Thread: Keanu Reeves: I know bushido

Due to some weird difficulties with my net connection I ended up erroneously posting this in the Chit-chat forum. Corrected.

A few years ago I watched 'The Last Samurai' and thought it was a decent film. It cultivated in me an interest in samurai media. Since then I've watched and read Samurai X/Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane. Today, I was just googling around to see if Hollywood was planning any more samurai flicks and saw this. Apparently Keanu Reeves will be starring in a period piece about the '47 Ronin' that plotted to avenge their master. And unlike Tom Cruise, his character is not an American immigrant but one of the actual historical ronin.
http://www.mania.com/keanu-reeves-go...le_111652.html
http://www.japantoday.com/category/e...ai-in-47-ronin
Why is a white guy starring in a film about samurai set in the 18th century, you ask? Well, apparently Keanu Reeves is 1/4th Asian(his father is part-Hawaian-part Chinese) and so qualifies for the role by Hollywood standards. Also this is gonna be a 'stylized' adaptation with 'fantasy elements'. Sort of like 'LOTR meets 300'.

What are your opinions? I'm excited.

PS: In other news I discovered the Weinstein brothers are remaking Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai with Zhang Ziyi and George Clooney. The angry comments all over the net will be fun to read.

Such travesty... I don't recall a caucasian among those 47 ronin.
If, however, he commits seppuku in real life when the movie is released, I might watch it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty-seven_Ronin

Keanu Reeves
was the last manchu emperor and traitor to the republic of China
LOL

Is this supposed to be taking place in ancient japan or are they just using the story and applying it to a modern world. I can't see them using japan if they are going to use obvious non-japanese actors, but then again you never know with hollywood.

May I remind people that Travis is going to be fighting against Kaneda?

This blows. Not only does it suck that yet another white guy plays a samurai, but Keanu Reeves? Imo he got no real acting skills, He was great in Constantine and The Matrix, but no.

^White guy can play as a samurai, depends on the role.
If the role like in the The Last Samurai then it's ok, but as a japanesse that sucks

Considering there are a fair number of samurai anime(like Rurouni Kenshin and PMK) that feature characters with caucasian looks(blond or red hair, blue eyes etc.) and Japanese names and everybody just accepts them as Japanese without any questions, why is it such a big deal if it happens in a movie? Historically, the Persians of 300 weren't Afro-Arabian either.

White guy can play as samurai BUT not a japanesse samurai

I get the feeling Ken Watanabe will be in this film(Being the only Japanese actor well known in the west). Possibly a few Chinese martial arts stars too.

Heh, how about Liam Neeson as their master? He played the 'old mentor swordsman' part fairly well in Batman Begins.