47 Ronin Review

The critics might be unforgiving with 47 Ronin but I was amused with the story and the visuals and some other stuff. Here's my full review. 

47 Ronin follows the story of Kai, a half breed that's been a trained killer and grows up in humility in a prosperous town amidst Shogunate Japan. He falls in love, gets dissed and gets beaten up a lot. The main plot here is a nefarious scheme concocted by Lord Kira (Tadanobu Asano) and The Witch (Rinko Kikuchi) to take over the good kingdom and dishonor the former lord and his house's name. Then revenge, sword fights and dragons and a twist that you'll probably from a mile away. 

Reeves was a good pick for the role. It's not overdone and he's got the physicality to actually fight people with a katana. It's actually believable that he can jump around lopping peoples' heads off looking like an evil version of Peter Pan. Props for not making everything about him, in all honesty, Reeves had like 60% of the billing which was good because we need to actually like and root the other characters such as Oishi (Hiroyuki Tanada) and Mika (Ko Shibasaki). 

The visuals for the film were nice. Nothing we've never seen before; I did like the character designs for that chimera creature they were hunting as well as for Kikuchi's dragon form. The Tengus creeped me out (which should be good) but their way better than the last Tengus I've seen which was in Power Rangers: The Movie. 

Rinko Kikuchi looked like hell here. She looks like Farrah from Choudenshi Bioman. I'm much displeased... but that's part of the role so it has to be done. I like her character because it's a mix of "I don't care what you think" and "I'll do anything my lord", hell even her mannerisms were well fleshed out (i.e. sitting with her legs open, showing her legs, being deathly flirty with the princess). On the other hand you've got Ko Shibasaki who looks beautiful. Fine, I get that we can't expect her to really kick butt but I'm good with how she was written in this "adaptation" of the classic "47 Ronin" story. She did try and looked fine while doing it, so it's OK. 

Polarized on my look at the actors Hiroyuki Sanada and recent RP visitor Tadanobu Asano. Sanda's role had meat and he brought it to new heights. Asano had potential to really be an evil Nobunaga level character but it was done lazily. Actually that's two strikes now for Asano since he barely played jackshit in Thor: The Dark World (he's Hogun there BTW)

I like the touches of fantasy in this movie. It might not be everybody's cup of tea but I'm sold on that bit. After all, it's not overdone which might also explain why Kai is not using his powers (yes he has) too much in this movie. Oh and I'm giving this film bonus props for adding in Masayuki Deai (Bouken Silver and KyoryuGrey) as one of the Ronins.

Also I recommend seeing this in 2D as the 3D is barely visible. The money you save, you can buy popcorn with. 

47 Ronin is a decent movie. It's not even mediocre well, unless you factor in the fact that it just ripped the 47 Ronin story and twisted it sideways. Yes it might have bombed and is critically disparaged but if you want to wash down your MMFF grease with something more... 'worth your money' then this film is for you.

VERDICT: B++

Special thanks to SOLAR-UIP... 

47 RONIN NOW SHOWING IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE

Keanu Reeves Battles Dragon, Samurai Warriors and Demons in 47 Ronin

Keanu Reeves makes an explosive return to action-adventure in 47 Ronin. After a treacherous warlord kills their master and banishes their kind, 47 leaderless samurai vow to seek vengeance and restore honor to their people. Driven from their homes and dispersed across the land, this band of Ronin must seek the help of Kai (Reeves)—a half-breed they once rejected—as they fight their way across a savage world of mythic beasts, shape-shifting witchcraft and wondrous terrors. As this exiled, enslaved outcast becomes their most deadly weapon, he will transform into the hero who inspires this band of outnumbered rebels to seize eternity.

Q: What was it about 47 RONIN that made you want to be a part of it?

A: I loved the themes of honor, revenge and sacrifice in the script as well as the tragic love story. I also liked my character, who was an outsider trying to regain honor.

Q: How have you been involved with this project?

IA:  watched 47 RONIN evolve and change with Carl Rinsch, who paid a lot of respect to all the elements that were inspired by Japanese folklore. Being on this journey and collaborating with Carl on the story has been a great experience.

Q: Speaking of Japanese folklore, were you familiar with the legend of the 47 Ronin before working on the film?

A: I was not familiar with the legend, but as soon as I knew about the project, I did my research and read as much as I could about it. This movie is one of those rare examples of something that comes your way and is just so exciting from the beginning.

