47 Ronin: A Review
This review contains information that may be considered spoilers. But seriously, if you’re familiar with this genre, you probably know what’s coming anyway.
47 Ronin is classic Asian revenge tragedy. Here's the basic plot: Lord Asano of Ako comes across a young boy (Kai) in the forest and adopts him as his ward, much to the chagrin of some of his Samurai, who consider Eurasians to be of a lower class. Many years later, Asano holds a tournament to welcome the Shogun of Ako. Lord Kira of a rival kingdom is also guest. Through a series of unfortunate events, Asano is dishonoured before the Emperor, and must take his own life to retain the honour of his men. Kira steps in, takes the Asano's daughter, and disbands Asano's Samurai as Ronin: master-less Samurai. Kai is sold into slavery, and Oishi – Asano's chief Samurai – is thrown into a pit for a year in an attempt to break his spirit.
Fast forward to a year later, and Oishi is released from his prison. His resolve is strengthened, and he seeks revenge on Kira, specifically disobeying the orders of the Shogun. Honour is a greater motivator than the will to live. Oishi finds the former Samurai of Asano – now all Ronin – and busts Kai out of the slave pits on the Dutch Isles. Together they acquire weapons and storm Lord Kira's palace to slay the evil-doers, get the girl, and regain Asano's honour.
I wanted to hate this film. I really, really did, because it had all the elements of stuff I detest: foreign accents substituted for actual language; historicity embellished with supernatural elements; Keanu Reeves attempting to act. You get the idea.
It is about as true to the story on which it was based as Pirates of the Caribbean is a true representation of European trade wars in the 1700s. However, when recent films have attempted to suggest Robin Hood signed the Magna Carta or Abraham Lincoln fought vampires as well as slavery, putting a few dragons and demons into Feudal Japan isn't exactly worthy of tossing popcorn at the screen.
As far as I know, this was based on a much-loved legend that is as pivotal to the forging of Japan as the rape of the Sabine women is to the establishment of Rome.
I enjoyed the world that was presented to me – magic and all. Witches, demons, dragons – all these things added, but they were not pivotal to the overarching plot, nor were they the focus of the film. 47 Ronin plays to the themes and tropes of the genre to which it pays homage: a forbidden love; overcoming differences to battle a greater threat; honour; righting wrongs. It didn't even shy away from an ending that by all rights could have been changed to give a Western audience a happily ever after. The Ronin know that even if they restore the honour of Asano, they are all doomed by their disobedience of the Shogun's command.
The effects are top-notch. Set replacement, colour grading, CGI and practical effects all blend so seamlessly – but this is a given nowadays, or at least it should be. As for Keanu…well, the guy's wooden. He's not displayed emotional range since Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure but this role does not demand anything more than looking hard done by, taking knocks, and expressions of kick arse determination, which Keanu's been doing since The Matrix.
While the film feels epic it's barely two hours long. I pondered how this might play in Japanese theatres, if they'd be embarrassed by a Western take on their much-loved mythology. I feel a sense of wrongness in my bones about this, and I know there's a case to be made about white-washing the stories of other cultures...but dammit, this is one of those guilty pleasure movies you'll secretly enjoy, even if you hate on it just to sound cool.
47 Ronin is classic Asian revenge tragedy. Here's the basic plot: Lord Asano of Ako comes across a young boy (Kai) in the forest and adopts him as his ward, much to the chagrin of some of his Samurai, who consider Eurasians to be of a lower class. Many years later, Asano holds a tournament to welcome the Shogun of Ako. Lord Kira of a rival kingdom is also guest. Through a series of unfortunate events, Asano is dishonoured before the Emperor, and must take his own life to retain the honour of his men. Kira steps in, takes the Asano's daughter, and disbands Asano's Samurai as Ronin: master-less Samurai. Kai is sold into slavery, and Oishi – Asano's chief Samurai – is thrown into a pit for a year in an attempt to break his spirit.
Fast forward to a year later, and Oishi is released from his prison. His resolve is strengthened, and he seeks revenge on Kira, specifically disobeying the orders of the Shogun. Honour is a greater motivator than the will to live. Oishi finds the former Samurai of Asano – now all Ronin – and busts Kai out of the slave pits on the Dutch Isles. Together they acquire weapons and storm Lord Kira's palace to slay the evil-doers, get the girl, and regain Asano's honour.
I wanted to hate this film. I really, really did, because it had all the elements of stuff I detest: foreign accents substituted for actual language; historicity embellished with supernatural elements; Keanu Reeves attempting to act. You get the idea.
It is about as true to the story on which it was based as Pirates of the Caribbean is a true representation of European trade wars in the 1700s. However, when recent films have attempted to suggest Robin Hood signed the Magna Carta or Abraham Lincoln fought vampires as well as slavery, putting a few dragons and demons into Feudal Japan isn't exactly worthy of tossing popcorn at the screen.
As far as I know, this was based on a much-loved legend that is as pivotal to the forging of Japan as the rape of the Sabine women is to the establishment of Rome.
I enjoyed the world that was presented to me – magic and all. Witches, demons, dragons – all these things added, but they were not pivotal to the overarching plot, nor were they the focus of the film. 47 Ronin plays to the themes and tropes of the genre to which it pays homage: a forbidden love; overcoming differences to battle a greater threat; honour; righting wrongs. It didn't even shy away from an ending that by all rights could have been changed to give a Western audience a happily ever after. The Ronin know that even if they restore the honour of Asano, they are all doomed by their disobedience of the Shogun's command.
The effects are top-notch. Set replacement, colour grading, CGI and practical effects all blend so seamlessly – but this is a given nowadays, or at least it should be. As for Keanu…well, the guy's wooden. He's not displayed emotional range since Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure but this role does not demand anything more than looking hard done by, taking knocks, and expressions of kick arse determination, which Keanu's been doing since The Matrix.
While the film feels epic it's barely two hours long. I pondered how this might play in Japanese theatres, if they'd be embarrassed by a Western take on their much-loved mythology. I feel a sense of wrongness in my bones about this, and I know there's a case to be made about white-washing the stories of other cultures...but dammit, this is one of those guilty pleasure movies you'll secretly enjoy, even if you hate on it just to sound cool.
47 Ronin is currently in cinemas through Universal.
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