Review of 47 Ronin (2013) by Heimskringla91 — 30 Dec 2013

Ultimately I enjoyed this movie as just a movie but what really sets it back is having the fantasy elements thrown in. This true legend of the 47 Ronin doesn't need fireballs and a mystical hair demon lady, it made the experience more cartoonish than serious. Another dropping point is Keanu Reaves, a random white guy samurai who's acting capability compares to the plank of wood people call Kristen Stewart. Luckily for this film Hiroyuki Sanada makes up for everything, he is a fantastic actor. I really enjoyed that they used mostly Japanese actors but again, they're speaking in english. I do not mean to insult or sound like a jerk but their accents added to the hilariousness of the film. When the shogunate speaks it's just funny. This is very unfortunate because Japanese is such a bad ass sounding language filled with great emotion. Had they allowed the actors to speak Japanese it would have elevated the experience. But for whatever reason Keanu Reaves had to be there.

Another issue I have, that isn't the biggest deal, but it was PG13. Which means people get cut by a katana and there's no blood. That doesn't swing with me, the sharpest blade in history will make you bleed. Much like my issue with Krueger in Elysium, the giant towering fear-invoking demon samurai never really did anything in this movie and his death was an absolute cop out.

This movie had so much potential to tell and recreate a true epic story. But it falls flat by trying to rely on the mystical and made up. Just tell the story, not every movie needs a dragon.