Review of Azumi

A Masterpiece from Japan!
This movie is available in several languages, including English...

First of all, the cinematography is GREAT in this film! They found geography to make it seem you are back in the days when the movie took place and their wardrobe dept effectively captured the era's common people's attire.

Azumi is an orphan who is found by the master training assassins, who goal is to kill the main warlords who continue killing, raping and plundering the innocent people of the time period. Azumi joins the tough training regime and excels in it.

The only reason I only gave it a 9.5 was when he 'reduced' his assassin team in half and also, their reaction to what was happening in the first village they came upon. Neither were necessary.

The team 's goal is to complete the mission no matter what, and to kill or be killed in its completion.

Tragedy takes two of its members, but the rest continue their mission. Later, two more members and the Master die, leaving Azumi and Nagara (Ishigaki Yuma).

It is pure action from end to end, with tidbits of emotional touches in between.

The choreographer for this movie's swordplay must have worked overtime and deserves his own award for his or her work, as well as the cast, who must have spent hundreds of hours perfecting the fight scenes! A special note of appreciation to the psychotic white-clad assassin, who was released from jail to deal with the assassin squad team formed which was trained to kill the warlords.

I have never seen a movie with Ueto Aya in it before, who played Azumi, but I will definitely look for more of her movies; likewise all of the support staff effectively played their parts and backed Ueto Aya's performance here.

RE-WATCH - you bet!

[Link removed - login to see]