Azumi (spoilers)

[GreenCloudCLF]

I picked up the Japanese movie Azumi while in DC for Wong's tournament. Wanted to give you all a quick review, for those who haven't seen it.

Directed by:Ryuhei Kitamura

Starring: Aya Ueto

This movie is based on the Japanese Manga comic. It is the story of a girl who is trained as ana$$assin with her 9 training brothers. In the opening the training brother are all paired off with those they are the closest to and forced to kill their partner. The remaining 5a$$assins go with their master to attempt to bring peace to Japan bya$$assinating Lords of 3 clans. There are ninjas (one that has a monkey-face), a sadistic eunich (at least that's what we'd call him in a Chinese movie).

There is all the blood spraying effects you need in a nice samurai movie.

The final fight scene where Azumi fights an entire village is badd-@$$. The action scenes throughout the films are well-coreographed and well-filmed. In part of the final fight (between Azumi and the Eunich) the camera circles several times, head-to-toe instead of front -to-back. It is cool the first 3 times, but the it gets a bit dizzying.

I highly recommend this flick to those who haven't seen it.

**** out of *****

[Shaolinlueb]

2nd one is out and its pretty good. azumi has been out for a while. its good.

[GreenCloudCLF]

I know this movie is like 2 years old already, but I only recently watched it. The only reaso n I picked it up was because the director of Versus directed Azumi also. I enjoyed Versus, but Azumi is much better.

I will now BOLO for the second one as well.

[DouglasFir]

I got a box set quite cheap of both Azumi movies and loved them! The first movie is probably the better one as it was directed by Ryuhei Kitamura (of Versus fame) but the second movie also stars Chiaki Kuriyama and I have a real thing for her (the girl who plays Azumi is cute... but Chiaki is something else)!

[GeneChing]

We discussed Azumi on the Sword Hotties thread.

[Shaolinlueb]

speaking of versus they are making a versus 2

[unkokusai]

Starring: Aya Ueto

Say no more!!!!

[Mr Punch]

Azumi is one of my favourite movies. Certainly in top 100, and for pure entertainment probably a bit higher.

Azumi 2 probably makes it onto my Most Hated top 100.

[GeneChing]

Azumi is having a limited US theatrical premiere today. It's being released by Asian Visions and it's only playing in two places here in the S.F. Bay Area that I know of, the Lumiere and Shattuck Cinemas. Boxofficemojo.com only lists it for one theater (??) so maybe that's it.

[GeneChing]

Ryuhei Kitamura's AZUMI: The E.R.A. Comes to Japan by Dr. Craig Reid