User Reviews

Not intended to be an accurate reference to feudal Japan, this flick is great fun and worth a watch. The characters have been modeled after some modern-day Anime characters and video game heroes, and the film itself felt like a paradoxic mix between the styles of "Kinji Fukasaku" and "Akira Korosawa" to me. A mix of Japanese pop-culture set in old Japan.

The camera-work was pretty good and the soundtrack fitting. The characters were sufficiently surreal to be unbelievable, but well suited to the genre.

The is a must see!

I think that this movie is not just about warriors...is about their choices..power to accept that the good sometimes become evil... what is good some peoples it's bad for others...some scenes are so beautiful that they can make you cry... I think I can see this movie a million times for the man in white and the woman in black...to understand which of them is the good one and what is evil one...to understand the power of red color...The Japanese made from this film a paint same as "Hero".. Maybe for the majority of people who experienced this movie it's just an action movie but for me is a very special... See this film because first of all is a very entertaining!

I'm not too familiar with Japanese cinema – especially the Chambara genre – but I had come across director Ryuhei Kitamura's cult favourite Versus a couple of weeks before viewing this flick, so I wasn't expecting great things. Versus, which Kitamura wrote and directed, was simply a collection of mindless gore sequences lacking any kind of storyline, that was, frankly, one long bore. Sometimes, the term 'cult' seems to be a euphemism for 'popular with undemanding teen horror-fiends'.

Luckily, Kitamura handed over the writing duties to Yu Koyama, creator of the Manga comic script upon which it's based, and producer Mataichiro Yamamoto, and I only hope Kitamura steers clear of his lap-top from now on, because Azumi is an absolute pearl of a movie that seems to revel in the mythical warrior story it relates. True, there is a huge amount of bloodletting (the death toll runs into the multiple-hundreds, and we get to see them all in vibrant in-your-face bloody colour), but there is also a reasonable – if a tad simple and clichéd – storyline, and, for this type of movie, a lot of attention is given to character development.

Japanese teen-star Aya Ueto plays the eponymous heroine, an orphaned waif rescued from the roadside by a master warrior and his small entourage of equally waif-like protégés.  Hidden from the world until they reach their late teens, this unlikely 'family' is trained in the art of swordplay by their master as preparation for their mission to rid the country of three troublesome warlords who are committing wholesale slaughter throughout the land.

Half of these orphans are killed within fifteen minutes of the opening credits, and the manner in which their deaths are contrived serves notice that this is to be no ordinary mindless action flick. By subjecting the survivors to such a horrifying ordeal, the writers slickly manoeuvre the audience into identifying with the previously nondescript bunch in a matter of minutes, where less accomplished writers would have needed half-a-dozen scenes to achieve anything approaching the same result and probably convey little of the emotional impact created by Koyama and Yamamoto.

Ueto, while looking far too cute to be a fierce warrior, gives a good account of herself. Kitamura even plays on this by having a rival assassin enthusing over her cuteness as they do battle – and moments before she runs him through with her sword. Ueto may make an unlikely assassin, but – crucially – she doesn't make an unbelievable one.

This film is crammed with memorable characters and scenes: the fey but deadly bad guy, Bijomaru (Jo Odagiri, looking like an undernourished Phil Oakey, c.1983), decked out in flowing white robes and carrying a red rose, who giggles with glee when fighting a worthy foe, and swishes his sword distractedly through the long grass as he observes the effect of the latest wound he has inflicted upon his adversary; Saru, the warlord's sidekick, possessor of an astounding hairdo and a habit of uttering monkey noises as he fights, and Azumi herself, who is never just a cipher, but who questions the validity of her mission at every turn, and resists, futilely, the life that has been mapped out for her. Cinematographer Takumi Furuya's kinetic camera-work is also worth mentioning – especially the astounding sequence in the climactic battle between Azumi and Bijomaru, during which the camera vertically rotates 360 degrees around the action.

Azumi is a real barnstormer of a movie; great fun to watch, and deserving of a much larger audience than it has received in the West.

