A martial arts and katana expert analyzes a fight scene from 47 roninKeanu Reeves’ critically panned 2013 action film. Directed by Carl Rinsch 47 ronin based on the true story of a group of samurai who set out to take revenge after killing their master. The film, written by Chris Morgan, Hossein Amini and Walter Hamada, stars Reeves as Kai, with a supporting cast including Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Ko Shibasaki and Jin Akanishi. 47 ronin was a notable disappointment both critically and commercially.
In a recent video for InsiderSeki Nobuhide Sensei, a martial arts and katana instructor, gives Reeves one of his grades. 47 ronin The fight scene is so realistic. Ultimately, he awards the film an average six out of 10.unhappy that Reeves couldn’t logically attack his larger opponent in the scene. Seki also shares interesting details about Japanese samurai armor, highlighting its impressive mobility. Read his comments or watch the video (the relevant section starts at 16:15) below:
“In terms of good strategy when fighting a tall opponent, a tall person’s lower body is vulnerable. So I think the normal attack would be downward, but cautiously upward.
“It’s a difficult question as to how much protection Japanese armor provides. Unlike Western armor, Japanese armor is more focused on functionality than protection. Thus, compared to Western armor, Japanese armor is open to attack. However, it is easy to move around in it. In fact, in addition to the protective equipment visible on the surface, there was also protective equipment in the form of braided chains with cloth attached, which were worn under the neck or under the arms. This helps the body move easily, making combat easier.
“I give him six points. [out of 10] for the level of realism. The reason for this result is that all attacks were carried out from the upper body, which is ineffective against a tall person.”
What does 47 Ronin’s realism score mean for the film’s reputation?
How the film was a critical and commercial success
47 ronin currently has a terrible 16% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, while the audience rating is also disappointing – only 48%. The film was widely criticized for its uninteresting characters and lack of imagination.Even Reeves, Sanada and other talented supporting actors couldn’t make the on-screen action exciting. Made with an estimated budget of $175 million. 47 ronin grossed only $151.8 million worldwide, making it a significant box office failure.
Connected
The realism score of six out of 10 compared to critical and commercial scores isn’t actually that bad. While the film fails on the storytelling and entertainment levels, it does feature historical accuracy, including in its depiction of Japanese armor. However, it is worth noting that 47 ronin It’s a fantasy film in addition to being a historical epic, which means there are a lot of elements in it that aren’t meant to be realistic, especially outside of the specific fight scene analyzed in the video above.
Our take on the realism of 47 Ronin
Where the film fell in Keanu Reeves’ career
Until the first John Wick (2014), Reeves’ career may have been in a bit of a slump.. 47 ronin was a huge blockbuster project in terms of scale, scope and budget, but it was an even bigger failure. Reeves’ most famous film previously 47 ronin was The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), which was a box office success but also received critical criticism. The following years were followed by a succession of smaller films, such as Henry’s Crime (2010), Generation Em (2012) and Man Tai Chi (2013).
The fact that 47 ronin features some degree of realism, it’s a small victory in a somewhat disappointing few years of Reeves’ film career. Issue John Wick would then catapult the actor back into the spotlight. 47 ronin It’s far from Reeves’ most memorable film, but it feels like at least some attention was paid to getting the historical details right, which is commendable.
Source: Insider