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Cult director Ryuhei Kitamura directs this computer-graphic enhanced big-screen adaptation of Yu Koyama's samurai manga. Aya Ueto stars as Azumi, a beautiful young femme fatale who, along with nine other orphans, has been trained as an assassin by martial arts master Gessai (Yoshio Harada). To test the fearlessness of his trainees, Gessai orders them to pair off and fight until death - a mission that provokes Azumi to start questioning her role. But, caught in Gessai's lethal trap, and under orders to kill the evil warlords that are tearing the country apart, she must forge ahead despite the immorality and bloodshed.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
The film is a little strange at the start and a little off putting when you see all the 'kid' warriors, however it picks up pace and i found it to be rather entertaining.
I read the reviews after watching the film, as i find the other way round spoils it. I found the 1 star reviews harsh and a little bit ill concieved. Why are you comparing this to crouching tiger, just because of the female lead??? It is an entirely different film, and is based on a mangaesque comic, which admittedly has been adapted quite a bit. I found there is no great need for charcter development in these sort of films, just feels a little uneccessary when the main theme is slaughter.
You moan about the lead role being weak considering her training but in flying daggers they are running through the trees for goodness sake, realism on one level but not on another =S
To be honest i wrote this review because i read the bad reviews and thought they were rather unfair and written by morons who obviousley completely miss the point of the film, which is to enjoy it, rather than picking up on blood stains absent from a sword after a reverse facial slash.
Just watch it, see what you think. not everyones cup of tea, but for crying out loud why compare every asian sword fighting film to house of flying daggers, have you that limited vision ??????????????
I read the reviews after watching the film, as i find the other way round spoils it. I found the 1 star reviews harsh and a little bit ill concieved. Why are you comparing this to crouching tiger, just because of the female lead??? It is an entirely different film, and is based on a mangaesque comic, which admittedly has been adapted quite a bit. I found there is no great need for charcter development in these sort of films, just feels a little uneccessary when the main theme is slaughter.
You moan about the lead role being weak considering her training but in flying daggers they are running through the trees for goodness sake, realism on one level but not on another =S
To be honest i wrote this review because i read the bad reviews and thought they were rather unfair and written by morons who obviousley completely miss the point of the film, which is to enjoy it, rather than picking up on blood stains absent from a sword after a reverse facial slash.
Just watch it, see what you think. not everyones cup of tea, but for crying out loud why compare every asian sword fighting film to house of flying daggers, have you that limited vision ??????????????
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I saw this film and bought it on a gamble... Boy did it pay off!!
Apparently Azumi is a comic book character and really big in Japan - judging by the film I can see why.
The lead lady is simply gorgeous - the fight scenes are excellent (especially the final scene which is both epic and awesome) - and the costumes and cinematography are stunning.
Special attention should be paid to the extras on the DVD too - here you'll find out just what an amazing job the lead actress did on this film. She had no martial art or sword fighting experience, learnt all her fight sequences on location just before each take, and she really does amazingly well in the fight scenes considering - in one take she even receives a nasty gash to the head from a blade she didn't manage to duck in time.
It's a really, really good film all round - sadly, I bought the sequel the following week and found it very disappointing; but then it did have a lot to live up to. However that said, you'll love this film so much I bet you still buy the second one too Azumi 2 - Death Or Love [DVD] [2005]... in fact you can buy them in a double box set, so check it out Azumi/Azumi 2 - Death Or Love [DVD]. Price wise it might be worth getting that instead if it's only a quid or 2 more.
I actually consider this film a must see.
If my review was any help please give it the thumbs up! :)
Apparently Azumi is a comic book character and really big in Japan - judging by the film I can see why.
The lead lady is simply gorgeous - the fight scenes are excellent (especially the final scene which is both epic and awesome) - and the costumes and cinematography are stunning.
Special attention should be paid to the extras on the DVD too - here you'll find out just what an amazing job the lead actress did on this film. She had no martial art or sword fighting experience, learnt all her fight sequences on location just before each take, and she really does amazingly well in the fight scenes considering - in one take she even receives a nasty gash to the head from a blade she didn't manage to duck in time.
It's a really, really good film all round - sadly, I bought the sequel the following week and found it very disappointing; but then it did have a lot to live up to. However that said, you'll love this film so much I bet you still buy the second one too Azumi 2 - Death Or Love [DVD] [2005]... in fact you can buy them in a double box set, so check it out Azumi/Azumi 2 - Death Or Love [DVD]. Price wise it might be worth getting that instead if it's only a quid or 2 more.
I actually consider this film a must see.