I'm completely blown away, easily one of the coolest movies I've seen in a long time. This is the third Kitamura film I have viewed, and out of the three (the others were Heat After Dark and Versus), I can honestly say I believe this to be his best.

Don't get me wrong, I love Versus. It's a great film, but this one trumps it on nearly every level. From the first 10 minutes I was hooked, and it never let up.

This film boasts some of the best action sequences in recent memory, especially if you love samurai films. The movement of characters is unreal, some of the smoothest wirework I've ever seen. It feels very much like a living anime.

Anyway, seek this film out and buy it! Don't rent it, just buy it! You will thank me for it.

I'll be quick. The photo is sometimes fantastic and usually great. Cgi is nice, but is too cheap/flawed in some occasions, one example is the birds in the beginning.

I can't decide on an opinion on the fight scenes, either the choreography is quite bad and editing is good at hiding that, or editing wastes choreography.

Story is silly, but it should be, I got no problem with that.

Acting is acceptable for this kind of movie, is think. Sometimes it really stinks, but I blame the director for that.

Directing, the directing is a real disappointment, terrible. Timing is often way off. Characters are undeveloped and some scenes are composed really bad.

Overall good movie but with uneven quality. Best guess is that they just ran out of money.

"Azumi" is about a girl and 9 boys who are raised in the mountains by a master samurai. When they "come of age" their purpose, or mission, is revealed to them: carry out an order by the shogun to assassinate three warlords who would plunge Japan back into war.

I did like this movie, but the big downside for me was that the plot follows the typical ho-hum Action movie format... heroes fight many faceless bad guy minions along the way, occasionally encounter a "key" or really skilled bad guy, and in the end it culminates in the fight with the BIG bad guy. One of the reasons I love Asian cinema is to see things that are a departure from the usual format, so I guess I expected a little more from this movie.

Also, I don't mind graphic violence in films but there was a bit much in this movie (I will describe it as "constant"). I think movie violence is a little like the F-word... sprinkled here and there it can have real meaning and add punctuation or expression... 2 1/2 hours of it constantly, is kind of numbing. For the difference I am talking about, see the American film "Hostel" versus the Japanese "Audition".

As a samurai film it does not really strike a balance between character and plot development, and sword fighting. I am thinking of other films that do this really well like Yamada's "Twilight Samurai" or "The Hidden Blade", the "Zatoichi" film or TV series (not counting the horrid 2003 film!!) or take your pick of Kurasawa's films.

But, taken strictly as an uncomplicated action movie, I think it's entertaining and worth seeing.

Being a teenager in Japan has got to suck. After sending an entire classroom to their deaths in Battle Royale, the kids are in for another going over in Azumi, this time as either ninja masters or sabre fodder civilians, but either way, the majority of them are destined for nothing more than a hastily assembled grave in the countryside with a Samurai sword as a headstone. Hell, the kindergarten gang-bangers in City of God had a higher life expectancy than this...If you can say one thing about the juveniles in Azumi though it's this: they certainly kick a lot more ass than their Hollywood counterparts who do nothing but go to proms, flash award winning smiles and have names like 'Ryan.'

Set in an unspecified moment in Japanese history, the story revolves around a group of youngsters who have been raised in seclusion in the mountains by a wise, battle scarred and really rather cruel old Samurai, instructed by his master to train them to be assassins. When we first join them, Azumi seems like a rather sweet and unassuming film, the characters happily gallivanting round the hills, laughing and joking together against a picturesque and beautifully colourful backdrop. Two hours later though and you'll have witnessed an almighty slaughter-fest with a body count well into double figures, the kids' adventures in the outside world resulting in all sorts of deliriously violent exchanges.

Whether not you'll enjoy Azumi therefore has much to do with how much on screen violence you can tolerate. Swords hack into bodies left, right and centre and it could only get more vicious if they had somehow devised a way to get the DVD to squirt blood out of the speakers, subtle this definitely is not. Bar the incredibly sad introduction though, the majority is so outlandish it more closely resembles a Tom & Jerry cartoon than a serious study of a martial art. At the centre of it all is Azumi herself, a petite and pretty young girl. Loved by the camera and disarmingly sweet and innocent, she's the sort of girl you'd want to take home to your parents, provided you could trust her not to slice their arms off at the slightest social faux pas.

