Bloodtype Online

    Okay this is a really obtuse and difficult plot to try and explain but I will do my best.  There is one clan of Samurai that run a province for the emperor.  While the leader of another clan named Kira is visiting the leader of the clan he is visiting inexplicably attacks him in the inner sanctum of the fortress.  This is a very big mistake when it comes to proper etiquette and because of that the offending leader is ordered to commit seppuku (ritual suicide), which he does.  Every one is shocked because this is ordered so quickly and without an investigation as to the motives for the attack.  In addition to losing their leader the clan is disbanded and all of it’s holdings and wealth are distributed to others.  This leaves the Samurai that followed the disgraced lord master less and without standing aka. Ronin.  Rather than follow their master and commit seppuku or fight against those coming to take their lands the disgraced Samurai follow their lords chancellor (2^nd in command of the clan) and spend the next 18months planning their revenge on Kira and his clan.  Thru a campaign of whispers they manage to damage the reputation of Kira and the clan, as well as make it known that they will be attacking them at some point in the future.  This has the effect of forcing Kira to resign his post in disgrace as well as creating a sense of paranoia within his clan.  Eventually the time for the attack comes and Kira is killed with most of his allies and followers.   

    If you check out my other reviews for movies like Dora Heita and Shogun Assassin 2 you will see that I’m a big fan of Samurai movies.  Unfortunately this is one of the weakest efforts that I’ve seen so far.  The story is interesting but very slow and boring.  The story unfolds way too slowly over the movie’s 2 hour and 12 minute runtime for it to be entertaining.  Up until the last 10 or 15 minutes of the movie there is really no action happening at all.  You just have one conversation after the other about what is going on and who is doing what.  Add to that a really unsatisfying and head scratching ending and you have what is really an unsatisfying and disappointing movie.  The cast is pretty strong and does a good job with what they are given to work with.  But honesty none of the cast has the charisma and skill to overcome the material.  I even found the swordplay at the end of the movie, which should be the payoff, to be poorly executed.  And while the movie does pick up the pace towards the end the action scenes become repetitive and boring after the first 10 minutes or so.  Now I will give the movie credit for how beautiful that it looks.  The cinema photography is wonderful and the colors very vibrant and sharp.  This fits together nicely with the period costumes and sets.  This is one of the best looking movies that I’ve seen in the Samurai genre. 

    So can I recommend the movie?  The truth is I found 47 Ronin to be a very slow; boring film that thru a poorly written script is an inaccessible mess that you should all avoid.  The only thing that the movie has going for it is how visually stunning it is.  That isn’t enough to justify over 2 hours of your time.   

Rating - *1/2

-John "El Juan" Shatzer