Review of 47 Ronin (2013) by Timbo B — 24 May 2015
47 Ronin suffers from being too American for Japanese viewers, (47 is the best known Japanese Samurai tale in Japan) and also for being too foriegn to Americans *Spoiler* The Samurai commit seppuku at the end *End of Spoiler*.
If you are going for just Japanese "The Loyal 47 Ronin" tells the tale without the American/ fantasy spin on it. If you are looking for a more Hollywood version of the tale, watch The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, for epic fantasy action; But if you are familiar with Japanese samurai and want a spectacular take on it, with great special effects and a decent acting job by Keanu Reeves, more of a LOTR style take on a classic Japanese tale, then this takes the cake.
This was a masterful mix of action, CGI, brillant set pieces and costumes and great performances by the almost all Japanese cast. It was a great balance of east meets west, and reminds me more of a Chinese fantasy tale than anything I've seen from Japan.
If you are a fan of Chinese/Japanese fantasy, with more of a Hollywood film, then I think you won't be disappointed. But hey I bought the DVD, so I have to defend that purchase, right? Great action film, can't recommend it enough if you want a Japanese Fantasy film based on historical facts.
This review of 47 Ronin (2013) was written by Timbo B on 24 May 2015.
47 Ronin has generally received mixed reviews.
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