Blade of the 47 Ronin (2022) - Entertaining Contemporary Action-Fantasy Film That Is Much Better Than Its Terrible Reputation - 7/10 (23/07/24)

Blade of the 47 Ronin is often described as a sequel to 47 Ronin directed by Carl Rinsch and starring Keanu Reeves. However, the casts, promotions and scripts are so widely different that there is only a very loose connection in my opinion. One can easily enjoy both films separately for different reasons. 47 Ronin is a historically inspired action movie with a lush production while Blade of the 47 Ronin is a contemporary fantasy film with limited budget. This movie here tells the story of a wizard who attempts to murder the descendants of the forty-seven ronin and to unite the two halves of the Tengu Sword to become the most powerful villain in the world.

This movie has several positive elements that deserve to be pointed out. First and foremost, the fighting scenes might not be particularly realistic but they are quite energetic and manage to entertain from start to finish. The acting performances are also above average in my book. Teresa Ting convinces as resilient fighter with a mysterious past, Anna Akana leaves a mark as rebellious outsider who needs to take on important responsibilities and seeing action film icon Mark Dacascos as wise nobleman is a joy for genre enthusiasts. One should also point out the wonderful settings in Budapest such as the clean airport, colourful bars, elegant hotels, comfortable restaurants, intriguing safe houses and sinister train stations. I certainly wasn't certain about an American cast portraying a Japanese plot in a Hungarian setting but this eclectic mixture actually makes this film worthy to be remembered.

A few negative elements however also need to be pointed out. The plot for instance is as thin as it gets and one shouldn't expect any clever storytelling. The visual special effects are at times overdone and look quite artificial. The martial arts techniques used in such a genre film could be a little bit more spectacular in my opinion.

However, Blade of the 47 Ronin is a modern action-fantasy film that is much better than its lukewarm to dreadful reputation. One shouldn't make the mistake to associate this film to 47 Ronin and instead view it as an independent release with a limited budget and mostly unknown cast. This movie however convinces with great acting performances, energetic fight scenes and surprisingly beautiful settings that make me want to visit Budapest one day. Give this film a fair try if you feel like watching a contemporary action-fantasy film on a lazy afternoon or on a relaxed evening.