Blade of the 47 Ronin

Over three centuries have passed and the legend of the 47 Ronin lives on.  When the last descendant of the valiant group is assassinated, a secret sect of Samurai reunite to discuss an ancient prophecy that can only be fulfilled one bearing the blood of one of the 47 Ronin.  However, there is another, a young thief named Luna.  Now the target of Sorcerers, Ninjas and deadly Ronin, Luna must quickly learn who she can trust and if she is worthy to continue the legacy of one of the most legendary group of warriors in history.

Why do some stories require sequels when they were just fine on their own?  The story of the 47 Ronin is an important part of Japanese History and is still revered to this day.  There have been several adaptations of it throughout film history, including a 2 Part 4 hour 1941 film and, most recently, the infamous 2013 Box Office Bomb starring Keanu Reeves.  It’s this latter version to which Blade of the 47 Ronin serves as a sequel and again…why?  In truth, you could eliminate the 47 Ronin element and nothing of value is lost and makes the movie more bargain bin than it already is.  Yeah, this Direct to Video (or streaming in this case) is pretty much another studio attempt to milk money out of a film that did poorly but apparently someone out there was dying for more.  In other words, it’s bad, like really, really bad…and yet I knew this and still decided to give it a shot (sigh, live and learn).
 
The problems with Blade of the 47 Ronin are abundant from the first fifteen minutes or so: camerawork that’s trying to be stylish and fresh when it isn’t, acting that is bad even by 80s action movie standards, and writing that is generic, cliché and incredibly annoying.  That last part best exemplified in main character Luna, who does virtually nothing in the movie besides curse every other word and look dumbfounded by all the action going on around her.  You’d think she would have more of a hand in the action since she gets an extensive training montage but no, it’s a waste of time, as is her character ultimately.  And it’s not like the rest of the cast is handled any better.  Onami and her fellow Onna-Bugeisha sisters feel more like the lead characters, alongside their friend Reo, than Luna.  Only Onami, however, gets any kind of character development or attention and minimal of that at best.  Genre actor Mark Dacascos does what he can as aged but still deadly Samurai retainer Lord Shinshiro but even he is incredibly underutilized.  And then there’s the character of Dash, who is arguably the most interesting character in the film, blending ancient foresight powers with modern day technology, a novel concept that gets pushed aside for more Luna snark and pointless training exercises.  Seriously, did this movie have no idea how to get the best usage out of its cast and characters?  Given it’s a Direct to Video project I’m gonna say no, they usually require less than the bare minimum of effort.
 
Speaking of bare minimum of effort, the action is so freaking boring.  You can tell that the Onna-Bugeisha sisters in particular worked really hard of perfecting their moves and swordplay but Blade of the 47 Ronin hardly makes them feel epic.  It’s not helped that the action is poorly shot and utilizes a lot of slow motion for no reason and copious amounts of CGI blood.  The fights lack any kind of memorable choreography or polish and the low budget quality gives them less of a feature film feel and more like that of a pilot for a TV Series.  There may be one or two moments of “Oof” moments where some hits land and look decent but they are extremely few and far between. Probably the best action scene in the movie is a very Anime eqsue subway battle and that’s mostly because modern thinking Samurai Lord Nikko just says “screw it” and just starts shooting up Ninjas with a handgun before using a blend of gun and sword play.  Yeah, the movie couldve used more of that kind of random fun but Blade settles for a by the numbers approach that makes you yawn during the action and wonder why the movie isn’t over by the time you get to the final act.
 
I’m very serious about the use of the 47 Ronin title by the way.  Save for a couple of quick lines recounting Keanu Reeves’ exploits in the 2013 movie, having the 47 Ronin legacy involved in anyway feels pointless.  There’s a generic prophecy tale about a chosen one meant to collect a maguffin that will vanquish the ultimate evil and its as been there, done that as you’d expect.  Here’s an idea: how about doing a more modern day interpretation of the 47 Ronin?  Have the Onna-Bugeisha sisters lead a group of Modern Day Samurai on a quest to avenge a dishonored Lord and wonder if they’re willing to stay so tied to tradition that victory will still mean their own ends.  That would make a far more interesting story to follow and give Okami, her sister and Reo a chance to examine their family history deeper with Shinshiro as either their guide or whose death becomes the reason they embark on their seemingly final mission.  Wow, I just came up with a better premise right there than random curse like a sailor girl swearing her way from beginning to end. 
 
As a guy who wasn’t a fan of the original 47 Movie from 2013 (save for Hiroyuki Sanada’s performance, damn the dude is a true definition of a Modern Day Samurai), I didn’t have high hopes for Blade of the 47 Ronin and yet I still feel let down.  I didn’t expect the story to feel so generic and I was hoping for at least some decent action.  But no, the lead character is annoying and pointless, the supporting cast who should lead the film are underutilized and the action is so poorly crafted that the whole affair earns its bargain bin status without even needing to try.  As a follow up to one of the most important legends in Japanese history, this feels like even more of a dishonor than it’s 2013 predecessor, unworthy of name or an honorable death in battle.  Just go watch an Akira Kurosawa classic and instead and see how a true legend handles the legacy and history of true Samurai.
 
1/10