> When the knights rise after the fall of their master.

I had a feeling that I know this story from somewhere else like a deja-vu, but more than that I felt it should have been a ninja story than the knight's. So when I checked the crew list and I found the Japanese director who made 'Goemon'. That's not at all, it was indeed a version of the Japanese classical hit 'The Loyal 47 Ronin'. Honestly, I haven't seen that, but have seen the other versions like the Keanu Reeve's recent '47 Ronon' et cetera.

It was the story of a group of knights led by Raiden played by Clive Owen. After their master was tricked to death by a corrupted minister in the court of law, everyone thinks the knights would avenge for it. But that does not happen and as the years pass, slowly the hope fades away. And then comes a twist with some good action sequences before the end credits roll up.

It was a great story, but the transforming it from a ninja tale to a knight's did not give that solid revenge seeking effect. Because the ninja fights are kind of stylish, because the stunt choreography and costumes for ninjas has changed in the present scenario. Whereas the knight's remained same for the decades, that means it was a very normal like a medieval European sword fight. So you can call it a realistic, yet there's a filmy thing which lacks in it.

That's fine because the entire film was almost a slow drama. So don't assume it is a complete action film. In that perspective, it will definitely disappoint a few viewers, but I think it is still worth giving a try. The cast and the production were awesome, but still there's something is holding back it to the B movies list than an A. And finally, seeing the way it ended, I think there will be another film to follow.

6/10

I'm always up for some shield and sword films, whether they're of the fantastical variety, or more grounded and gritty; _Last Knights_ seems to embody a bit of both, creating an alternate reality of medieval qualities, while also staying tried and true to the political nature that came with such societies. However, _Last Knights_ never capitalizes upon its concept, with its politics dichotomous, and its sword swinging less than satisfying. It scratches an itch, but with a dull blade.

If the quick editing and incomprehensible camera work aren't an early indicator, the sword-fighting isn't exactly going to be the star of _Last Knights_; instead, what takes center stage most often are discussions are virtues, honor, and justice; the slashy bits really only bookend the film, to a mixed degree. Like all philosophical discussions, some bits hold weight, and others falter. Morgan Freeman's Bartok seems hell-bent on resisting corruption, but there's really no virtues that he extols either; he's merely a counterpart to a greedy Geeza Mott, which seems to underscore the ambiguous, self-serving nature that fantasy stories like _A Song of Ice and Fire_ or _The First Law_ tout in the 21st century.

This doesn't make things boring, per say, but definitely stunts some of character-driven story-telling going on; most of the film is a reaction to the falling from grace that occurs at the end of act one, and it's intermittently interesting, but eventually pulls back to the main course: Revenge. There's some minor heist elements here and there, but nothing that'll satisfy that fancy for more than a moment. What doesn't sit well with me is a cheap turn of events with Clive Owen's character, who miraculously goes from downtrodden to redemptive in a scene or two, or, at least the film tries to convince the audience of the act of it all. Either way, it's not satisfying.

The sword fights that end the film are slightly more entertaining than the start, but Kazukai Kiriya's camera-work makes it clear few of these men know how to properly handle swords, so the epic sense of it all diminishes - this isn't made much better by the fact that most of the emotional connections the film wanted me to feel weren't there, so watching side characters get butchered was...fine? Its ending is touching, though, giving the greatest sense of sacrifice, and ultimately, being the most political move _Last Knights_ wants to play...yet, it's still a cheap ending. Drats. So close.

While I expected a full-on swordy-swingy-stabby film, there are components of _Last Knights_ I moderately enjoyed, like the focus on politics, even if they're a banality from time to time. _Last Knights_ will entertain those looking for a mix of physical and metaphorical daggers, but only until they find something much sharper to be stuck with...which won't take long.