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09/13/03
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The Princess Blade (2003)
58
%
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Reviews Counted:26
Fresh:15
Rotten:11
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: The action is fast and tightly choreographed, but The Princess Blade never draws its disparate elements into a compelling movie.
Theatrical Release:Aug 8, 2003 Limited
Synopsis: Model and rising pop star Yumiko Shaku stars as Princess Yuki in this thrilling Japanese martial arts actioner based on comic-book characters created by Kazuo Koike and Kazuo Kamimura. Yuki is the... [More]
Starring: Yumiko Shaku, Hideaki Ito, Shiro Sano, Yoichi Numata
Director: Shinsuke Sato
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Reviews for The Princess Blade
The fight choreography of Donnie Yen is truly a pulse pounding ballet of whirling swordplay.
06/24/03
the film's opening action sequence is the first of several that are likely to have you thumbing the backscan button because they look so damn cool (and are so damn fast).
02/21/04
It has stylish fighting, but the story doesn't live up to the talent of the fight choreographer.
09/19/03
Engrossing during its frequent action scenes, but stodgy and uninspired the rest of the time.
07/19/03
Not quite good enough to jump out of the pack of Asian swordplay movies but is too well crafted to sink into utter anonymity.
08/07/03
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03/26/09
Great movie, mediocre script.
08/22/03
Top CriticYuki's streamlined revenge story (the furious, elegant choreography is by HK maestro Donnie Yen) has in its modest dimensions a surprising grace.
08/05/03
By turns violent and brooding, it's stronger on style than on substance, but genre fans might find it at least sporadically amusing.
08/17/03
[Yumiko Shaku] doesn't project the confidence or menace that the role requires. Trying to pass her off as a stone-cold assassin is like casting Britney Spears as Marie Curie -- it just doesn't jibe.
09/20/03
Top CriticThe beautiful, elegant swordfights are filmed clearly and poetically, and even the down-time between battles doesn't drag too badly.
08/15/03
Sato seems to be trying to make several different movies at once, and none of them comes through strongly enough to carry the film.
09/25/03
Has all the makings of a cult film.
08/08/03
Top CriticAdventurous viewers will find this unusual genre hybrid an intriguing experience.
08/07/03
Action directors take note: This is how it’s done.
10/05/03
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02/02/04
A fine remake of "Lady Snowblood," with Donnie Yen fight choreograpy to boot
10/22/05
Original and thrilling martial-arts choreography, a lean, hard-driving story and solemn atmosphere make The Princess Blade -- a futuristic tale -- stand way above the pack.
08/07/03
Despite its origins, nearly every visual and storytelling idea in this green-and-black-tinted martial-arts fantasy seems to derive from Mad Max, The Matrix and/or The Lord of the Rings.
08/07/03
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