Knights of the Zodiac Reviews

Knights of the Zodiac is an extremely disappointing adaptation, filled to the brim with terrible acting and laughable dialog. The only thing that drives the film is the interesting source material, which only further making Knights of the Zodiac a disappointment. Director Tomasz Baginski seemed to rely heavily on special effects and fight choreography, while neglecting almost everything else. Fans of the manga and anime series may find some comfort in seeing their favorite characters on screen, but the feeling should leave them wanting more. Seiya (Mackenyu) is a drifting fighter, living in a run-down area and participating in closed-door fights to make a living. At an early age, Seiya's sister was captured, and he has been looking for her ever since. During an impromptu fight against the club's champion, Cassios (Nick Stahl), Seiya unlocks an internal power that he didn't know he had. The power sends a signal to the universe, a signal that Vander Guraad (Famke Janssen) picks up on immediately. She sends her cyborg goons to capture Seiya, but he makes a narrow escape with the help of Guraad's ex-husband, Alman (Sean Bean). Alman explains that it is Seiya's destiny to protect his adopted daughter, Sienna (Madison Iseman), who is the reincarnation of Athena, the God of War.There is quite a lot going on in Knights of the Zodiac, but the plot is ironed out pretty well; the story is simple at its roots and allows for some great character development. Unfortunately, just because the story allows for it doesn't mean it happens on screen. With an incredible mix of poor acting and abysmal writing, every character falls flat and offers no substance. It is almost as if these actors filmed the scenes alone, and then Baginski had everything spliced together. With absolutely no chemistry or emotion, not one performance stands out positively. This is especially highlighted by Diego Tinoco's portrayal of Guraad's right-hand man, Nero. Tinoco's performance is laughable at best and makes one wonder how he ever got cast in the role in the first place.Once the story gets going (which takes way too long) viewers can start to see that there is a great plot underneath it all. Who wouldn't want to see an epic battle between the old gods and Athena? With the Greek mythology undertones and large scale, it makes one wonder what Knights of the Zodiac could have been. Instead, audiences get a half-baked adaptation only highlighted by a few fight scenes and a booming score. Only dedicated fans of the saga may find some redeeming quality, as the film does nothing to bring the rest of us in.