All of which results in a deliriously fun movie provided you're in the right frame of mind. The fights get somewhat repetitive after a while, but provided your brain is switched off it is still an enjoyable if somewhat melodramatic romp through feudal Japan. Even with cerebral cortex non-functioning however, you still have to wonder how a young girl, brought up in isolation with nine boys has managed to avoid falling pregnant several times over by the time she reaches her seventeenth birthday...

Adapted from the manga by Yu Koyama, directed by Ryuhei "Versus" Kitamura, and starring the ultra cute Aya Ueto in the title role, Azumi is a highly enjoyable period/fantasy samurai epic. The story follows a group of assassins whose mission is to eliminate the evil warlords who are pushing the country closer to civil war. It's a simple plot, but it gets the job done. On the whole, some might find the movie to be a bit too formulaic. Some of the plot devices are also a bit crude. But the movie is helped by Ryuhei Kitamura's trademark frenetic action, the above average choreography, the gorgeous landscape, and the gorgeous Aya Ueto. She may be a pop star, but this kunoichi looks confident with a sword, and she knows how to use it. Comparisons can legitimately be made to the recent Hong Kong blockbuster "The Twins Effect" starring the unbelievably popular pop duo TWINS (Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung). Both films are vehicles for their respective pop stars, but The Twins Effect was made with tongue firmly in cheek. Azumi takes itself much more seriously, and, for the most part, it works.

It's nice to see that Kitamura is now getting a modest budget for his film, as this looks noticeably better than the somewhat juvenile "Versus". Still, some of the effects are extremely noticeable and look unfinished, but Kitamura never dwells on them long enough for the viewer to really care. While we're on the subject of comparisons, Azumi does feature some instances of strong violence (including some nice arterial sprays), but not near as graphic as those in Versus. The filmmakers were no doubt trying to appeal to Aya Ueto's fan base by toning the violence down somewhat. On a final note, this movie delivers the goods in a big way. Great performances, great action, great everything. Enjoy it for what it is and have a good time.

There's a whipping sound as the blade slices through air and skin. A stain of blood appears at her enemy's neck, then he staggers and falls, beheaded. In front of him, the face of petite heroine Azumi (Aya Ueto) is lightly spattered with blood as she sheathes her sword. It's just another day at the office…if you're an assassin in 19th century feudal Japan.

Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (Venus), new film Azumi follows the story of orphan Azumi, who has trained to be the ultimate weapon. In the beginning, she and her team blindly obey their master and kill as his lord wishes. But Azumi begins to question this as their targets aren't necessarily evil, whereas her master's orders often countermand morality. It's clear to an audience that the real evildoers are the various assassins themselves, but unfortunately Azumi doesn't appear to understand.

Azumi's soldier-like puzzlement at the complexities of her environment deepen when she and fellow swordsman Hyaga (Kenji Kohashi) meet traveling performer Yae (Oya Okamoto). Yae teaches Azumi about femininity, but can Azumi turn her back on the warrior world?

Adapted from Japan's multiple award-winning manga series of the same name, Azumi's got 'franchise' written all over it. The several battle scenes culminate in a tribute to Akira Kurasawa when Azumi takes on over 200 warriors in the finale. CGI scripting dominates the film, but it's not always seamless – it occasionally reminded me of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider console game. I would have liked to see a heroine who had a little more substance beyond her sword fighting skills, but Azumi's definitely worth a look for action fans. ***/***** stars.

