend too much time on first - act buildup ; spread out the story ’s focus too thin ( is this Kai ’s or Oishi ’s story ? ) ; and touch upon narrative threads that do n’t get nearly enough explanation or ontogenesis to make them feel logical or cohesive ( ex . , Kai ’s " demonic " heritage ) . One cultural distinction : US audiences unfamiliar with Japanese impost may not be sell on some of the more important moments in the film , as the estimate of suicide being a mean value of " honorable reinforcement " is totally alien to westerly culture . Nonetheless , along this inapt journeying there are enough firm narrative beats to guard matter together and keep the viewer ’s interest - even if it wo n’t be all that memorable afterward . In other words : an adequate but unimpressive piece of music genre " B " movie - making .
The Japanese casting are square across the board - though Kikuchi ’s witch character does vacillate hazardously close to wacky / hammy territory . Hiroyuki Sanada nearly walks off with the integral movie in his scoop , far outclass the stylemark wooden delivery of Keanu Reeves who ( despite his literal - life mixed heritage ) feels totally out of place in this pic , every time he opens his mouth . With a brand in hand and scowl on his face , Reeves is self-coloured ; but in dramatic scenes , where he is called upon to " emote " in dialogue - say , with his forbidden love , Mika - Reeves ' performance quickly becomes the object of ironic humor and mockery , as it find about as disingenuous as Brad Pitt ’s Lt . Aldo Raine trying to fake an Italian identicalness inInglourious Basterds .
While not match the level of Takashi Miike ’s 2010 samurai caption adaptation,13 Assassins(and never , ever , to be mentioned in the same breath as Kurosawa’sSeven Samurai),47 Roninis , ultimately , a harmless slice of action moving picture fluff get married to a point epical . In its awkward but animate arrangement lies grounds of a music director who has good ideas and imaginativeness , but is not yet up to the layer of blockbuster flick - gain that a picture like this ( with its contrasting elements ) demands .
Still , Rinsch should be commended for seek a hard prima donna into the deep final stage of the pool on his first clock time out , and with some serious polish ( and further experience ) , there may be a brighter future onwards for him .
Based on a true story set in 18th-century Japan, 47 Ronin is a fantasy-action film that takes an extreme fantasy approach to the tale. A half-Japanese, half-English man named Kai is saved by a kindly ruler, only to be soon betrayed by those in his own hold. Kai and several other samurai are branded traitors for their loyalty to him. Seeking revenge, the 47 ronin band together, facing men and monsters alike.
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47 Roninis now in theaters . It is 119 min long and is Rated PG-13 for intense succession of violence and activity , some shake up images , and thematic elements .
Based on a true storey set in 18th - century Japan , 47 Ronin is a fancy - natural action cinema that takes an extreme fantasy approaching to the tale . A half - Japanese , half - English humanity refer Kai is saved by a kindly ruler , only to be soon betrayed by those in his own hold . Kai and several other samurai are brand traitors for their loyalty to him . Seeking retaliation , the 47 ronin band together , facing humans and ogre likewise .
