Monday 26 May 2014

“47 Ronin” is a first-class production

   


Reviewed by Nancy Snipper

In the Kurosawa tradition of brilliant production values and content hooked into samurai honour, the story of this film, directed by Carl Rinsch creates a hero out of Kai, a half breed (Keanu Reeves) who was raised by a mysterious  people living in a  bewitching forest world called Tango.  All living there have supernatural powers and they preach the value of incurring on normal men. Kai ran away from Tango, as he did not believe in their values on killing, but he learned to fight like Hercules. Honour killing and risking all for honour and the love of a woman is what this story is about – even if it means seeking a balance even if it entails making war. Redemption for the son of the ruler who was once evil and jealous of Kai has a change of heart. He leads to the massive fight along with Kai who has now been accepted into the outcast Ronin as a samurai. This kingdom conflict all started when a warring leader comes and takes over the honourable kingdom and commits witchcraft in order to find an excuse to kill the ageing lord of this kingdom. The son of this ageing Samurai seeks revenge, but it comes with the price of a massive Samurai Hari-kari. They are all ordered to undergo the ritual at the end of the movie as they used the men of the usurped kingdom to do so. This is not allowed. The story is inspired by real life, and last December the Japanese honoured the 47 Ronin who reclaimed their lost land and died doing it.
 
This film was viewed, compliments of Le SuperClub Vidéotron, 5000, rue Wellington Verdun, QC.
 Ce film a été visionné, avec les compliments de Le SuperClub Vidéotron, 5000, rue Wellington Verdun, QC.

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