A story about feudalism in Japan is something that I find interesting. The era, when the shogun reigned, when feudal wars sparked here and there, was full of chaos and bloodshed. "Chaos" and "bloodshed" are common catchphrases, but what draws me to these stories is that this era in Japan is something mysterious for me. Perhaps, it is the effect of the country being not too open during that period, and the main question is: What happened in Japan's deep countryside when the shoguns reigned? Although the Western world has their own share of wars, the wars in Japan were arguably more bloody and violent. When depicted in film, it becomes a piece of entertainment in many dimensions. As we all know, what usually makes these films good is a profound story about trust and betrayal, coupled with the showcase of sword-fighting skills and war strategies. The inner conflict and the clash of philosophies are more interesting than the physical depiction of the war itself.

The premise of "Azumi" is rather compelling because it is about young assassins. They were children used by the Tokugawa shogunate - deployed as assassins in their teenage years - to assassinate feudal lords who were capable of initiating another large-scale conflict. I was curious on their character development and the possible inner conflict that may arise when they face the world. The film did tackle these things, but the result was rather disappointing. Although there were some profound scenes, it did not delve into these things deeper, and generally, the portrayal was rather uneven and touched only the surface. It went more to the typical action movie side, and went further even beyond believability in the combat skills and endurance of its characters. As the film progresses, I'm becoming convinced that I am just watching an action fantasy flick despite its compelling historical references. If you are looking for an action movie and you don't really care about the story that much, then you may find this film thrilling; although you might be disappointed if you are looking for realistic fight scenes. In fact, it's the thrill and mystery together with some intriguing characters that enabled me to finish watching this film.

My general impression about this movie was that it was too short, despite being about 140 minutes in length. I continued to think at least an hour after i've seen it.

The plot was good. Although the major point of this movie are the fight scenes, which were spectacular, they aren't leading the movie but are being led by the story. Again, the movie reveals to us the sternness of the Japanese character, one that never looks back and ready to achieve he's goal whatever the cost is. It also shows how small is the "life value" in their world.

The acting is good, the dialogs are all in place ( no scenes where the characters are saying things that are pretty obvious for themselves, and make them look stupid) and most of the characters are great. The Heroine Azumi is great. Beautiful, powerful but also shows her feminine side. She's determined in her mission to kill the warlords and has no second opinion about it. I also like the the teacher's character which i think represents the cold, brute mind ( heart ) of that time when life wasn't worth much. My favorite character is Kanbe'e. Shrewd, skillful samurai, that doesn't afraid to give his life or the life of his soldiers to protect his warlord. A very realistic character.

The character I didn't like is Bijomaru, Assassin with a flower. I think he's the only major flaw in this movie. He seems to be "too insane" and skillful at the same time and doesn't fit. More like a villain in the Chinese Kong Fu movies.

Fight scenes are great, no much to add. The visual effects and the wire work is great also. The score is unbelievable. It fits the movie perfectly and keeps you alert.

There is some resemblance to the Chinese "Hero" with jet Li. The main idea of both of the films is the same: A bunch of assassins tries to kill warlord(s). Although the visual effects in Hero are much better and the fights are impressive also, I still got lost in the movie's dialogs trying to understand the meaning of what was said and sometimes looked for the watch. The Chinese movies ( especially Hero ) concentrates largely on their philosophy, which makes them look a bit awkward, and less on the plot, which seems to stand still. Azumi "compensates" the philosophy time with ongoing plot and a lot of action, also providing us with some feelings for the characters.

If I had to choose between the two, I definitely would choose the Japanese movie.

Overall i enjoyed it much and would recommend it to anyone that likes action and does care for the plot.

If you have seen Versus or Alive, you'll know what you're getting into by watching this movie. A 2 hour, non-stop bloodbath. It's what Tarantino wanted (and got!). However, it doesn't mean this is a perfect movie. Little noticeable glitches that hold it back from being rememberable.

I was amused by the story. Nothing too simple, nothing too terribly difficult. Pretty straight forward plot. (Read the synopsis on the main page). It was enough to keep me entertained and, in these kind of movies, if the plot doesn't hold up, the action will keep you in you're seats.

