Movie Review: Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends

I went into the cinema with one ear partially deaf, I came out with both ears partially deaf!

They just don't die!

Title: るろうに剣心：伝説の最期編 (Rurouni Kenshin: Densetsu no Saigo Hen)

What is it about: The continuation of Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno where Kenshin and Shishio finally get the chance to settle stuffs.

Review: This... This is one movie where after you watched it (even though it's two and a  half hours long), you will want MORE!!!

Having watched an untold number of American films and a few Chinese films (no racism intended), the first thing that I noticed immediately after watching this movie is how Japanese it feels. Firstly, it's apparent to me that even a movie as epic as this one would actually take its time to slowly develop the characters and storyline, hence the long run time. However, that is something I really appreciate. Also, you'll notice the care that the makers of this movie has for the audiences. They realize there are some people out there who didn't actually watch the first movie and/or Kyoto Inferno (for example, because the movie only released for like two weeks in my local cinema and many people didn't get the chance to watch it!!!), there are attempts made give those audiences some back story so that they won't be completely lost, without actually jeopardizing the interest of those who has watched the past movies by having too much flashbacks. However, if you are one of those who watched the previous movies, you'll notice how similar this movie really is to the first... The dojo fight, the Sanosuke fist fight, the Gatling gun, ring a bell?

Most of the plots of this movie is taken care of in Kyoto Inferno. Therefore, this movie is pretty much the wrap up of Kyoto Inferno with loads and loads of fight scenes. Guys are really going to love this movie. Speaking of guys, this movie is so packed with action that there's barely any important female roles in it (no sexism intended). Kaoru for example, is pretty much not seen in the entire movie. The newly introduced Misao appeared in several scenes but does nothing particularly important. The entire movie is about politics, warfare and nothing else, and it's brutally good! I'm a guy and I do enjoy seeing pretty girls in a movie. However, this movie is all about the adrenaline and not so much the oxytocin (If you get what I mean). Everything builds up to prepare all the characters for one last brutal showdown with Shishio, and you won't be disappointed. The final fight scene in this movie is one of the best I've ever watched, especially the part where Kenshin unleashes on Shishio his newly-mastered ultimate form of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Battoujutsu, Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki or Flash of the Heavenly Flying Dragon. By the way, he wasn't kidding about the flying part.

As for the characters of this movie, well, they are pretty much the same as Kyoto Inferno. The movie did a great job in character development, but I wished there were more. I felt that there are certain characters are slightly underdeveloped. But hey, this movie is no longer about character development. It's about character extermination. I guess the only new character that is introduced here is Kenshin's master. Do you wanna know why the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is so powerful? That's because Kenshin's master is none other than the genius physics associate professor in Teito University:

No, I'm serious...

In the end, physics always win even when going against a sword which breaths fire. Okay, I'm just kidding. That was the professor from the movie Suspect X, otherwise known as Yougisha Ekkusu no Kenshin. Wait a minute, maybe it wasn't a joke after all! You can read my review of Suspect X here.

Alright, back to Rurouni Kenshin. I hereby pronounce this movie the best movie I've ever watched in the cinema, ever. This movie isn't perfect, but I feel completely drawn into it, and I wanted MORE!!! Oh the adrenaline...

Rating: 

 / 10

P.S.: Wanna know a reason why this movie and the previous one is so exciting? Check out this YouTube video =)