Keanu Reeves joins 47 Samurai

Just in time for the 306th birthday of the event, Universal announces that Keanu Reeves will be depicting a Samurai in 47 Ronin.

IESB.net says:

In “47 Ronin,” he will play one of the swordsmen; the group and their master are revered in Japan for their revenge attack on Dec. 14, 1702.

The film will tell a stylized version of the story, mixing fantasy elements of the sort seen in “The Lord of the Rings” pics, with gritty battle scenes akin to those in films such as “Gladiator.”

I get a knee jerk reaction when publicists throw out phrases like “just like Lord of the Rings” or “battles as epic as Gladiator” because to me it just seems like they want to latch on to what made those movies great in an effort to pump up their own film.

Can they not just say it will be a grand fantasy epic, with impressive large scale battles? Nope.. gotta name drop Lord of the Rings and Gladiator.

Anyways, we all know Keanu can do choreographed martial style fighting, so I have faith that this will at least be a good action flick and I cannot resist a period samurai action flick. I just hope that they don’t do cheesy wire work. I always despise that. It looks so unnatural that it doesn’t add to the action, it takes away.

This is far better news than hearing he is going to do Speed 3 (which he isn’t)

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11 thoughts on “Keanu Reeves joins 47 Samurai

  1. Keanu Reeves.Japanese do have more caucasian features than other Asians.Pointy noses and hairier as well more angular faces.Possibly due to a siberian admixture in the north in Hokkaido.Keanu reeves would be perfect for a Hokkaido Japanese.

  2. the only suitable role for keanu reeves is a coma patient or a corpse. his involvement in this movie is insulting to japan, historians, asians in general, and martial artists

  3. So instead of saying things like ,”I know Kung Fu”, Keanu will be saying, ” I know Bushido”?. Eh, whatever I like samurai flicks,throw some ninjas down their way…….maybe a monkey that drinks and I think they will have a solid hit there.

  4. The Last Samurai was tech an orginal story with historical background so as I said I forgave that. But with Geisha that is such an ignorant mistake in casting and story.

    Sure make – up and prosetics could make me look native american but why dont they save that money and hire a real native american.

  5. ^^^The 47 Samurai/Ronin is a highly influential legend in Japanese history. Unlike the Last Samurai, nowhere within the story is there some random white guy who becomes a warrior, so it can be assumed that he will play a Japanese guy. Even if they take the “300” route with this film, it would still look strange due to the fact that Keanu Reeves has almost zero Asian features besides his slightly slanted eyes.

  6. And yet with the wonderment of stage makeup even you could look native.

    I dont see the issue. Cruise played a white guy who learned to be a samurai, why couldnt a 1/4 asian be taught the same way??

  7. I dont think Tainttickle comparison is flawed at all. Im 1/4 native american but when ppl ask my nationality i say Im caucasion cause my looks portray me as such. Now if someone asked me to play the role of a native american I ask them if they were crazy cause I dont look nothing like an a native american anymore than Keanu Reeves looks asian.

  8. Why in the hell would they cast Keanu Reeves as a Samurai? The guy’s like 1/4 Asian. He doesn’t even look “Asian”. That would be like casting Jackie Chan as Napoleon. Whaaaaaack.

  9. You know I hate it when studios throw big names in a film that needs a certain ethnic profile. I mean they did it with The Last Samurai with Tom and got away with it cause Tom floored me with his performance and the story even though at that time in Japans history you never see a westerner dawning a samurai sword and armor. He would have been killed long time ago. But I accepted it cause it was a good film. Memories of a Geisha however I had a probem with cause I didnt like the idea of the lead being a chinese actress who should have been japanese. Basiclly I guess the director thought all asians look the same. Also the film carried the sterotype that Geisha are prostitutes and there not.
    So in any case I love the idea for the film but why cant they have japanese actors? And why choose Keanu Reeves whos acting is so wooden that he makes me long to watch Bill & Ted over and over?

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