Movie Poster

Now, we are 47!

# Review

This film is based on the real life story of the Akō incident, where forty-seven rōnin avenged the death of their master. Kai (Keanu Reeves), a half-Japanese outcast, is taken in by the benevolent Lord Asano (Min Tanaka). When Asano falls to the sorcery of his rival Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) and Asano’s daughter Mika (Ko Shibasaki) is threatened, Kai, along with the rest of Lord Asano’s former samurais, embark on a mission to avenge their fallen master.

I first saw this film back in the theaters and found it entertaining, albeit a bit shallow and corny. Rewatching it now, I still feel the same. The fantasy fiction setting of the film is very cool and combines fantastical elements with Japanese culture. The character designs are also awesome, especially the costume designs by Penny Rose. The writing, unfortunately, is terrible. There is a talented cast, which includes Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada (who played Oishi), and Rinko Kikuchi (who played the witch). Unfortunately, the cast is stuck with paper-thin characters with no avenues to showcase their skill. The dialogue is corny and superficial, and some of the side plots, such as Kai and Mika’s romance, feel shoehorned in. It’s clear that the film went through many changes, as Rick Genest/ Zombie Boy is featured prominently in marketing materials but barely in the film. Despite all the shortfalls, the premise of the film is very interesting and the film is pretty entertaining. The action scenes are also pretty cool.

# Conclusion

If you ignore the plot, it's a pretty entertaining film with some exciting scenes.

# Overall rating: 7.0

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