Waste of time

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Really?!?! It wasn't enough that the main characters in a movie about "Pearl Harbor" were Army pilots, now The main character in the most iconic story of Japanese Samurai is white! When will the 'political correct-technically wrong' END. There was no white guy among the 47 Ronin and they certainly wouldn't have accepted him as a "Samurai". Nor were there (as far as I'm aware) gun involved. how idiotic. Read a history book for crying out loud.I must say that the cinematography and equipment (swords, armor etc...) were well done. (the only reason for the second star)

A band of samurai set out to avenge the death and dishonor of their master at the hands of a ruthless shogun. 47 Ronin is one of the films i had the pleasure seeing on the big screen back in 2013 and regardless of what critics thought about it i think it was an insane Sci-fi, Action, Adventure Epic with Dragons, Spiders and Samurais that will please some viewers of the genre. Keanu Reeves is excellent as this outcast who joins them in order of taking revenge for their master's death also Hiroyuki Sanada was excellent just like he was in The Last Samurai (2003) and The Wolverine (2013). Overall lot's of action, effects and sword fights that to me were more than just fine. (10/10)

If you, like me, have a heart for trash- and B-movies, I don't have to tell you that you simply cannot avoid films of a certain reputation, no matter how hard you try. It's like the old story with the flies and a heap of manure: there just is no helping it but to occasionally dive right in. And rarely does one get to see such a heap with such a price-tag.At the same time I had a little spark of hope left, which came in the shape of Hiroyuki Sanada. Sanada had worked hard for the past 40 years, transforming himself from a teen-heartthrob to a distinguishable actor ("Sunshine", "The Last Samurai"), having a gift for shining even in the occasional dud ("The Wolverine", "Rush Hour 3") that he'll appear in. But I should have known better, that even actors armed with an army of Oscars would have little chance against the living mediocrity that is called Keanu Reeves.If you have a basic idea about what the historical story of the 47 Ronin is about, you'll know fully well that the half-caste character of Reeves has been dumped into the storyline like an infant into a virgin; utterly unnecessary and utterly pointless, for no other reason than having a Hollywood-name attached to the project. Speaking about virgins and infants: Reeves acting his way out of a paper-bag, now that would have been another biblical miracle. Like misery personified he drags himself through the picture and here I have to admit: I have not coined the term "Prozac-Samurai", though I often wish I had.As for the rest of this convoluted mess: Is it at least entertaining on a popcorn-level? I'd say, about 50/50. Perhaps it could have worked if the studio would have "allowed" the director to steer his project more toward the direction of historical epos. But those elements simply didn't sit well with a load of fantasy, dragons, Japanese demons and animated beasts. Take for example the scene at the "Dutch colony", which had the potential to be the visual highlight of the flick. Again, the producers had other plans for the audience, opting for a blend of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and a man-monster straight out of "300" thrown in for "good measure". This is also the scene with Rick Genest, better known as "Zombie-Boy", who is featured so prominently on the movies poster. Didn't clock it but his appearance should be around 10 – 15 seconds of screen-time, that add nothing to the storyline.So, is it a Samurai-epos, CGI-Fantasy-standard or simply template Hollywood-factory-fodder? Well, it does not only sit between those chairs, it falls straight through them. In essence this really ads up the whole mess: plenty of promises that generally remain empty, interrupted by some pretty visuals, a bore that had gone through editing-hell and a "star" that has outstayed his welcome for about 13 years. Every moment shows. 4/10 should not be too much.(And etymological trivia for the road: I have been told that, if I happened to dislike this movie or his "star" – which I obviously do – that makes me a "hater". It would appear that the word is used for anybody that disagrees with you or holds an opinion that differs from your own. So it's not a negative expression per se, but might indicates that you don't necessarily fall for any hype or have a disdain for mediocre productions).

The original story in Japan is a moving and inspiring one about loyalty and honor. America has turned that into a joke. The story is so old and moving, so much so that the Shinsengumi of the Bakumatsu created their uniforms based on the haori patterns of the 47 samurai in this story. The color asagi was considered poor for samurai, but it was chosen to represent absolute loyalty and devotion to their lord, Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu. This movie not only inserts a white protagonist that saves the day, but also vilifies the Japanese. It injects a totally ridiculous and bastardized element of the supernatural into movie and white washes yet another foreign film. This is everything bad about The Last Samurai, except even worse. Do not watch this movie, the writing is insulting.