Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005)

Pretty Good

Nice effects though.

Best movie ever!

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Following on from the first film we see our female assassin hunted down by hired ninjas for her handy work. She is on her way to complete the mission set out in the first film and assassinate 'Sanada' (her finale target), along the way she meets up with a group of bandits who assist her but this also allows spies into the equation. This is the basis for the plot very simply laid out.I must say I got the feeling this film may have been one big long film that was cut into two on purpose, the whole thing filmed in one go. The continuity is very good with both plot and certain actors returning and you do get a fairly epic feeling in the scope of things. Aya Ueto in the lead is still cute as hell while Tak Sakaguchi seems to be in every modern Japanese flick with any hint of action.To be honest the film isn't entirely different from the first in the terms of what happens. Its more sword slashing, blood spurting and many similar yet nicely created characters, it also visually appears identical to the first hence why I think it was all made at the same time. Not exactly worthy of an epic award but certainly well made with some grand action sequences to please the eye.Like all Japanese Samurai/ninja films it has a lovely period feel to the proceedings with small segments of fantasy or myth. These do add to the charm of the film but also take away from it. The story is based on a manga comic but there are so many of these adaptations from Japan you do get a strong sense of deja vu half the time.The main plus points in this film (like many other films from the land of the rising sun) are the characters. Big, bold, colourful, exciting, athletic and overflowing with emotions whilst the flash of their Katana's glint in the sun at you. The plot is pretty much the same old search for revenge, truth or justice motif with nothing really new to offer in terms of action but it does the job well.7/10

You really have to watch Azumi 1 as this is a continuation and No.1 sets the groundwork. I enjoyed watching this, it is important that you allow yourself to get into the film and focus otherwise it will just go over your head and you will become detached. You notice every so often that there seems to be some lack in budget. However this is overcome by the storyline and the quality of the acting. Some villains remain from Azumi 1, especially Lord Kato protector. These allow you to have a stronger connection to the film & allow you to become more involved; ultimately enhancing viewing performance. 7.6/10 for me. Thats just about on the high fair side. Could of been more with higher budget. But i more than appreciate how it is currently. Azumi definitely somehow grows on you and you always know she will come through her battle's no matter how hard the opponent. Her mission seems to be one of good, therefore you support it. One thing that was always going through my head from Azumi 1 was the reference made by a character to Azumi & speed over power. In same light looking at Azumi's figure she seems flimsy yet she wields so much impact. I also always like after she kill's someone the stance after, it is delayed then blood starts gushing out. They think they were never caught yet realise the blade has penetrated her skin. She has some sort of back blade as well which comes in very hand and she uses in devastating effect. The mix of enemies work well. But in Azumi 2 it becomes even more prominent the desire to complete the mission. That is what they live for and without it they are somewhat lost. Being compelled to carry out your duty. This somehwhat leads me to think about 'Bushido', and in parts of the film i was thinking about 'The Last samurai '. Anyway enjoy Azumi 1 and 2 but if you fall asleep it is more than difficult to get back into it. This probably because there are so many details to remember , culminating in the conclusion that the storyline has strength.

Azumi 2: Death or Love is a serviceable sequel to the movie that preceded it, but it's not quite as interesting the second time around. Where the first movie dealt with the cyclical carnage of war and the sacrifices people make for questionable higher goals, Azumi 2 is more of a straight-forward action movie that continues those themes as earnestly, but less effectively. After the events of the first movie, the young assassin Azumi continues her mission to find and kill the last remaining warlord that seems determined to plunge feudal Japan back into war. She's accompanied by her last remaining companion, still haunted by the deaths of her friends, and sought by a vengeful warrior who wants her death above all things. Of course, she also finds new allies and hidden enemies on her journey.This movie mirrors the plot of the first in many ways, but it's just not quite as good. The battles aren't as fun, and the story isn't as captivating. The attempts at poignancy and don't ring as true as the first movie, either. Aya Ueto is still an irresistible heroine and I recommend to anyone who enjoyed the first movie that they should check this one out, too. Just keep in mind that the change in directors from the first movie was not exactly an improvement.

I loved the first "Azumi" movie. I've seen Ms. Ueto in a variety of her TV appearances and I've seen my fair share of samurai and ninja flicks. I have to say that this movie was much weaker than I'd expected.Given the movie's cast and set up in "Azumi", they should have been able to do a much better job with this movie, but instead it was slow, plodding in parts, and sprinkled with very poor, unconvincing, and wooden acting.When they bothered to reference the first movie, they did so in a manner that was pretty loose and weak. In "Azumi", the title character is the best of a group of superior killers. In "Azumi 2" she seems somehow diminished and less-impressive.That's not to say it was a total loss. There were a few decent fight scenes and some over-the-top characters. Unfortunately, the movie suffers overall from the simple fact that Shusuke Kaneko and Yoshiaki Kawajiri are not Ryuhei Kitamura and Isao Kiriyama. The latter two truly captured the "manga" feel in their screenplay whereas the former never quite "got it."