This movie was full of hordes of baddies, charging at Azumi and her counterparts, while she kills as many as one can count. It is said that Hard Boiled carries the award for most on-screen deaths. Nope. That award goes to this title. Many people die, so if you're planning to show this to your significant other, think for a minute. It is a very graphic movie, if so more than Kill Bill. Very much like the classic samurai movies you remember. Blood spray, dismemberments, and plenty of slices. The battles were choreographed quite well considering the size of them. But, was the lead actress up for them?

The actress who plays Azumi, Aya Ueto, who is also very beautiful, seemed kinda out of place. I do not, however, know anything about her past history. I can guess that she is new to this genre... The costume on her seemed out of place (bright purple?) but I understand what Kitamura was getting at. Don't expect Mifune. Not a good comparasion, I know, but just don't expect it :). Others do quite well, and fit with the tone of the movie, especially Bijomaru (the white robed one). He made this movie even more for me.

Azumi, based, apparently, on a manga is just what you expect from an adaption. Expect cooky characters, like the dog impersonator, and Bijomaru. Also expect that over-the-top violence. A very manga-esque movie. Kitamura, so far from the two movies I've seen (Versus), he doesn't fail to entertain. He does his job and I'm very grateful.

If you can get you're hands on this movie, see it by all means. It's hard for Americans to see this unless you want a bad bootleg or shell out $60 to import. If anyone can find this cheaper than that, please, IM it to me. See this movie if you have the chance, it fulfills it's job.

B-

OK, so I was settling down for 2 hours of fun nonsense, I love a good samurai flick... but i had to resist the urge to dump this movie after an hour, but i stuck with it hoping maybe for a great finale.... but it never came.

This could have been a great movie - they had the budget, some great supporting actors, a fun idea. But the whole thing lacked conviction. The fight sequences were well set up, but fell between the two stools of the hard realism of 'Zatoichi' or 'Twilight Samuri', or balletic grace of a Zhang Yimou action flick. The main problem is the actors - has there ever been a more wimpy bunch of action hero's? Aya Ueto is completely unconvincing, Michelle Yeoh would use this girl as a toothpick. The script seems to have been written by a bored 15 year old on a wet afternoon. Is it too much to expect a bit of wit and some good dialogue, even from a cartoon action movie? The vague attempts to give the characters depth were embarrassingly bad. The cinematography was straight out of a cheap afternoon TV movie.

The only really good thing about this movie is the baddies - a good range of character actors doing fun turns - but when i find myself wishing that the bad guys would cut up the good guys I know the movies onto a loser.

I really wish i could say something nicer about this movie, but I really feel it was 2 hours lost from my life.

Ryuhei Kitamura has developed quite a large cult following due to his massively entertaining genre-busting zombie/yakuza/martial arts hybrid film "Versus". Now he has given us "Azumi", a samurai film with a rock music soundtrack and young, attractive leads.

The film follows a clan of ten young assassins trained since childhood to carry out a special mission. Azumi, the lone female in the group is considered the most skilled of them all. Their master is an ex-samurai warrior who acts as a father figure to the teens. The assassins await the day of their mission with growing anticipation, until the day it finally presents itself. Their mission is to kill a shogun who is threatening to overthrow the ruling class of Japan. Quick to overestimate their own abilities, the assassins find their numbers dwindling as they battle the shogun's warriors including the sometimes-honorable, sometimes-manic ninja Saru and a mysterious feminine Samurai clad in white who's so good he has "never had to defend an attack". As things start going downhill for the assassins, Azumi begins to doubt herself and begins to long for the life of a normal Japanese woman.

This film is all about sword-fights and Kitamura delivers more than he probably should. People take on hundreds of swordsmen single-handedly and buckets of bright red gore are splashed about with every sword slash. While these fights are entertaining at first, they grow tedious as the hundredth person is killed. Not only that, but our heroes do not show any sort of skill that gives us reason to believe that they are capable of killing dozens of men effortlessly. Also, Kitamura has trouble finding the right lengths for his films. "Versus", "Alive" and "Azumi" are too long, while "Heat After Dark" is much too short. I really think if 10 minutes of slow-motion sword fights were cut this movie would flow much better.

