Unless a review actually has something solid to offer, we are done posting them. For the most part they have been negative and non-descript. Nothing wrong with a negative review but I expect the reviewer to offer something concrete that indicates he actually saw the film and is offering a legitimate criticism. Many of what have been posted and passed off as reviews have either bellyached about the bastardization of the legend and nothing else or the reviewer has proven he is capable of tossing insults around. For a majority of them, you have to wonder if they even bothered to watch the film or are just reviewing the trailer or worse yet telling us what they think the movie should contain rather than actually reviewing what is up on the screen. Multiple review links are posted in posts here and here.
If you see a review you think is worth reading, send it in or leave it in the comments and I’ll add it.
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Sara Stewart reviewed 47 Ronin for The NY Post and gave it 2/4 stars. The review definitely leaves you with the feeling that she actually watched the film. She also made several interesting observations.
His (Keanu Reeves) place, for much of the first half, is pretty marginal. If you’re going to have Keanu in your action movie, for God’s sake, put him in the middle of things. He knows kung fu.
You can tell a lot about this movie by its marketing focus on head-to-toe tattooed artist Rick Genest, who figured prominently in its trailer and poster art. This human skeleton appears for, seriously, the blink of an eye. But it’s clear someone thinks he’s the most fabulous-looking thing about it.
…Which is too bad, because it’s fleetingly good (for some of us, anyway) to see Reeves again. An actor who’s been spending much of his time in the fringes of indie cinema lately, he seems almost like an afterthought in this big-budget movie banking on his name.
I mentioned elsewhere on this site that Universal appears to have scrapped the bottom of the barrel with their marketing team for this film. Good to see someone else questioning their strategy.
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Joel D. Amos reviewed 47 Ronin for Moviefanatic and gave it 3.5/5 stars. Some money quotes include:
It is here that the difference between revenge and justice is laid out by 47 Ronin’s director Carl Rinsch and his screenplay, penned by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini. In Japanese culture, the concept of honor is as serious as it comes. And this desire to have the 47 Ronin take back their kingdom is laid out as more of a journey towards restoring honor than extolling revenge.
The action, teased in the 47 Ronin trailer, is top notch…
And the star doesn’t disappoint. Reeves is best when he portrays characters that are men of few words and he has that with Kai…
…it is not the greatest samurai film we’ve seen. But, it is a unique take on the sub-genre of film, and with Reeves in the lead and a story about justice, honor, and yes… revenge, it is a nice journey to take. There are some slow spots, but for the most part, 47 Ronin rivets.
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Bilge Ebiri has reviewed 47 Ronin for Vulture. He has this to say about the film and also makesreference to Keanu’s directing ability:
…it’s competently put together by director Carl Rinsch, a first-timer. Up until the climactic battle sequence, most of the fight scenes have clarity and fluidity. (The final one, alas, is a bit of a mess.) Throughout, I couldn’t help but feel the guiding hand of Reeves himself, whose recent directorial debut, Man of Tai Chi, evinced a similar attention to spatial logic and graceful movement; the man’s clearly got standards. But his earlier film also pulled off the seemingly impossible task of being a serious, almost stone-faced action movie that still managed to be loads of fun without straying into comedy. This one never quite decides if it wants to be a big, boisterous epic or a solemn retelling, and it nearly disappears into the crack between the two.
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Update X2: There were a bunch of reviews today that actually reviewed the film
The Source has posted their review here. It is a fair review and he finishes with:
To those who admire CGI and feel an unpretentious desire to enjoy a film that utilizes all the tricks in the Hollywood manual “47 Ronin” may be enough. This audience will certainly approve of the great story of courage, sprinkled with a unsatisfying romantic subplot and an extra additive of fantasy. Those desiring to go deep into japanese culture or wish to be blown away by the progress of a group of brave men and their epic journey from ronins to samurais may leave disappointed.
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Anansa Jacob has reviewed the film for The Sunday Daily.
Despite suffering from a predictable plot, cringe-worthy dialogue and some bad acting – surprisingly not by Keanu Reeves – 47 Ronin is a decent popcorn flick that has some genuinely entertaining moments.
The film’s visuals are amazing, with detailed sets and costumes that are a feast for the eyes as well as some pretty good CGI effects, mostly when Kikuchi’s witch displays her powers.
It also becomes clear that the real star of the film is Sanada. His character’s journey is actually the main focus of the film, with Reeves’ Kai holding more of a secondary role.
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io1’s view is (2/5 stars) is here