Yakuza Princess
112 Minutes, Not Rated
Written by Amorim, Fernando Toste, Kimi Lee, and Tubaldini Shelling
Directed by Vicente Amorim
Synopsis:
Based on the acclaimed graphic novel “Samurai Shiro” by Danilo Beyruth and set in the expansive Japanese community of Sao Paulo, Brazil — the largest Japanese diaspora in the world — YAKUZA PRINCESS follows orphan Akemi, who, upon turning 21, discovers that she is the heiress to half of Japan’s expansive Yakuza crime syndicate. After forging an uneasy alliance with an amnesiac stranger who believes an ancient sword binds their two fates, Akemi unleashes war against the other half of the syndicate who wants her dead.
Having had it’s world premiere at the 2021 Fantasia Fest, Yakuza Princess is a more emotion-driven than action-oriented Yakuza movie.
And, if you’re going into it thinking it’s going to be a go-Go-GO kind of film, you’re more than likely to be disappointed.
That’s not to say the film isn’t enjoyable. It certainly is. It’s just not a constant bang-bang, shoot-em-up/slice-em-up movie.
Having the film set in Sao Paulo, Brazil, was an interesting choice. Using that city’s large Japanese community as a setting, as opposed to say, San Francisco, as other films do (looking at you, Shang-Chi, amongst others), removes the overtly Western overtones from the environment, allowing us to immerse ourselves more deeply in the movie.
Most of the runtime is dedicated to character development, at least in terms of the characters’ relationships to one another. Quick bursts of action–often bloody–punctuate characters’ comings and goings as they move the overall plot forward.
I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of Jonathan Rhys Meyers; I don’t seem to get why he’s so popular. He’s never wowwed me in anything, but it’s not like he’s bad, he’s just kind of… there.
As the amnesiac with a very potent set of skills, he’s fine, though his character’s backstory and development are 0% surprising as we move along.
The real discovery of Yakuza Princess, in my opinion, is MASUMI, the pop-star-cum-actress. Though her IMDB profile is painfully thin, she does a good job here of portraying the orphan heroine with a past, giving us the confusion and heartache as she learns what she does and doesn’t about herself, and she handles her action sequences with aplomb.
Should there be a sequel, and it’s clear that is the plan, she should do well as Akemi travels back to Japan to complete her quest for familial vengeance.
Overall, the film is worth the watch, even with some sequences of quiet contemplation straining American viewing sensibilities. It’s a Japanese film, not an American one, and it shows in it’s composition.
Yakuza Princess will be available everywhere on September 3.
Yakuza Princess stars MASUMI, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Toshiji Takeshima, Eijiro Ozaki, and Charles Paraventi.
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