59
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Washington PostStephen HunterWashington PostStephen HunterIt's all story, character and dazzling martial arts violence, as orchestrated by fight choreographer Donnie Yen at breakneck speed.
- 60Washington PostDesson ThomsonWashington PostDesson ThomsonIt suffers from a dreary middle section. Great movie, mediocre script.
- 60Los Angeles TimesKevin ThomasLos Angeles TimesKevin ThomasWith its stylized, near-surreal comic-book look and roots, The Princess Blade has all the makings of a cult film.
- 60Village VoiceEd ParkVillage VoiceEd ParkYuki's streamlined revenge story (the furious, elegant choreography is by HK maestro Donnie Yen) has in its modest dimensions a surprising grace.
- 60Film ThreatFilm ThreatYumiko Shaku as Yuki is small, beautiful, and stunningly sexy while she plies her deadly skill like a dancer. Her self-assured poise and large expressive eyes say everything that the minimal dialogue doesn’t.
- 60TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghAdventurous viewers will find this unusual genre hybrid an intriguing experience, and Donnie Yen's fight choreography is breathtaking.
- 60VarietyDerek ElleyVarietyDerek ElleyA martial arts fantasy in modern dress, but set in an unidentified country and era, The Princess Blade is a tough toasted sandwich with a soft filling.
- 50Boston GlobeWesley MorrisBoston GlobeWesley MorrisThis is a movie about excess. It's excessively long (at least it feels that way), the slo-mo is used in excess (so are the swords), and our heroine, Yuki (Yumiko Shaku), when she does emote, is excessively weepy for a coldblooded assassin.
- 50New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoCan't decide if it's a martial-arts thriller or a sappy soap opera.
- 40L.A. WeeklyScott FoundasL.A. WeeklyScott FoundasDespite 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."