Rurouni Kenshin

Ratings: 7.6/10

Film Class: B-

Genre: Action Drama (Japanese)

Rurouni Kenshin is a live action adaptation of the popular Japanese manga, Samurai X. I believe there was an animated movie/series which was very popular about a decade ago, of which I have vague recollection of. All I know is that I was once a short-lived fan, and that fanship has sparked yet again. 

In the 1800s, there lived a legendary samurai, feared by all, whom everyone calls "Battosai". He played a huge part in ending the Bakumatsu war (final years of the edo period, marking the end of the shogun) and in causing the transition of the Samurai Age to the New Age. Since then, he had laid down his sword, and made a pledge never to kill anyone again... 

10 years later, disguising himself as an ordinary wanderer by the name of Kenshin Himura, with his trademark reverse blade sword (which has no chance of killing anyone, or so they, the characters claim. Even though logically, one can still kill with a reverse blade sword), he meets the pure-hearted Kaoru, whose path unfortunately crosses with the villainous Kanryuu Takeda, a crimelord vent on taking over the world with his production of opium and his acquisition of the then modern age gunpower. 

Actually the plot sounds predictably boring, but it's the appearance of another "Battosai", which is the highlight of the entire movie. This imposter "Battosai" is ace-material, and there is only 1 man who can stop him... Kenshin Himura... 

*spoilers ahead* Though the storyline was well developed, and there was a pretty smooth transition of the scenes, some of the scenes were overacted and overplayed, resulting in a awkward discontiunity of my concentrated engagement. I wasn't fond of a particular fight scene where 2 characters were goofing around with each other, though it was intended to be funny, it turned out more corny than comical. 

The cast didn't quite have the look which fit their characters, with the exception of 1, the veteren Yosuke Eguchi, who gained popularity after the Japanese hit series, Under the Same Roof (aired on TV during my younger days, when Japanese culture semi-dominated Singapore's media, which has now been dominated by K-Pop/Drama). 

Even though the movie turned out to be pretty draggy at one point, what I liked about it is the emphasis on the lead's predicament and his perservering nature to never take another life again, despite the impending instigating moments. 

It doesn't take a savant to figure out that he would finally unleash his true nature at the end but it's with this expectation that keeps me at the edge of my seat till the very end. 

Fighting scenes wise could be better, the lack of CG made it too realistic and less exaggerated. In brief, Rurouni Kenshin is more character than samurai slicing. 60% story, 35% cool and 5% sweet (esp the ending).