Upon graduation, highly trained teenage assassins Chisato and Mahiro are informed by upper management that they will need to hold down “normal” jobs as a cover, and—even worse—they’ll be forced to share an apartment. However, after an unfortunate run-in with a Yakuza member, the two must band together to survive an epic fight for their lives.
Baby Assassins takes the well-worn action tropes of secret hitmen, clean-up crews, and Yakuza to satirize the post-high school broke lifestyle. Living on ramen noodles in a too-small apartment is something many young adults can relate to. It’s this juxtaposition between the action genre and pedestrian dilemmas that give Baby Assassins its unique charm.
While the majority of the film is an offbeat dark comedy, the movie doesn’t skimp on the action. I was especially impressed by actor/stuntwoman Saori Izawa’s ability to dodge and punch at lightning speed. Her ability to slither around larger opponents like a slippery eel never ceases to amaze.
All this being said, the film is far from perfect with some awkward comedy bits that drag and subpar subtitles supplied by Hi-Ya! And yet, despite its flaws, Baby Assassins won me over. The film, much like its characters, is scrappy and tries to punch above its weight. I hope the creative team gets noticed and rewarded a larger budget for their next film. There are a lot of new action movies out there but none match the tone or the heart of Baby Assassins.
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