Azumi (2003)

Azumi

For my first review I would like to talk about the film that got me interested in not only Asian live-action cinema, but also non-english speaking cinema as a whole, the 2003 Japanese movie Azumi.

Azumi is based on a manga from the 1990's, and is a Jidai Geki, or Chanbara film, what might be called a samurai drama in western circles. I have never actually read the manga, but that is fine, as I want to talk about whether the film can stand on its own, without having to lean on the source material.

Whilst the story may not be too complex, it does throw some twists at the audience; it gives us conspiracies, betrayals, and raises the question of who can trust who. It also alludes to the question of the price paid for peace, and the costs we incur during war. However, the story is straight-forward and easy to follow.

The story of the film is about the titular Azumi, a young woman who, along with several other children, was raised in relative seclusion to be an assassin. Their mission is to assassinate several warlords who may threaten the peace in early Edo period Japan. What follows is a tale of violence as the assassins set out into the world outside of their mountain for the first time.

Azumi herself is an engaging character, being a trained killer from a young age, but also somewhat innocent and naïve, due to having been raised in relative seclusion. She is presented as being the most skilled of the protagonist characters by far, although there is at least one character in the overall cast who is her equal. Azumi's main vulnerability however, comes not from her skill in battle, but from her own uncertain. Part of her character arc involves coming to terms with her own sense of morality, and finding her place in the larger world. This is no regular coming-of-age story however, as her finding her place does involve quite a bit of violence.

Ueto sells her role of Azumi well, giving her a charm that makes her easy to engage with, and to sympathise with. She manage to add some nuance to the character, and displays the characters more vulnerable moments, as well as her moments of confidence. Given that she also did many of her own stunts, she succeeds in portraying Azumi as a skilled and dangerous warrior.

The rest of the characters are distinct and varied, manage to have different personalities without becoming one note. Whilst this is a a period piece, and as such you can expect some melodrama, the actors also manage to sell their characters' more understated moments, creating a fair amount of sympathy for them and their plight.

The fight scenes are fast-paced, with pretty good choreography. The fights a simple, but possess a brutality in their simplicity. Most fights are over quickly, ended in two or three blows, when the end comes it is sudden and sharp. This creates a sense of danger, tension, and almost realism, where the final, killing blow could come at any moment. The fights are frantic and energetic, without feeling rushed. You can also tell who is who, what they are doing, and how the fight is going overall.

The choreography also lends itself to demonstrating the personality of the characters. For example, Azumi fights with a controlled, flowing style that demonstrates her stoicism and confidence; on the other hand the main villain fights with an aggressive, chaotic style, that shows-off his blood thirsty nature.

Of course, being based on a comic book, some of the combat is a little over-the-top; but in my opinion, it never takes away from the action too much. There is a certain emphasis on style, and almost superhuman ability, but nothing that really breaks suspension of disbelief.

There is also a certain grimness to this film. There is no doubt that this is a dangerous world that the character inhabit, where the god die young, and the strong prey upon the weak; there is quite a bit of blood, and people can and do die in horrible ways. An early example of this grimness come in the very first scene, where we see a young Azumi standing over the body of a dead woman, presumably her mother. From the very beginning we know that this story is not going to be an overly-happy one.

However, that is not to say that the story is without its moments of levity. There are moments when the characters make jokes, goof-about, or otherwise don't take things to seriously. Some people may find this jarring, and it may take them out of the moments, especially on the odd occasion it occurs mid-fight, For me, this actually helped the film as it contrast with the moments of danger, giving more of an impact.

My only real problem is with the use of special effects. It is not the standard of the effects on offer, given that this was an early-2000s production, and was not a high-budget Hollywood affair, I would not expect them to hold-up. Rather, my problem is with how they are used.

In several fights effects such as CGI or bullet time are added to the fights, presumably to emphasis the speed or power of the people fighting. However, for me personal, this broke the flow of the fight, and removed me from the moment. For me personally, the action is much better when it relies on pure choreography or practical effects, such as wire-work.

Overall, I like this film. Yes the characters can be over the top, but that is part of what makes them entertaining and engaging. The acting is at worst competent, and at best very good. The action is fast and fluid, and the ending to the final battle is one of my favourites in cinema, simply due to how sharp and sudden it is. The contrast between the comedy and the more serious aspects of the film never become too jarring, and add some levity to what would otherwise be a very heavy script.