Azumi - Ninja/assassin carnage

[limubai2000]

I just watched this last night with my girlfriend and we both liked it alot!

I normally find Japanese films flat and bland but enjoy the action scenes (Gojoe, Owl's Castle)... but this one stood out for me.

I didn't care for Versus at all (so sue me) but the director redeemed himself in my eyes. I was alittle let down in the beginning of Azumi cuz the village slaughter scene had some sloppy swordplay in it ... but the later fights improved consistently. I like the villian in the white robes with sword with no defense guard (I can't remember his name at this moment).

Oh yeah I'm gonna pick up the soundtrack when I to Osaka in May!

[Lunamask]

I feel the same way as you, Disliked Versus liked Azumi!

[DoubleM]

feel the same way as you, Disliked Versus liked Azumi!


Same here!

[pressureworld]

I almost feel the same way i disliked Versus and im on the fence about Azumi

[jirpy100]

Haven't seen Versus, but thought Azumi was one the best new-age action films in a long time! Really enjoyed it -- for what it was! Many people get stuck on the pretty like girl being unbelievable, what can I say? It's suppose to be live anime and it fits in perfectly! Plus, it's nice to see some high-budget looking stuff when you've watched so many HK films...and then some still call this low budget.

[Grape Snapple]

The psycho in white is Jo Odagiri. Such a fun character.

I'm a fan of Versus and love Ishii's Gojoe, but this film was a miss for me. It's uneven and the dialogue is fluff -- though, it worked for Versus. Azumi felt more like a choppy weekly tv series than a feature film. In fact, it's very reminiscent of those old japanese tv series (be it chanbara or tokusatsu) with fight scenes by Sonny Chiba's action club.

Kitamura, the director, has a talent for shooting interesting scenes, but it all falls apart in the end with the finished product. There's so much potential in his works. Here's hoping he matures somewhat...but not too much!

Oh, and I'm fed up with glorified death scenes! I don't care if it's a requirement for samurai flicks -- I can't take it anymore!! F u!!

[chiba2000]

he he then you must love the end in Last Samurai. :lol

[DragonfighterX]

I-love-Versus.

[limubai2000]

That is a pretty good description of the film.

I do like that at least they kept the wire work down to a minimum, that gave the film extra staying power in my book.

And the name of the character in white is Bijomaru Mogami at least that's what my subs say!

I pretty happy that he is directing the next Godzilla flick (the 50th Anniversay flick)... at least that's the rumor!

[Akahige]

Okay, I finally broke down and watched Azumi last night (it seemed pretty stupid based on the descriptions I'd read in the past). I have to say that film had a few strengths despite all of it's weaknesses. The costumes, music, camera work, and lighting made me really feel like I was watching an anime. With certain scenes though it seemed like the director was really shooting for a more melodramatic chambara styled film. Where this film failed miserably though is in it's editing, more specifically it's fear of leaving anything sitting on the cutting room floor. Thirty minutes plus could've been cut from this film, and if that had happened maybe the director would have commited to one genre or the other (anime adaptation or chambara). I think such a commitment would've meant success, especially if he cut out all that crappy CGI and wire work. I gotta admit though, when Azumi takes on those two hundred punks at end I was giggling with glee. Unfortunately the ending was ruined by the obviously studio-forced insertion of a hollywood ending. I just didn't buy Azumi swimming twenty miles after a ship, popping thirty feet out of the water, and floating back in time to meet up with her one surviving comrade. What made this pick-up so obviously not part of the original script (besides it's obvious exclusion from the rest of the plot) is that when Azumi is going over who still needs to be killed, her back is oh-so-convienently turned to the camera, allowing for a rather easy and seemingly flawless over-dub. Don't you think they would've shown Azumi's face while saying the ending lines if they could have? I gotta admit something pretty sick on my part though, I'm starting to find women with other people's blood on their face pretty sexy (Kunoichi, Lady Snowblood, and the Bride). If you dig the anime-adaptation feeling and want to see it successfully done, check out "Kunoichi: Lady Ninja." Nipple Shockwaves, monk slaughter-fests, and a dude boning a chick while cutting down flying arrows! What more could you want!? Peep my review at Netflix if you're interested and don't know anything about it. Thanks for putting up with my rambling, I had to warn people about his flick though... Oh yeah, if he takes on the next Godzilla flick, he better work on his editing or I'll never forgive the injustices he may commit.

[tengumusha]

I thought Azumi had some rough spots, but overall a good movie. The thing I liked best were the quirky characters such as the dog ninja. One of the hardest things for me to accept was the character Azumi herself, she is quite lovely, but a little on the delicate side to pull off that role convincingly.