It feels so weird to rate this movie. On one hand, the actors really carried this movie. Their individual practice really paid off, and I feel no sign of the actors themselves--only the characters they're embodying. On the other, it feels like a letdown for the trilogy itself. Had it been a solo action I think I could rate it a solid 8, but I can't place why--maybe how it feels like a filler episode---I almost want to give it a 0.
Maybe it's because the camera shots seemed a bit less "real" (You can see where swords hit air, but hear a thud). Maybe it's the pacing. There's no real--heartdrop moment. In fact the entire time everyone kept getting up, I actually felt pressured for them to either hurry up and die (like realistically), or just fast forward.
I feel like I am exactly where I left off on the second movie. I'm grateful for such cool choreo scenes, but overall I don't really sense being closer to the characters. Aoshi throws a tantrum, not once but twice to prove a point that he's no longer the same person (maybe I'd like to see his before nature more)...the whole ninja romance is unaddressed....and all that fighting for such a PG(? Shounen?) ending. I don't know man. Maybe it's just the way the story was written, but even the relationship with Kenshin and Kaoru seems so........disappointing. If it weren't for Megumi's tonics, or Kaoru being nervous that Kenshin was mad at her, I would have forgotten this was a romance.
That said, peace is restored.
I know it's fairly faithful to the adaption, but it would have been interesting to see more action scenes with the girls. Or, conflict between the Kenshin and Kaoru.