Now, "Azumi" is not a bad movie, by any means. It's very entertaining, just a tad tedious. The characters are very unique and developed quite nicely, and Kitamura has a knack for giving us exciting camera angles. Although it does not live up to "Versus" (I didn't expect it to, and never compared the two until now) "Azumi" is still an entertaining film, and any fans of "Versus" should find "Azumi" a very good time. 7/10

The plot is so full of holes, that the entire army of the Lord whatever-his-name-was that got killed by Azumi would fall through. The cast is OK, although I would not call their acting brilliant. The only good roles were Monkey Face and Bijoumaru. The direction is average, with lots of action scenes spoiled by inexperienced cast in the background obviously pretending to fight or hit things. The girl is cute.

This doesn't make it a complete failure, mind you, yet it shows the inexperience of the movie crew. Maybe part II of Azumi will be better, as I intend to watch it tonight.

The main problem of the film is that it's about assassins. Yet they behave like soldiers. They care about each other and "the cause", they kill entire armies to get to their mark, they listen blindly to their leader. Also, the military strategy they employ is idiotic.

I do think that when one designs a movie it is easier to think about scenes than actually create them, so why didn't they think this through? I've enjoyed films with low budget and good thinking, but I will never back movies that have a relatively high budget and a bad story.

Alright, time for another Japanese movie and this time I encountered this adventurous movie directed by Ryuhei Kitamura. If you like some good classic ninja fighting but perhaps a bit limited on the effects side compared to Jet Li style for example. OK, there are the superhuman moves of course but what would a ninja movie be without such? :-) Aya Ueto is lovely when she's playing the role of Azumi, the main actress. I really liked this movie, I did, but at times there were perhaps a bit too much Hollywood-style, a style which I'm not that fond of when it is about effects. The slow motion graphics and sound effects gave me Hollywood creeps, but please people do not fear - it is not that bad and I'd still recommend anyone to see this (I gave 'Azumi' a 7/10!). Decent acting, neat characters and a kind of tight story - Azumi caught in a nutshell. :-)

Entering a movie without any expectations, I find, is the best way to watch a film. Knowing nothing about the movie allows for no preconceived ideas before you've sat down with your bucket of popcorn. However, this never happens as there are always previews and advertising to give you an idea of what the movie is about. And expectations are always what makes it difficult for sequels to outdo the first flick.

Having read a number of reviews regarding "Azumi", I was met with a mix of opinions. Some saying it rivals the action of "Kill Bill" while others saying it was a complete waste of time. As a result, when I went to see "Azumi" I had quite a number of varying expectations running through my mind before I got comfy in my seat. The end result being I saw both the good qualities and flaws in the film.

By the end I had come to the conclusion that how well you receive "Azumi" is based centrally on how you look at it.

If you go in expecting some serious "Seven Samurai"-like fare and being told this movie rivals the great Kurosawa films then you'll be sorely disappointed. Looking at "Azumi" in this light will make every scene look ridiculous – the acting, the script, the plot, the cinematography, the effects, the costumes, the camera work, the direction – all of it will have Kurosawa fans walking out within the first 15 minutes.

By contrast if you go in expecting a movie based on a manga comic book (and this is key to understanding why the film is the way it is) then you'll receive an enjoyable ride of samurai mayhem based on comic book storytelling. And there lies the crux to the film. Having not read the manga comic but being a huge fan of the manga industry (and having quite a collection myself), I have to say that the movie is very much a manga comic brought to life. In that respect, the movie receives top marks. The characters are all way over the top, none of them (especially the central players who are meant to be "terminator"-like assassins) are remotely realistic. But in terms of manga it's spot on and that's what the fans like.