Q: You play the lead character of Kai. How do you see him?

A: I think of him as an outsider who yearns to be accepted, like an immigrant. He is honorable and a man of nature, which helps ground him. Kai is also a bit cursed, and he is aware of that.

Q: How did you prepare for this role?

A: Looking at the bigger picture, I basically tried to familiarize myself with the source material and thinking about my character’s place in the story. I always thought the tale of the outsider and these Ronin becoming samurai outsiders was universal because all cities and towns and places have these kinds of events and integration problems that happen. I tried to get in touch with who Kai is and how this affected him. I wanted my character to have a dignity and respect towards the world around him and others. I also wanted him to be capable, to be a hunter and a tracker that is connected to nature.

Q: What kind of training did you go through for the role?

A: I was excited to work with the katana, the Japanese long sword. I trained a lot with the expert Tsuyoshi Abe and worked with the stunt teams. Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Ôishi, also gave me some tips. I did a lot of exercises with the sword and some dieting as well.

Q: Can you briefly talk about the main characters in the story and their relationships with Kai, starting with Lord Asano?

A: Lord Asano is the ruler of Ako. He sort of takes my character under his wing after he has been abandoned and brought up by these Tengu lords, who I think of as monks. I always saw Lord Asano as an enlightened ruler and a paternal figure.

Q: Lord Asano’s right hand is the warrior, Ôishi. How would you explain the relationship between Ôishi and your character?

A: Initially, Ôishi thinks Kai is some kind of a demon, and he grudgingly puts up with him. However, their relationship changes throughout the course of the story. Ôishi asks for Kai’s help to restore the honor of the house of Asano.

Q: You are surrounded by a great Japanese cast. What can you say about Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Ôishi?

A: I had already seen some of Hiroyuki’s work in the past and knew a bit about him, but meeting him was special because he is such a gentlemen and a movie star on an epic level. Hiroyuki is a master actor, and it was wonderful to work with him.

Q: You also worked with great actors like Tadanobu Asano and Rinko Kikuchi among many others.

A: I had also seen Tadanobu Asano and Rinko Kikuchi’s work before getting involved in the movie. The truth is that everyone was so excited about this story and participating in the world that Carl Rinsch was creating. We all got along very well and felt we were a part of something special.

Q: What is Carl Rinsch like as a director?

A: Carl is very collaborative and passionate. He is amazing with story, but he is also a visionary with great energy and enthusiasm.

Q: Did you enjoy the martial arts and action side of the shoot?

A: I love shooting action and was very excited to be in a samurai film. The fights were tough but fun to do.

Q: Were there any bumps and bruises along the way?

A: As I was working with great professionals, I didn’t get beat up much, although I did hit Hiroyuki Sanada a couple of times by mistake.

Q: The story wouldn’t work without a powerful villain. Here we have Lord Kira, who is aided by a witch and dark magic to obtain his evil goals.

A: Lord Kira and The Witch both made a great couple and I really thought they managed to put their performance between their teeth, as I would say. I think they are wonderful and delicious villains with even a kind of yearning to them, which made them a bit sympathetic.

Q: In what way did you find Lord Kira and The Witch sympathetic?

A: Lord Kira feels underappreciated. The same thing happens to The Witch, who wants to have this earthly love that he is denying her. In a way, they are victimized by their passions. I liked that sophistication, the complexity of both of them being extroverts that go for what they want but are so wounded at the same time.

Q: You have worked on a number of movies with groundbreaking special effects. 47 RONIN combines CGI with practical effects harbored by the detailed sets that were created for the film.

A: Yes, they built such remarkable sets that made you feel you actually were in that world. There was so much that was there! Then, the work they did with the special effects and the creature creation was awesome.

Q: In this case, what do you believe 3D will add to it all?

A: The filmmakers knew they were making a 3D film from the beginning and everything was considered in that regard. I appreciated that they took the time and effort to work on it specifically. It was great to see the care they took with the story and the storytelling.

Q: What should the audience expect from 47 RONIN?

A: The audience should expect a big movie with great themes. I think it is a film that is entertaining but also has an intimacy to the story and the acting that I hope people will enjoy as well. There is action, drama, love and suspense. It has it all!

“47 RONIN” released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corp. SHOWING ON JANUARY 8, 2013. Nationwide!

