Written and directed by Yugo Sakamoto, teenage assassins Chisato and Mahiro visit the coastal city of Miyazaki when they unexpectedly cross paths with a bloodthirsty assassin who’s looking to add to his personal body count. Starring: Akari Takaishi, Saori Izawa, Sosuke Ikematsu, Atsuko Maeda, Mondo Otani, Kaibashira and Karuma.
Put very simply, the Baby Assassins franchise should be more well known than it is, it’s still niche enough that the third film is in festivals before the second is even available to watch in the UK. Unacceptable. Yugo Sakamoto, Akari Takaishi and Saori Izawa have created this iconic duo, who are an absolute blast. Trying to put into words the genuine connection that Chisato and Mahiro have, their wonderful friendship, the crazy range of energy they bring, all while casually pulling off some serious violence, is a difficult task.
Akari Takaishi and Saori Izawa are just as excellent on their third outing as their first, they’ve lost absolutely nothing, every ounce of their bubbly, fierce energy is there to enjoy. Their friendship evolves but they still have that great yin and yang feel, they’re such different people but they each have what the other needs. It says a lot that they’re so much fun, but they also have genuinely touching moments acknowledging how much they value each other. It’s a very healthy atmosphere for a couple of assassins, especially as in this outing in particular they strive to strike a work-life/food balance.
It speaks to the quality of both their performances and Yugo Sakamoto’s writing and direction that you could just as happily watch these two go on a killing spree as go on vacation. Sakamoto instils their youthfulness and eagerness into the style of Baby Assassins: Nice Days, as he has done with the previous outings. He’s particularly skilled at finding that balance between enthralling action and not taking yourself too seriously. To be able to commit to the choreography, pace and intensity but then immediately switch back to comedy, it’s not an easy thing to do well but Sakamoto sets a great example.
Baby Assassins: Nice Days is funny, action-packed and utterly charming. They’ve done it yet again, this franchise is a gift that keeps on giving. It would be a real challenge to ever get bored of watching Akari Takaishi and Saori Izawa, the friendship that they’ve built between Chisato and Mahiro is relentlessly entertaining but also genuine and heartfelt. They are a truly iconic pair who should be celebrated and enjoyed worldwide. It should also be mentioned that there is a fantastic ensemble behind them that push the humour and entertainment even further, they’re a superb group of actors.
FilmCarnage.com 