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| PRINCESS BLADE. Starring - Hideaki Ito - Yumiko Shaku - Shiro Sano - Kyusaku Shimada. Director - Shinsuke Sato. 2002. In an unknown country closed off from the outside world for 500 years, the ruling dictatorship is beginning to feel the pinch of rebels unhappy at the way the country has fallen into decline. Rebels are causing trouble for the state and so the Takemikazuchi are brought in to surpress the dissent. The house of Takemikazuchi are a clan of highly skilled warriors that had been guards to the rulers of a neighbouring country for centuries, but during modernisation the monarchy is overthrown and the house of Takemikazuchi are driven into exile, now plying their trade to anyone who pays them. But within the house all is not well as a dark secret is revealed to Yuki that will change her life forever, tomorrow is her 20th birthday and boy what a party it’s going to be. Now this is more like it, a kick ass swordplay movie with a gripping story and amazing visuals to boot. We follow Yuki on a perilous voyage of discovery as she uncovers the story behind her mother’s death at the hands of the house she so willingly serves. And what a perilous journey it is too as she is kicked punched an impaled throughout, but she takes this all in her stride on her quest to avenge her fallen mother. And avenge her she does, all with the help of Donnie Yens’ expert choreography. He has this way of setting up a scene to give it maximum impact that really impresses me. I know a lot of people don’t rate Donnie, labelling him as nothing but a mere support bad guy, but I feel this is unjust, he was and still is one of the main reasons I started watching more and more Asian films. It is just a shame he doesn’t star in many more movies. He certainly pulls out the old bag of tricks in PB and every punch, kick and slash is reminiscent of his own fighting style albeit a little more sexier. After all who would you rather marvel at? Donnie Yen, or an extremely sexy and ruthless Yumiko Shaku (Yuki)? It isn’t just the fighting and choreography that impresses me here but also the way the director (Shinsuke Sato) has paced the movie, nothing is moving at breakneck pace but you aren’t bored shitless waiting for the next fight scene neither. You get the chance to feel for Yuki and when the inevitable does happen you really want this girl to go on a rampage of gargantuan proportions. Which draws me neatly into my only real gripe about Princess Blade. Because of the way PB moves along by the end I really wanted Yuki to get medi-evil on the evil Byakurai (Kyusaku Shimada). I mean I wanted to see this guy ripped into dog-sized pedigree chunks, not your average sized lumps of fun, but tiny chopped to fucking bits blood soaked gubbins of flesh. Yuki does affect her revenge in a pleasing manner but I wanted more…. Oh so much more. Another thing I liked about PB was the way it sets about trying to bring a little life into swordplay movies by basing it in some form of post apocalyptic future. It feels a little like Mamoru Oshii’s ‘Avalon’ by using a similar technique of using colour, but in a slightly different way. In this case by letting us know exactly what kind of emotions Yuki is feeling. From the dark and bleak I’m going to rip your fucking head off and shit down your neck feeling to the I’m happy now, buy me a puppy please warm colourful backgrounds. I liked this idea a lot, Shinsuke Sato utilises this happy/sad colour scenario and it works, you are always in tune with Yuki and you really feel for her during these torrid blood covered times. ‘In a future ruled by the sword you must fight to survive…’ 9*********stars. |
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