47 Ronin: Surprisingly Realistic Fight Scenes Despite Box Office Failure

Keanu Reeves has had some epic roles but 47 Ronin (released in 2013) didn't exactly get the best reviews! It even had a pretty dismal performance at the box office. Even with these epic, high budget features, a movie that cost $175 million, it only made $151.8 million.

A Look At 47 Ronin And Its Realism

Recently, a martial arts and katana expert gave his assessment! Seki Nobuhide Sensei, gave his expert opinion on 47 Ronin's Fight Scenes! He gave it a 6/10 in realism! What is so fascinating is this doesn't seem too bad considering how poorly the film did! It had terrible scores from critics (a 16% on Rotten Tomatoes). The fans also gave it low scores, barely hitting a 48%.

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The Analysis:

Kai (Keanu Reeves) firing a bow and arrow as Kai in 47 Ronin Image

The main critique of this scene had nothing to do with the overall film. This was centered around one specific part.

Reeves did not take out his rival in a logical way. Sensei explains how there's better techniques in a sword fight against a taller opponent!
Sensei brought a unique expertise as he also shared some awesome details of Japanese samurai armor. It may be important to know that it prioritizes flexibility over protection compared to those in the west. So those who created this show had plenty of background. Even with things like flexible chains under the armpits, the design brought the warriors a huge advantage!

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What The Score Means:

Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin next to similar samurai movie scenes Image

With so much criticism, 47 Ronin didn't get the best reaction. Audiences weren't too keen and many called out that it lacked imagination! And while it was filled with talent such as Keanu Reeves and Hiroyuki Sanada it lacked the spark needed for those awesome big budget releases.

Despite everything bad Sensei's score isn't bad! And while 47 Ronin lacked good storytelling, it made it successful with historically accurate elements!

It's important to note, this was intended to be a fantasy movie.

Also Read: On Rotten Tomatoes, John Krasinski's IF Splits Critics and Audiences.

Keanu Reeves Career:

Keanu Reeves wields a sword as Kai in 47 Ronin Image

Before 47 Ronin, it seems Reeves career wasn't in its best phase. While some projects brought box office wins, such as The Day the Earth Stood Still (which hit theaters in 2008) critics weren't the biggest fans!

This was even before 47 Ronin where a low score from an expert may just add salt to the wound.

Reeves starred in Henry's Crime(2010).
Generation Um (2012)
Man of Tai Chi (2013)

But what stands out even more is that 47 Ronin, has something that many people who watch Reeves movies don't see, it brings more realistic depictions! The use of historically accurate armor adds to it as this samurai film makes its mark on the silver screen. And to see those little elements. It gave audiences an unexpected delight as these seemingly little details made it unique.

Also Read: Breakthrough at the Box Office Despite a Low Rotten Tomatoes Score for The Strangers: Chapter 1.

John Wick and Beyond:

The success of John Wick in 2014 changed Reeves career trajectory for the better.

This amazing franchise had its humble beginnings and while many people have moved on, it might surprise some viewers to know that Hiroyuki Sanada, joined John Wick Chapter 4 back in 2023. This suggests that there may be some more movies down the road for Reeves to feature as well. 47 Ronin may not have been a true success story, and its reviews weren't great, there were efforts in authenticity in the storyline!