Rurouni Kenshin: The Final (2021) Movie Review

 

Rurouni Kenshin: The Final | 2021 | 2h 18m

Genre: Martial Arts/Action/Adventure/Drama/History | Negara: Japan
Director: Keishi Otomo | Writers: Nobuhiro Watsuki, Keishi Otomo
Pemeran: Takeru Satoh, Mackenyu, Emi Takei
IMDB: 7.2
My Rate: 10/10

Enishi arrives in Japan, instantly shattering Kenshin's peaceful life by devastating Tokyo to avenge his sister Tomoe's accidental death at the hands of Kenshin's sword.

Warning:

There are scenes of violence and smoking.

 

Synopsis:

Kenshin's (Takeru Satoh) life is filled with peace. The people of Tokyo are also living their lives well. Traditional life and new culture coexist without conflict. Until suddenly, a Chinese mafia boss, Enishi (Mackenyu), arrives to disrupt everything.

Enishi is the younger brother of Kenshin's former wife, Tomoe (Kasumi Arimura), and he uses the rising tensions between China and Japan to exact revenge on Kenshin. Enishi holds a grudge against Kenshin for killing Tomoe's fiancé.  Furthermore, Tomoe accidentally died from a blow from Kenshin's sword. This fuels Enishi's rise to power as a Shanghai mafia boss.

Enishi was previously arrested by Saito Hajime but released due to diplomatic discussions.  It turns out that Enishi has gathered his forces and begun bombing Japan. The first missile is launched and destroys the meat restaurant that Kenshin usually visits. The next attack targets the police chief's house and the dojo where the police train.

Kenshin is confused by everything that is happening. Because he doesn't know the people who carried out these attacks. Until Enishi confronts him, saying that he will make Kenshin feel the pain he felt.

Kaoru and the others are confused when they see Kenshin looking different. They don't ask many questions until Kenshin opens up and tells his past, the history of his scar. He also tells them about how Tomoe ended up dying at his hands. This makes Kaoru slightly shaken by her feelings.

The attacks happen again, this time the whole of Tokyo is engulfed in flames. Kenshin fights the roaming mafia. Aoki, who is coming to Tokyo carrying Tomoe's diary, also joins the fight after handing the diary to Kaoru. However, Enishi tries to weaken Kenshin by kidnapping Kaoru. Sanosuke fails to fight against the very strong Enishi and fails to save Kaoru.

Will Kenshin be able to defeat Enishi and save Kaoru?

 

Review:

Rurouni Kenshin: The Final is a film adapted from the famous manga "Rurouni Kenshin: Junchuhen" by Nobuhiro Watsuki. This film is the fourth film in the Rurouni Kenshin film series. The sequence of films presented can be said to have been done very well.

Rurouni Kenshin (2012) focuses more on Battōsai and the turmoil within him regarding his vow not to kill. Viewers are shown Battōsai's troubled side as he faces various battles. As if tempting him to become a killer again with the constantly pressing circumstances.

Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno and Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends bring Kenshin to a major battle with enemies from his unresolved past. In these two films, we can also see Kenshin trying to find his lost soul. Until he is 'reborn' with a new soul that strengthens his vow.

Rurouni Kenshin: The Final tells a story related to his past. In this film, we are still presented with thrilling battles. However, we can also see a story that touches the hearts of the audience. The emotional performance of the actors is quite visible in this film and presented very well.

The story is presented systematically with the introduction of new characters done quite clearly. The development of the story's background really makes the presented conflict meaningful. The resolution of the story is also done very well. Where the development of each character is very clearly visible.

The acting of the actors is also very good. Takeru Satoh certainly cannot be doubted again. He has shown consistent and captivating acting in every film in this series. Including how he performs all the scenes without the help of a stunt double.

The acting that is very eye-catching is Mackenyu, who plays Enishi very well. The emotions of the character he plays are truly felt beyond the screen. Viewers can feel the sadness, anger, and disappointment felt by the character from the expressions he shows.

In addition, Emi Takei also has a risky role.  Emi was acting while pregnant and had to diet to remain consistent with her character.  Therefore, it's not surprising that she has fewer action scenes than in previous films.

Other technical aspects, such as the music and sound effects, add meaning to each scene. The makeup and location design show a great deal of effort.  The camera work not only captures the movement and fights well but also shows the details needed to captivate the audience.

Overall, this film is a truly stunning work.  It also makes the audience admire Kenshin's different character.  A must-watch.

 

Memorable Scene:

Heavy rain falls on Tokyo. Kenshin stands in the rain, filled with lingering love, remembering the loss of Tomoe. On the other hand, Enishi stands in the rain doing the same thing but from a different perspective, that is, with anger and revenge.

In this scene, we see two different sides of feeling the loss of the same person. We can learn that sadness can be felt in different ways and from different perspectives.  This is presented very well in the scene between Kenshin and Enishi.

 

 Memorable Dialogue:

"Thank you, I'm sorry, and … goodbye."

 
Ending:

Happy Ending

 

Recommendation:

Must Watch

 

(Aluna)