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The Princess BladeAKA: Shurayuki Hime Year of release: 2001 Genre: swordplay Director: Shinsuke Sato Action director: Donnie Yen Stars: Hideaki Ito, Yumiko Shaku, Shiro Sano, Yoichi Numata, Kyusaku Shimada Rated OAT II for violence Version reviewed: Universe DVD |
In an alternate future, large corporations control the world and use groups of assassins to kill anyone who opposes them. One of these assassins finds out she is actually a princess, and her boss killed her mother. She sets out to re-claim her throne, but now must try and destroy the organization she once served.
Princess Blade is a pretty cool movie. Like a lot of Japanese pictures, it's a bit slow in parts, but the actors do a good job, so the exposition isn't too painful to watch. What most martial arts fans will probably want to check out this movie for is the action. This is definitely some of Donnie Yen's best co-ordinating to date.
The action contained here is flashy without being confusing, and has a nice style that doesn't really look like anything else Donnie Yen (or other any other action directors for that matter) have done. My only complaint is that there could have been more of it, and it would have been nice to see a bit more actual bloodshed. Overall, though, Princess Blade is a solid (if unspectacular) swordplay movie that should satisfy fans of the genre.
RATING: 7