This is where the core of the debate lies. Translating a manga comic into a real life movie accurately will result in a movie like "Azumi". It is flawed in so many ways but that's not the point. The point is just to have insane, over the top, Japanese manga style fun and in that respect it does very well indeed. So put your brain in neutral and enjoy the ride. 6/10

Azumi was originally born in the Japanese manga, during 1994, to the writer Yu Koyama, who then, at the young age nine, was adopted and shown to the world by the Japanese movie director Ryuhei Kitamura, with the production guidance of Mataichiro Yamamoto. This, being Azumi first outing since her birth in the manga, she has developed very well into the celluloid genre, a stepping-stone to greater possibilities. Perhaps one does not have to be familiar with her original upbringing to appreciate her talent as a skilled assassin. No matter which genre we see her first, she will no doubt win us over with her beauty, intelligence, vigour and maturity.

Azumi is a movie set in early Japanese society were the Samurai, the Ninja, the Warlords, Honour and the way of the Sword still presides, a time of death, destruction, and the Wars between the three feuding Warlords of Japan have turned this great Country into a battlefield of hate, misery, and mistrust.

Azumi is a highly detailed period action movie, with a meticulous setting to both costumes and set design, production and art designer Yuji Hayashida studied Cowboy movies to get the right feel for his masterpiece at the climax of Azumi, this is definitely not a thrown together hastily movie, time, thought and effort have gone into the making of Azumi. Ryuhei Kitamura can take credit for his fine role in nurturing and developing the acting skills of Ms. Aya Ueto, playing the lead role here, into a wonderful and charismatic Azumi, with her supporting actors adding drive and emotion to a movie of such brutal ferocity. This magnificent choreographed action movie with its many fight scenes and battles are very well placed and put together, driven along with a finely tuned musical score, both classical and modern, that sets both pace and emotion.

The Awards of the Japanese Academy, in 2004, have given awards to both Aya Ueto and Jô Odagiri for Newcomer of the Year, along with Ms. Ueto Popularity Award for Most Popular Performer and a nomination for Best Actress too. The Philadelphia Film Festival rewarded Azumi the Best Danger After Dark Film to Ryuhei Kitamura during 2004.

If viewing Azumi on the manga perspective, then this movie should be judged in its own capacity, there really is no question of the high calibre of detail and dedication that has gone into Azumi, with its extremely imaginative camera work, costumes and overall detail, Azumi should, no doubt, conquer us all.

This movie lacks it all: a coherent storyline, believable acting, plausible special effects, originality, any sense of the human condition, etc. Essentially, the plot is an excuse to drop a bunch of pop-idol-y naifs from one manufactured "peril" to another.

Exploitive and gratuitous plot devices (the "heroes" having to slaughter their own friends to prove their dedication to the "mission"; attempted rapes whenever the plot slows down; crazed sadistic killers with no apparent explanation for their behavior other than raw villiany) should shock, but they ultimately provoke more boredom than outrage.

I would lighten up and focus on the "action" and "special effects", but the movie can't even satisfy on this level. The cheesy "digital blood" effects are completely unconvincing, as are the fighting scenes themselves. (Look, I can _almost_ accept Tatsuya Nakadai or Toshiro Mifune slicing their way through 50 opponents in 5 minutes, but some tiny little pop-singer with "Power Rangers"-style posing?) It's a shame that so much money was blown on _bad_ digital effects. I think the audience would be much more forgiving had they simply tried the tried and true analog effects. They certainly couldn't have looked any worse.

Don't get me wrong -- I wasn't expecting a Kurosawa epic here. But whatever happened to the quality "chambara" films of the 1960s? I'd recommend seeing anything directed by Hideo Gosha or Kihachi Okamoto, or hell, just something from the Zatoichi series -- before recommending this one. Even the "Lone Wolf" series is more entertaining, from a sheer popcorn-munching entertainment perspective.

Saving graces: Very pretty cinematography and exterior sets. The art direction deserves kudos, but everyone else deserves a slap.

If you want to see a recent chambara film that displays an iota of intelligence, characterization, intelligent camera work, as well as amazing swordfighting, I recommend "Gohatto" (a/k/a "Taboo").

I'm a fan of Kitamura for his quirky style and his knowledge of low budget effects. This movie, however has lost that charm I found in his previous works "Heat After Dark," "Versus," and "Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes Real Time Demos." His directing style was more hinted at than really shown. I blame film beauracracy and its nature for this.

