Review of Azumi (2003) by Klay F — 06 Jan 2009

OK there are a lot of people that seem to hate this film, for some reason or another. I can't help but love it, and heres why. The fighting sequences stay fresh and are never boring. The entire movie is done in a manga-esque style, which holds a very special place in my heart.

Thats a good thing since the film is actually an adaptation of the original manga. I guess the most obvious example of this is the character of Bijomaru. I've seen that type of character in just about every manga I've ever read, and its always good when certain styles successfully make the transition to the big screen.

The film was actually rated NC-17 by the MPAA, but it doesn't deserve the rating. The violence isn't even actually shown, most of the time. In fact Starship Troopers was WAY more violent and it only got an R rating.

There is some subtle humor here that made me chuckle more than a few times, but you have to be sharp to catch it. It also helps to be used to the Japanese sense of humor. Even with some plot holes, it is a good movie.

I would recommend it to any fan of the Japanese shogun/chanbara genre, or if you are just getting into Japanese film, this is a great one to start with. Even if you don't like the rest of the film, stay until the final battle, it was one of the most epic and hilarious battles I have seen in a long time.