47 RONIN. This samurai fantasy story had a huge potential

However, what may surprise you is that I saw potential in 47 Ronin. The samurai story, enriched with fantasy elements, seemed to me to be quite an interesting combination. Of course, only on the condition that it would be based on a solid script. Because such a world must have its own history, it must possess a sufficiently developed background to avoid falling into grotesque. Otherwise, the creators would commit artistic seppuku… It only took me 15 minutes of watching to wake up from the illusion I had served myself.

The film is based on an important story for Japanese culture. In 1702, a group of forty-seven samurai decided to brutally avenge the dishonorable death of their master. In the land of the blossoming cherry, almost everyone knows this story, and in history textbooks, it is recorded as the “Incident in the Genroku Era of Ako”. It has appeared several times on the big screen, but only now has it been decided to adapt it with appropriate pomp. It wouldn’t be surprising to use the richness of fantasy if this story were a legend, which often takes the form of extraordinariness, miraculousness. However, we already know that in this case, we are dealing with facts. Therefore, it would have been reasonable to abandon the fantasy setting and opt for greater realism. And it would have been beneficial for the film.

However, this did not happen, which I consider the biggest flaw of this spectacle. It turns out that all the fantasy, magic of the presented world, lacks any justification in the plot. Thus, we watch an authentic snippet of Japanese history surrounded by inauthentic elements that completely do not fit the film. This world is profoundly empty, sexless, lacking a structure that would determine its shape. Therefore, we witness the actions of some witch on the screen, not really knowing through which doors she entered this fairy tale. And this applies to every unreal attribute of the film. I hoped that the creators would provide a credible motivation for such a formulated concept in the film. Unfortunately, it seems that when producing a film for $175 million, it must contain some spectacular “fireworks,” and apparently, a romance with the fantasy convention was only needed for that.

Another strong criticism also concerns the screenplay, or rather its narration. Because 47 Ronin is a terribly boring film. There is practically nothing happening there that could permanently capture our attention on the screen. On the other hand, those scenes that had the potential for it were already seen in the trailer. The action flows very slowly, testing the viewer’s patience considerably. Considering the fact that the film lasts for two hours, this trial may be impossible for many. As if that weren’t enough, the whole thing is suffused with a large dose of unhealthy pathos and sentimental pomposity, which also affects the reception negatively. To this day, I don’t know if my eyes closed during the screening because I was very tired or if the turtle pace of the film helped me with that.

And so we come to the point where I can finally comment on the acting. After all, in the lead role, we have the honor of watching one of the best Hollywood actors, whose home shelves bend under the weight of acquired statuettes… (pause for irony to sink in). It has been known for a long time that Keanu Reeves is an actor who does not enjoy a very good reputation among critics (which is different from the audience, whose sympathy for the actor I share). Being one of the 47 Ronin certainly did not help him break the aura of stiffness, which usually speaks through his performance. This is one of Keanu Reeves’s worst roles in his career. He had more charisma as the notorious Klaatu from The Day the Earth Stood Still. Moreover, his character in the film is poorly written because although supposedly leading, supposedly carrying the weight of the plot, if removed, the film would not suffer much.

But 47 Ronin is overall supported by terrible acting. So much woodenness appears on the screen that it could certainly ignite many fireplaces in our homes. Asian actors were also not helped in declaiming their lines by the obligation to use the English language. The final effect of their efforts turned out to be comical. And my mind completely fails to understand on what basis a certain Zombie Boy, the famous Canadian model, appears in the film. He was heavily emphasized in the promotional campaign – visible on posters and in the trailer – but in the final version of the film, he speaks only one sentence. There’s nothing like a good marketing ploy.

Undoubtedly, the quality of the blockbuster must have been influenced by the director, or rather his absence. Debuting in feature-length film, Carl Rinsch sat in the director’s chair. Looking at the final shape of 47 Ronin, I have no doubt that during its creation process, the director was just a figurehead. Almost every frame exudes a lack of competence, coupled with a lack of idea on how to lead this story. I give a point higher for a reasonably solid visual setting and perhaps one scene that momentarily aroused my interest. Nevertheless, it’s a poor spectacle, not deserving of your attention.