47 Ronin Character One-Sheet Spells Epic

"47 Ronin" is helmed by visionary director Carl Erik Rinsch ("The Gift"). Inspired by styles as diverse as Miyazaki and Hokusai, Rinsch will bring to life the stunning landscapes and enormous battles that will display the timeless Ronin story to global audiences in a way that's never been seen before.

From ancient Japan's most enduring tale, the epic 3D fantasy-adventure "47 Ronin" is born. Keanu Reeves leads the cast as Kai, an outcast who joins Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), the leader of the 47 Ronin. Together they seek vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who killed their master and banished their kind. To restore honor to their homeland, the warriors embark upon a quest that challenges them with a series of trials that would destroy ordinary warriors.

“47 Ronin” is released and distributed by United International Pictures through Solar Entertainment Corp.

Thor Battles to Save the Nine Realms in "The Dark World"

From Marvel Studios comes the highly anticipated “Thor: The Dark World,” continuing the big screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that pre-dates the universe itself.

In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos...but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Based on the ever-popular comic book series, Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” stars Chris Hemsworth as Thor with Academy Award® winner Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, award-winning Stellan Skarsgård as Selvig, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Christopher Eccleston as Malekith, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Algrim, Kat Dennings as Darcy, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, Zachary Levi as Fandral, Tadanobu Asano as Hogun, Jaimie Alexander as Sif with Rene Russo as Frigga and Academy Award® winner Anthony Hopkins as Odin.

Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” is directed by Alan Taylor from a story by Don Payne and Robert Rodat and a screenplay by Christopher L. Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely and is produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a.

In 1962, the now-legendary duo of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced “The Mighty Thor” to readers of Marvel Comics, unleashing a new era of action-adventure with their take on the hammer-wielding Norse god. Despite the Nordic-sounding names, the story was rooted in familiar, universal conflicts that have driven human drama since the beginning of time: a son impatient to prove his worth to his father; a lethally resentful brother; and a woman who helps a man see the world anew.

After the global cinematic success of Marvel’s “Thor,” the filmmakers reached once more into a rich archive of Norse mythology and comic book history for Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World.” The movie paints an adventure of the most epic and spectacular proportions. Again drawing on universal and familiar themes, the film pits duty and family allegiance against personal aspiration and love. It sees a nation in conflict with an enemy long thought to be dead, but who now threatens the very existence of the universe.

At the end of “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor’s adopted brother Loki is taken back to Asgard by Thor as a prisoner, after trying to take over the world. From this starting point, producer Kevin Feige, executive producer Craig Kyle, the screenwriters and a large team at Marvel sat down to look at where Thor’s story should go next. Screenwriter Christopher L. Yost explains, “We really wanted to look at how you could escalate the story personally for him and push things to the next level in terms of conflict.”

Director Alan Taylor, describing Thor’s journey, says, “In the first film, we saw Thor go from being an impetuous prince to taking his first steps towards maturing and growing up, and in our film that life story continues. He’s moving closer to actually claiming the kind of power that comes with Odin. He’s becoming not just a man, but potentially a king as well. In this story, as Thor matures and deepens, he has to give some things up and suffer.”

To create the conflict, the filmmakers give Thor a worthy adversary—the villainous Malekith. Introduced in June 1984 in issue #344 of Thor, Malekith is leader of the dark elves, who inhabit Svartalfheim, one of the Nine Realms. After waging war with the Nine Realms, and being defeated by Asgard, the dark elves were considered to be extinct. But Malekith put his planet and the surviving dark elves into hibernation for many thousands of years, until a calculated time when he was ready to avenge the universe and turn light once more into darkness. Malekith and the dark elves will prove to be formidable enemies with a violent and personal history with Asgard.

In creating “Thor: The Dark World,” Marvel filmmakers worked diligently to respect the film’s origins and the legions of comic book fans it spawned and worked carefully to endear and excite not only those fans but fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well.

Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 30 in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, 2D and regular theaters, “Thor: The Dark World” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International.

Additional Posters for THOR: THE DARK WORLD

Marvel Studios has released a pair of new promotional posters for THOR: THE DARK WORLD focusing on the main baddie Malekith as well as a nod to the budding love story between god of thunder THOR and Jane Foster.

Check out the two posters in hi-res below plus the hi-res version of the banner I featured above.







Thor: The Dark World will be opening here in the Philippines on October 30 and stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Idris Elba, Jamie Alexander, Ray Stevenson, Kat Dennings, Zachary Levi, Christopher Eccleston and Tadanobu Asano. The film will be directed by Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor.