47 Ronin Review

Glib Reviews Of New DVDs (Blu Ray in this case)

47 Ronin
Directed By Carl Rinsch

Not the update of a classic story that I was hoping against hope, for. After being pleasantly surprised recently at Keanu’s solid directorial debut with the cliched in all the best ways, old school Kung Fu movie, Man Of Tai Chi. Where that movie exceeds expectations , this one falls short. Sad Keanu shows up for monosyllabic action, and scenes of being tortured, not the cool and hard as Agent Smith Keanu from Man Of Tai Chi.

Maybe it’s unfair to compare the two. 

But on its own 47 Ronin still is a so-so effort in the Let’s get our honour back genre. Far too long is spent setting everything up, the fantasy elements are okay, and the CGI is really good, but it doesn’t make up for the odd pacing and complete lack of snappy dialogue. The whole point of these movies where you have several anti-heroic types banding together, is to showcase some of those actors. There should be some actual banding together moments... 

The Ronin aside from their Commander, Oishi, have no character beyond fat guy, moustaches guy, etc. There is little chemistry in the love story. The big villain of the piece (there’s a dragon too, which isn’t a spoiler, if you watch the trailer) is perhaps the only character aside from Oishi, who was interesting.

The weird Thunder-dome pirate Island thing was kind out of left field. I don’t know how you go about making such a classic and well copied in the past, idea so, so dull. The action scenes, and the CGI are what makes it worth the watch. Eye Candy, and not a lot else going on in this one... The ending is particularly unrewarding. Really not a first date movie.



5.32665 Magic Warrior Monk Bird People (Tengu) that the movie should have been about outta 10





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