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Princess
Blade
Shurayuki hime
review by Carrie Gorringe, 21 June 2002
28th Seattle International Film
Festival Once upon a time,
there was a group of noble guards called the Takemikasuchi, who
after they were sent into exile by a political coup, became
assassins. Shinsute Sako's film, Princess Blade (Shura
Yukihime) takes this premise and runs it through a different
variation of the chop-socky genre. Yuki, the film's heroine, is, one
might say, lethally loyal to the clan, (this is a good thing,
because, like the Mafia, the Takemikasuchi don't believe in
voluntary retirement), which is currently headed by a sinister
figure named Byakurai. One day, while hunting down a "traitor," Yuki
comes across yet another one, a man who was a servant to her mother.
From him, she learns that, not only is she a princess and the only
one with legitimate rights to lead the Takemikasuchi, but that
Byakuri tortured her mother to death. On the verge of turning twenty
years old (the age at which all clan Princesses are crowned), Yuki
must make a decision: should she fight for the leadership of the
clan, or go into hiding in an attempt to avoid Byakuri's wrath?
While on the run from one of Byakurai's assassination attempts, Yuki
encounters, and takes refuge with, a young man and his traumatized
sister.
Unbeknownst to Yuki, his home is no
real sanctuary; the young man, in turn, is in thrall to his own need
to find peace and happiness at any cost, to the extent of placing
his own faith in yet another sinister member of authority. Of
course, since she's a royal assassin (not just some mere peasant),
it's obvious that she will be able to kick at least five times more
ass than anyone else in the story, so that gives her, well, a
fighting chance. Whether or not she can save her newfound friends is
another matter.
Sako's film is chock-full of
visually masterful set pieces, thanks to legendary fight
choreographer Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey), but, as might be
expected, rather light on plot and expository information. The
audience never learns much about the young man or the connection to
the political machinations in which he has become involved; we're to
assume that his idealism, coupled with weary cowardice, has rendered
him useless in the fight against potential dictatorships. After a
while, the extreme contrast between skilful fighting and moral
weakness stretches the film's credibility thin. It's best to
concentrate upon the action and less upon the plot.
Seattle International Film Festival
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Directed
by:
Sato Shinsuke
Starring:
Hideaki Ito
Yumiko Shaku
Shiro Sano
Rated:
NR - Not Rated.
This film has not yet
been rated.
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