47 Ronin movie!

[Demongod86]

http://www.latinoreview.com/news/one...-47-ronin-8572

OMFG.

I remember reading this book in Frosh year of HS and loved it.

Come on...sex, violence, ronin...the only thing that was missing was the obligatory ninjas!

[Tsuyoshi]

Finally, another movie to look forward to.

[Ansalem]

Well, considering there have been ten or so Japanese movies based on the Chuushingura, I suppose it's not surprising for an American one.

[killer3000ad]

Trailer out.

YouTube

https://youtu.be/j8cKdDkkIYY

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[Magin]

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY NAO!!!!!!

... seriously, the story of 47 Ronin (IIRC, it's based on the old Ako Vendetta story, right?), plus Rinko Kikuchi= I'm completely sold for this

Just out of curiosity, is this movie doing something like this?

Spoiler for slightly spoilerly for those not familiar with the original story:

Our outcast is to lead the 47 ronin against the man who was responsible for their master's death? Or at least, that seems so far to be the closest this comes to the original story.

Granted, they threw in all those supernatural elements, but I still can't complain. I just get this horrible feeling this is going to tank at the box office...

[Endless Soul]

Keanu Reeves?

Endless "Whoa" Soul

[ElCachicamo]

What a travesty, Americans showing again their ethnocentrism. Hollywood thinks that we're all stupid. I'm a Publicist and I know a lot about semiotics, so this film is a NO for me.

This is the same kind of crap that I hated in The Last Samurai, Japanese were useless without the white man. These films are weaboo fantasy.

[Ak3mi]

I love Keanu Reeves, cant wait too see this.

[KiraYamatoFan]

There will be a possible similar feeling/mood as in 300: Rise of an Empire when I will watch 47 Ronin.

Anyway, I will wait to watch before giving a verdict. It should be interesting to see what angle they take to explain the part Kai (Keanu Reeves) takes in this while Kuranosuke Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada a.k.a. Badass Ujio) leads the band. All I can say from the trailer is that Rinko Kikuchi will certainly take a solid part of the focus with her role as Mizuki the Green Dragon Witch.

I didn't know that our local tattoo phenomenon Rick Genest would play in this.

[NoemiChan]

Hhahaha.... what a movie to corrupt a "great tale of revenge"....

[Magin]

To be fair... this movie is technically being marketed to the West. And unfortunately, only someone like Kurosawa has the skill to bring a movie to the West successfully without completely butchering it.

As I've stated, no matter how badly this movie fares (I already see it tanking even worse than Lone Ranger reportedly has), I'll be seeing it.

[NoemiChan]

True.... but it can't be help if historians will rage about this... I expect a ton of critics for this one... but anyway.. the budget doesn't seem to be cheap so I think this will be good...

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Well, the preview looks pretty good. TBH, I don't remember this '47 ronin' story having all that supernatural stuff in it, but then again I've only got a vaguely passing familiarity to it. Still looks pretty cool.

I don't want to judge the movie before seeing it, since it has the usual 'white guy' as the main character cheesing it up, but I've seen that fail to many times to not remain sceptical. Still Keanu Reeves might be able to pull it off being his usual stoic self. Meh, well, usual hollywood metrics making decisions about movie direction.

[Mystique]

Originally Posted by Ansalem

Well, considering there have been ten or so Japanese movies based on the Chuushingura, I suppose it's not surprising for an American one.

Indeed, but the issue is that Chuushingura is a treasured story in Japan, it's also an actual historical event.

So seeing that to the natives, Hollywood have taken a loved true story with all the Bushido codes and added all this fantasy element on it and downplayed the story to just, 'tale of revenge', may not sell too well over here.
I dare say they may even change the title again.

But yeah, without knowing the historical reference to this, first thing that crossed my mind after seeing the trailer was:

300 vs Mortal Kombat

For the unsuspecting West, this movie may succeed as just that.
A fantasy, revenge action movie which just happened to be set in exotic Japan.

[killer3000ad]

New trailer

YouTube

https://youtu.be/Zwz9DYbj5Vc

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

[ArchmageXin]

So, is anyone going to see this?

Apparently cost 250 million to make...open in Japan made 1 million.

It look like Univerisal is already talking a write down on this. In accounting terms, it means they know they are fucked. What amuse me is usually film studio usually do this AFTER the movie bombs.

I almost want to see it just to see how bad it is.

[GDB]

I'll probably see it in the next week or so. And yes, a film studio has to do it after it bombs. You cannot do it before, because you do not know how much to write down. Once written down, you cannot write it back up if it ends up doing surprisingly well.

[Magin]

Allow me to re-quote myself:

Originally Posted by Magin

As I've stated, no matter how badly this movie fares (I already see it tanking even worse than Lone Ranger reportedly has), I'll be seeing it.

In fact, I'll porbably see it on Friday, just to get it over and done with.

[ArchmageXin]

I am almost 99% sure I won't see it...because I am tired of the whole "Insert White man in a place he didn't belong."

Still, I have to give it credit it had more Asian men than last air bender...

Edit: Here is the info on the writedown

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...9BN0HR20131224

[aohige]

It's one of those laughably fantasized Japan that resembles nothing of the sort.
It's definitely in the kinship of whacked Ninja Slayer type world view.

Also those vivid colors and clothing is a trait of Chinese culture, and Hong Kong cinematography.
Not Japanese feudal culture, which is usually portrayed far more plain, boring, and mundane.

The massive grassy plains and OMG BIG BUDDHA ROCK STATUE IN MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, massive stone statues overseeing the ocean - it's like the Lord of The Rin-I-meant-Chuushingura.

However, there's definitely a market for this in niche fan groups in Japan.
Ninja Slayer for example, is a cult hit for its completely inaccurate (unintentionally at start) and hilarious depiction of Japan, a common sight in American comic books in general, but even more extreme here. People quote lines from it all the time. It's sort of Japanese version of All Your Bases Belong To Us now.

Originally Posted by Mystique

Indeed, but the issue is that Chuushingura is a treasured story in Japan, it's also an actual historical event.

So seeing that to the natives, Hollywood have taken a loved true story with all the Bushido codes and added all this fantasy element on it and downplayed the story to just, 'tale of revenge', may not sell too well over here.
I dare say they may even change the title again.

But yeah, without knowing the historical reference to this, first thing that crossed my mind after seeing the trailer was:

300 vs Mortal Kombat

For the unsuspecting West, this movie may succeed as just that.
A fantasy, revenge action movie which just happened to be set in exotic Japan.

We really aren't in any position to complain though, I mean Jesus, we turned KING ARTHUR into a babe, and even lets you screw her in the game.