6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In this fictional version of 18th-century Japan's most enduring tale, an outcast named Kai joins a group of samurai, led by Oishi Kuranosuke. Together they exact vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who shamed their late master, pushing him to suicide.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Kô Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano, Min TanakaAction | 100% |
Adventure | 67% |
Fantasy | 46% |
Martial arts | 15% |
Period | 2% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (2 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
47 Ronin is a film at war with itself. On one side a slippery, hyperstylized period drama based on one of the most well known accounts of honor and bushido in Edo-era Japan; on the other a wobbly, uneven, CG-slathered action fantasy that might have been better served burning in development hell. Green-lit in 2008, the long-suffering production brought first-time feature film director Carl Rinsch to the table in 2009, received an inexplicably generous $170 million budget from Universal in 2010, and began shooting in 2011; both in English and Japanese, with nearly every scene being shot in its entirety in each language. Audience interest began to build and a November 2012 release date was set... only to have the movie's debut pushed back to early 2013. A second delay soon followed, shoving the overpriced, under-hyped actioner to Christmas Day 2013 where it was forced to compete with a host of other films audiences were clearly more interested in seeing. Earning a critical drubbing, poor word of mouth and a paltry $38 million at the domestic box office (for a worldwide total of $148 million), 47 Ronin became one of the bigger box office bombs of 2013; one that arrives on Blu-ray much as it arrived in theaters. With very little fanfare.
47 Ronin at least looks the part thanks to a 1080p/AVC-encoded 2D video presentation that's quite striking. Within Rinsch and cinematographer John Mathieson's natural, earthy palette lies a wellspring of dusty hues, deadly primaries, lovely skintones and satisfying blacks. Contrast, though muted, is consistent and in keeping with Rinsch's intentions, and detail is spot on, with finely tuned edge definition (free of aliasing and ringing), wonderfully resolved textures and nicely preserved grain. A few optically soft shots appear, but none of it proves distracting. That said, the dim, sometimes dark world of the ronin and their mystical adversaries doesn't exactly lend itself to 3D. The resulting MVC-encoded 3D experience, though proficient and faithful to its native source, is a bit too flat and uninspiring, with little in the way of 3D pop, notable depth or convincing dimensionality. Several scenes stand out -- Kai's initial fight with the giant samurai for one -- but the moments that best showcase the 3D presentation are establishing shots of castles, forests and other vistas rather than full sequences. Complicating matters is the film's rapidfire action beats, which become muddled and confusing in 3D.
Still, both the 2D and 3D presentations are technically sound, without many eyesores to speak of. Artifacting, banding and other encoding issues are nowhere to be found, and only a hint of intermittent crush creeps into the image. The film's CG sequences exhibit a handful of fleeting anomalies -- Kai's encounter with the Tengu master being the most relatively problematic of the bunch -- but each instance is attributable to the source, nothing more. All told, 47 Ronin looks great... in 2D. 3D? Not so much.
Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track doesn't disappoint for a second. Dialogue is clear, intelligible and carefully prioritized. LFE output is bold and assertive, infusing battles, chases, clashes and all-out samurai war with the heft, weight and presence each dust-up deserves. The rear speakers impress too, creating a fully immersive soundfield that delights in flying arrows, rising flames, distant fights, the chorus of a dense forest, the vastness of a cavern, the screams of the fallen... anything that enhances and enriches the experience. Directionality is dead on. Pans are smooth. Dynamics are breathtaking. What more could one ask for? With Universal's brash beast of a lossless track, 47 Ronin edges closer to the gripping action spectacle it so longs to be.
47 Ronin is a bit of a mess, but if you can get past what it could have been, you might find yourself enjoying what it is. Problems will still abound, of course. The flaws are glaring and the missed opportunities obvious. The film itself isn't a complete loss, though, and there's enough here -- the cast particularly -- to make for a decent rental. Universal's AV presentation is much better, landing the sort of one-two punch the film never quite masters, but only in 2D. The 3D experience isn't nearly as impressive, with flat, uninspiring 3D that isn't quite up to snuff. Then there's the disappointment of the disc's slim supplemental package, which doesn't amount to much at all. My advice? To those willing to take the plunge, go with the 2D release.
2013
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