If my review was any help please give it the thumbs up! :)
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Inspector Gadget
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
I pretty much enjoyed everything there was to Azumi. For a 2-hour plus film, I never once really felt the running time. It just seemed to pass in a breeze. The only films that feel this way for me are films that have one great scene after another and Azumi delivers exactly that.
Character development, while not slight, takes a backseat to the action and atmosphere. Azumi is an orphan raised by a Samurai master to be an assassin of evildoers. Set in feudal Japan, there are many warlords for Azumi and her fellow assassins to eliminate so they can bring peace to the land. You might think that you've seen enough Sword-fighting movies in the past few years but Azumi really does out-do Kill Bill, House of Flying Daggers and The Last Samurai. Those movies lacked the atmosphere.
Despite a few moments of overblown sound-effects, Azumi is filled with mainly silent sound design with no more than quietly blowing trees or howling wind in the background. The remote wilderness settings and wonderfully balanced photography certainly go well with this irregular sound design. So many movies are all about noise and chaos, it's refreshing to come across one that goes against the grain.
I totally recommend Azumi and I am looking forward to seeing the sequel. I do wish I saw the 143-minute Director's cut however. Don't let subtitles put you off, you're ignoring a whole other world of good movies if you do.
The DVD is in fine-looking 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and a decent amount of extras.
Character development, while not slight, takes a backseat to the action and atmosphere. Azumi is an orphan raised by a Samurai master to be an assassin of evildoers. Set in feudal Japan, there are many warlords for Azumi and her fellow assassins to eliminate so they can bring peace to the land. You might think that you've seen enough Sword-fighting movies in the past few years but Azumi really does out-do Kill Bill, House of Flying Daggers and The Last Samurai. Those movies lacked the atmosphere.
Despite a few moments of overblown sound-effects, Azumi is filled with mainly silent sound design with no more than quietly blowing trees or howling wind in the background. The remote wilderness settings and wonderfully balanced photography certainly go well with this irregular sound design. So many movies are all about noise and chaos, it's refreshing to come across one that goes against the grain.
I totally recommend Azumi and I am looking forward to seeing the sequel. I do wish I saw the 143-minute Director's cut however. Don't let subtitles put you off, you're ignoring a whole other world of good movies if you do.
The DVD is in fine-looking 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen with Dolby 5.1 sound and a decent amount of extras.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
What the .....
I was expecting a 'Shogun Assasin' type revenge movie. But what you get is a kids film mixed with a bit of blood
The Turtles are much more realistic than this film.... Read more
The Turtles are much more realistic than this film.... Read more
Published 27 days ago by Mr Jason Steen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Azumi
Konnichiwa
If you follow Japanese history and in particular the Sanada family in medieval Japan
you will enjoy this, If you follow manga - I guess you will probably like... Read more
If you follow Japanese history and in particular the Sanada family in medieval Japan
you will enjoy this, If you follow manga - I guess you will probably like... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Adam
1.0 out of 5 stars
Generic, cliched hack & slash
This is an overlong, mediocre 'action' film whose central protagonist is hopelessly miscast: I'd be surprised if she could even hold a katana for 5 minutes let alone wield one in... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Pleiades
5.0 out of 5 stars
"..BRILLIANT.."
If you're big on Asian films with plenty of action and violence and bloody swordplay and over the top stunts and at the same time an awesome story, then you will certainly like... Read more
Published 13 months ago by S. Drury
5.0 out of 5 stars
great japanese cinema
if you have not seen this film its a must,really well photographed.good story,could have been made into an epic with more detail,excellent value a true must watch film
Published on 11 Feb 2011 by C. R. Morley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
The characters, the story,the action the whole lot was brilliant throughout. Makes modern films look hopeless by comparison. A sequal too . What more can you want.
Published on 30 Dec 2010 by A. Murphy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Female Samurai Assassins are not to be mess with
Azumi is a nice action flick with a B-movie feel to it. Yeah, it gets boring in some parts, but it delivers kick a.. Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2008 by Jenny J.J.I.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Heart of steel
Most action movies are all about the testosterone, and most action women are basically sexy parodies of their male counterparts.
Not so in "Azumi. Read more
Not so in "Azumi. Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2008 by E. A Solinas
3.0 out of 5 stars
eye candy
This film is fun to watch, but not good. The plot is that a hadful of orphans are raised to be incredible fighters to wipe out the warlords in japan. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2008 by D. J. Downes
1.0 out of 5 stars
childish nonsense
'Azumi' is the type of film I would have enjoyed when I was in my early teens, when I used to love watching TV shows like 'The Water Margin' and all those tacky Hong Kong Fung Fu... Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2008 by Michael Knight
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