Notable Cast: Akari Takaishi, Saori Izawa, Atomu
Mizuishi, Tomo Nakai, Mondo Otani, Sosuke Ikematsu, Atsuko Maeda, Kaibashira,
Karuma, Mr. Bunny, Satoshi Kibe
If there was ever an action franchise that I would watch for
eternity, quality be damned, it’s definitely the Baby Assassins series.
While I thoroughly enjoyed both of the first two entries into this strange
mixture of slacker comedy and highly choreographed assassin action, this latest
entry, Baby Assassins 3 (or Baby Assassins: Nice Days, as it was
released in some markets), is perhaps the best of the lot. Not only does it
continue to thread the needle with its two off-kilter genres mashed together,
but there’s an extra layer of nuance and emotional payoff that lifts this above
its predecessors.
In preparation for this film, I rewatched the previous two
entries over the course of a couple of weeks prior. It’s strange that for a
series that has primarily been made by the same creatives, including
writer/director Yugo Sakamoto (who also delivered the highly entertaining
horror action hybrid Yellow Dragon’s Village), this one just feels so
much more cinematic. Not only in its visual stylings, which grow more refined
as the series goes on, but also in the writing. It’s a prime example of a case
where the team behind this series is simply getting better at making these
movies, despite never having had a misstep.
It’s the writing and narrative storytelling that takes that
massive leap. While some fans may miss the more extensive improvisational tones
of watching its two lead characters, Chisato and Mahiro - played by Akari
Takaishi and Saori Izawa, respectively- just hang out and banter about nothing,
Baby Assassins 3 is more narrative-focused than the previous two. This
time, while on “vacation,” the titular Baby Assassins stumble onto a
rogue assassin, played with such a strangely sad manic intensity by Sosuke
Ikematsu, and are tasked with partnering up with another assassin duo to take
him out.
The duo, which features the usual comedic beats of teenage
girl sarcasm, silliness, and nonchalance, is set in stark contrast to the
film’s villain, Fuyumura. Their inability to take anything seriously is a
perfect balance to his deadly seriousness. This character memorizes every kill,
name, and detail, even if the killing itself feels unemotional and sociopathic.
The motivations between them are seemingly the same on the surface (they simply
kill because that’s “just what they do,”) but his lone wolf mentality to their
camaraderie is played as remarkably effective thematic stakes.
That’s why, when Mahiro, the duo's actual physical fighter,
loses to him in the opening act, it becomes a fascinating dynamic for the
characters and the series' themes. While the audience has now been trained to
understand that the girls are an unstoppable force, this film is, in a sense,
the first time the characters themselves face the realization that they may not
be. Their own youth-era belief systems are ramshackled, and they end up having
to team up with other assassins to address their sudden shortcomings. And the
franchise's growth showcases the character’s growth to full effect here, and
it’s delightful on multiple levels.
However, maybe you’re not coming to the Baby Assassins franchise for the characters, the slacker humor, or the thematic weight of dealing with the pressures of cracked belief systems. Maybe you’re just here for the bombastic action. Well, rest assured, this is a Yugo Sakamoto film, and there’s plenty of that. Of course, there are plenty of gunfights, chases, and hand-to-hand combat here, and all of it is expertly crafted and executed. The use of modern styles of movement, particularly grappling or military combat, adds so much to the action here, and it dawned on me that if John Woo was making bullet ballets, then Sakamoto is making Bullet Break Dancing with his work. The film is certainly centered on the two main matches between the duo and the rogue assassin, and they are among its best action sequences. Personal, vicious, and brutally grounded. There’s always a hit of humor to sequences, thanks to the characters themselves, but the storytelling in the action really hits here, and it’s the best of the series.
The Baby Assassins series was already a spectacular
one in many ways, but the fact that Sakamoto managed to up his game with Baby
Assassins 3 is truly impressive. It’s more efficient, effective, layered,
and bombastic in almost every aspect. It’s the kind of bump that puts a
franchise into the discussion of being a rewatch for decades to come, and if
you’re looking for something new and potent, look no further than this
one.
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