Last Knights ** (2015, Clive Owen, Morgan Freeman, Aksel Hennie, Cliff Curtis) – Movie Review

Clive Owen stars as a fallen warrior called Raiden, who rises against a corrupt and sadistic ruler to avenge his dishonoured master Bartok (Morgan Freeman).

There follows an old-style fantasy sword-clashing adventure of loyalty, honour and vengeance, directed by Kazuaki Kiriya. Another version of 47 Ronin, it’s a bit of a mess as story-telling, flagging and losing momentum and dynamism in the middle. It seems to be set in some fictional empire with a medieval-style hierarchy of emperors, nobles and knights, but with the samurai spin dealing with its themes of honour and sacrifice.

But it looks good with its filming in the Czech Republic, and there’s some excellent action, particularly at the start and the exciting extended climax, which plays like the sequence in Keanu Reeves’s 47 Ronin. The production values are high, with eyefuls of flashy production designs and visual effects. However, this international version of a South Korean-Czech Republic co-production feels like an uneasy cutdown of a much-longer, better movie.

The eclectic actors swing you into all the action and drama that there is, though. Owen and Freeman are ideal, really good value, and Cliff Curtis impresses as Raiden’s loyal Lieutenant Cortez, and so does Aksel Hennie as Gezza mott.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Movie Review

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