Keanu Reeves hasn’t really been up to much lately — it’s been literally years since we’ve seen him in anything substantial, and that picture of him eating a sandwich on a park bench probably doesn’t count. The trailer for 47 Ronin just got released today, though, and it admittedly looks kinda neat. I mean, you know, as far as vaguely exploitative-looking Japanese stories produced by Hollywood with non-Japanese leads go.
Loosely based on an actual historical drama that’s been one of the most popular themes in Japanese culture and art for centuries, the movie follows group of guess-how-many Ronin as they get revenge on the Overlord who killed their master and banished all of them from their homes. If we’re judging it from the trailer alone, it looks sort of like 300 meets Princess Mononoke. But, you know, with Keanu Reeves as a mysterious outcast samurai. I think if I heard correctly, he also gets called a “half-breed,” so I guess they’re going to rely pretty heavily on the fact that Reeves isn’t completely Caucasian to avoid that unfortunate “white guy saving all the Japanese people” trope as best they can.
Other than Keanu Reeves, the film also boasts a pretty great cast of actual Japanese actors — including Rinko Kikuchi (Pacific Rim), Hiroyuki Sanada (Wolverine), Tadanobu Asano. (Thor), and Kou Shibasaki,(One Missed Call). Oh, and Zombie Boy, for some reason. I don’t know either.
47 Ronin will premiere on Christmas 2013, December 25th.
(via Apple)
- But what about Bill and Ted 3?
- Weirdly I kinda miss Sad Keanu
- Thanks for passing on Matrix 4 though, man
