Having not read the manga on which this is based, I can only judge this as a film. And the reasons to see it are for the hand-to-hand combat scenes (which are well-shot and full of energy) and for the few satisfying moments of personal redemption and self-forgiveness sprinkled throughout.
Sadly these positives are few and far between, and the movie is too often bogged down by dialogue that's inhuman and stilted, a plot that's somehow generic and excessively convoluted, and visual effects that are laughably underfunded and unfinished.
The cast is full of capable supporting actors who aren't helped by the unintentionally funny script nor by the charisma-free lead actor.
Lastly, the movie takes itself far too seriously, and this makes the goofy stuff hard to watch rather than campy and enjoyable.
It had the pieces to be good, but it just dropped too many of them to work.
Sadly these positives are few and far between, and the movie is too often bogged down by dialogue that's inhuman and stilted, a plot that's somehow generic and excessively convoluted, and visual effects that are laughably underfunded and unfinished.
The cast is full of capable supporting actors who aren't helped by the unintentionally funny script nor by the charisma-free lead actor.
Lastly, the movie takes itself far too seriously, and this makes the goofy stuff hard to watch rather than campy and enjoyable.
It had the pieces to be good, but it just dropped too many of them to work.