It is obvious that this movie had a relatively high budget and it shows, with the high quality 35mm prints and CG effects. I would like to commend the cinematography, I could really see Kitamura when it came to the camera. The barrel rig(camera rotating around characters in freespace vertically) is definitely something Kitamura would innovate(not sure if its been done before). It just goes to show what Kitamura can do with 35mm film and a good cinematographer. Acting was hammy for some of the characters, particularly Azumi, but it wasn't horrible enough to ruin the movie. Can't really comment on the story other than it was more cohesive than Versus, seeing that I saw the movie without subtitles(yes, I can say this because I could understand the general story without knowing what the hell they were saying most of the time).

What is missing from this piece is that it wasn't nearly as original or experimental as "Heat After Dark" or "Versus." To say this is Kitamura's best work, would be judging this movie solely on its polished look, rather than its substance and style. I'd have to say, of all the Kitamura works I've seen, "Heat After Dark" is the best. It was original, stylistic, and had really good character development. It just gets better every time I watch it.

On a final note, I'd have to say this movie makes a pretty cool action movie. Sure, you can see flaws in the cinematography and camera work in some of the battles and the CG might not really be on par with Hollywood(not saying much for a Japanese flick). However, it's a fun romp and a good waste of 2 hours. If you like movies like "Constantine" and the "Matrix," chances are you're going to like this movie(unless you really think there is any depth in the "Matrix," and if you do, I recommend some serious help), If you're more of a fan of "A Better Tomorrow I and II," "The Killer," and "Equilibrium," look else where. There are action movies out there with a lot more substance(albeit lower budget). This movie is not one where you will see the director given much freedom.

Another comment on this movie stated that its over-the-top, cartoonish feel is understandable because it's based on a manga. While I understand what the writer means, I note that he/she hasn't read this particular manga, and therefore doesn't realize how badly Koyama Yu is let down by this awful, awful movie. Let me say: I'm not a purist who believes that if a movie deviates from its source book, it is bad QED. But when a movie loses the soul of its source book, especially if it does it as badly as this one does, then it is, incontrovertibly, bad, bad, bad.

"Azumi" the manga is the best comic, and one of the best pieces of written work period, that it's ever been my pleasure to read. The characters, and the storyline, stand out for their depth, complexity and believability. It's hard to explain, but "Azumi" manages to seem real to me in a way that nothing has since I was a kid - I mean that you forget, while reading it, that Koyama has devised it. It feels as if, instead, he's channeling people and events who really exist. It is by far the best historical fiction I've ever read - Koyama is able to portray historical characters on their own terms, without distorting them by seeing them through modern eyes. They seem distant, alien and violent to the modern reader, but Koyama's insight into their psychology enables us to reach them. When I first read the comic I was stunned - I still am - at just how good it is.

Now, this movie. Every stupid cliché imaginable - it'd be bad enough in any action film, let alone in one based on such a great story. Every character reduced to a stupid, boring nothing - how did Kitamura, who said he was blown away by the manga, think he was doing justice to those characters? Idiotic violence for the sake of violence - Koyama doesn't need violence to sell his story; he uses it rarely and only when it's needed for the story. When he does use it, it's real and shocking - far more shocking, and extreme, than anything that was in the movie. The comic introduces its characters into the course of real historical events - the contest between the Tokugawa and the Toyotomi - and reading it will teach you a lot about Japanese history. You won't learn anything about history from the confused, uncaring mess that is the movie. I went in with reasonable expectations - obviously it wouldn't be as good as the manga. But I was literally (literally!) in shock at how far it missed the mark.

It seems to be quite popular outside Japan. How popular it is in Japan, I'm not sure. It must have done quite well, seeing that there's a sequel. But when I saw it in Japan the people around me were muttering in painful disbelief, waiting for it to end. We all filed out, silent and unsmiling. I'm happy for people who enjoyed this as a popcorn action picture, but don't forget - that's not the real Azumi.