Yakuza Princess 4K 2021 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

Japanese community in Sao Paulo. Akemi, a 21-year-old orphan, learns that she is the heiress of half of the Yakuza empire and that the other half of the famous crime syndicate is hungry for her death. Yakuza envoys begin to chase the girl, whose life now hangs in the balance. Salvation comes from a foreigner suffering from amnesia, who is sure that an ancient samurai sword connects his fate with a Japanese girl.

Review 4K Movie

Depending on what you expect a Yakuza film to be like, this could easily split opinion. If you like classic Yakuza films like Tokyo Drifter, Pale Flower or Sympathy For the Underdog then this will leave you unfulfilled and slightly irritated at the inconsistent pace.

If however, you were wanting something more with the feeling that it was inspired by a comic book, then congratulations - this is exactly that. Even if you weren't aware of the Danilo Beyruth graphic novel, you should be able to guess the story origin from the camera work as some of the images are framed in that exact style.

The acting is good - Masumi makes credible big-screen debut and Meyers does well in an action-lite kind of way, and the supporting cast do well with what they've been given from an at times weak script. Unfortunately the ending is fairly predictable, and somehow that makes it feel almost unfinished, like half a film despite it's nearly 2 hour length. Perhaps that was the intention of the director, but the preceding 1 hour 51 minutes weren't strong enough to support an inconclusive ending. You make up your own mind!

Anyhow, because of that I've only given it 5 stars, but if it was to be maybe a part one of a trilogy with being just a set-up to a meatier storyline to follow, then I would consider changing my rating.

With just a bit more pace, attention to the script and a pinch more action (perhaps a re-edit could sort the pace and action issues) this could have been scraping the underside of excellent. As it is though, and despite really wanting to like this, the flaws are too clear. Final rating - Okay, but could've been much more.