Well, I think this is one of those movies that suffers from an identity crisis. The classic story of the 47 Ronin had been committed to film, many times, before in Japan but new to American audiences. So, they decided to…

…completely make something else.

The movie seems to waffle between being a fairy tale version of feudal Japan and an insane fantasy out of the pages of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. When I looked at the Wikipedia on the film, sure enough, the director and the studio were not really looking for the same film…in fact, the director was locked out of the editing bay at some point.

So, how is the film?

It was widely declared the biggest bomb of the year on release…largely due to Japan’s complete shunning of the film since it didn’t tell the tale it was based upon and substituted in an American (Keanu Reeves) into the main role. I doubt very much this film would be made in today’s political climate.

So, how is the film?

This movie, like The Great Wall (2017), is often pointed to as some of the more egregious examples of whitewashing. The main character is White because they needed box office dollars, pure and simple. If you look at the book Shogun by James Clavell, Blackthorne is an Englishman in Japan not as an excuse for bigger box office but as a “stranger in a strange land” and the reader’s surrogate into the world. In this film, Keanu Reeves’s character grew up in Japan and thus can’t serve this purpose. Pointless.

So, how is the film?

Meh. Not as terrible as you’ve been led to believe.

Yes, it suffers from whiplash. There will be a quiet, dull romantic moment to build up a pointless B story followed by an epic fight with dragon. Or some mutant giant. Or a set of enemies with flintlock muskets in pursuit. Then, right back to bore your socks off.

Definitely a good movie to watch while doing other things. Just bop in for the fantasy CGI action and the rest of the movie just doesn’t come together.

This is where I talk about Director’s Cuts. Usually people talk about how much greater the director’s cut of a movie would be. This movie…I don’t think would be any good at all. The director wanted a more gritty, realistic take on the story. I’m sure there is a good movie there, too, based on how often Japan has made the story theatrically.

But in this production, what works is the razzle dazzle. The “big bad” is split between a human ruthless feudal Lord and an evil witch. The witch is frightening and powerful. I can’t even say anything about the other half of the “big bad.” He’s a horrible bore.

So should you see it? I don’t know. A sequel has been ordered from Netflix coming out soon…but I doubt you will need to see this movie first. It will be set 300 years in the future is likely to be the Japanese version of Steampunk or Weird West sci fi action flick. What that film will have to do with this one, remains to be seen.

I would probably skip it, but I do think some of the action is fine. So if someone is playing it in the other room and the volume goes up, you may want to peek. Otherwise, I wouldn’t suggest making the commitment of time.

Grade: C

47 Ronin (2013)