It's nice, sometimes, to watch a movie that doesn't even bother with exposition. As soon as 'Dragon princess' ('Hissatsu onna kenshi') begins we're launched into the plot with a scant few words of dialogue preceding a big fight scene; even the subsequent opening credits flash on-screen over further plot development, including leaps in geography and time. Wherever it's necessary to insert a scene of more dialogue than action, it tends to feel like the filmmakers tried to keep it minimal. Though not without its issues, by and large this is a martial arts action flick for folks who like their martial arts action flicks without much filler; provided that's a tack one can get on board with, this is generally pretty fun!
It's dependably well made, of course, with robust production design and art direction, costume design, effects, props, and weapons. The fight choreography is terrific; the skills of those involved in the action sequences are no joke. Acting is the least important aspect of such a feature - and some moments are decidedly over the top as one rather expects of such fare - but still the performances are quite fine. In particular, Etsuko Shihomi handles the lead role well, demonstrating earnest acting ability as the feature allows. I also very much appreciate the varied original music of Shunsuke Kikuchi, which to my delight seems at times to take inspiration from spaghetti westerns for this tale of vengeance while also giving us the upbeat 70s themes we'd hope for. While some of Hanjiro Nakazawa's choices of cinematography are overly embellished, in this case I believe most of the emphatic stylization works in the picture's favor, adding to the ridiculous fun; the same goes for Osamu Tanaka's editing and sequencing, not least during the prolonged climax.
Yutaka Kohira's direction is quite capable; though mostly declining it, there's some splendid, unexpected subtlety at some points in Hiroo Matsuda's screenplay. Of course, maybe all such assessment is beside the point: 'Dragon princess' arranges for just enough story to provide context for the violence (a hair's width above merely being a "vehicle" thereof), and by and large it's intended simply as an entertaining romp. And so it is, most assuredly. Mind you, I'm not saying this is perfect. It still has some problems; not all the editing is so solid, for example, or the sound design; more meaningfully, the title doesn't maintain the same tone or level of action bombast, so it's perhaps a tad uneven. Maybe worst of all, as Matsuda tries to broaden the plot in the second half, he kind of loses sight of it for a small time. A scene of a man and a woman dancing in a club is meaningless; a chunk of plot involving a supporting character is introduced from out of nowhere. Still, if these are the worst offenses a film might claim, then I'd say it's broadly done well for itself; bigger movies have gone far more wrong.
There are no real surprises here. We get exactly what we would expect just from glancing at the premise, the poster, or even the name - the details hardly matter. For the record, those details include substantial violence, some light humor, marginal tinges of cartoonishness, and perhaps a little more variety in the storytelling than one might suppose sights unseen. Be forewarned, however, there is also a scene of animal cruelty. 'Dragon princess' is duly well done, however, and highly enjoyable such as it is. I could have done with a tighter screenplay, either dispensing with some of the storytelling or mindfully rounding it out, but I suppose we can't always get what we want. Whatever faults one might read into it, though, a lot more than not this is a good time with excellent martial arts action, and ultimately that's all it needed or wanted to be. A fairly strong if curt finish helps to wash over the weaker elements, and the lasting impression we have is a good one. There's maybe no need to go out of your way for 'Dragon princess,' but if you like this genre and happen to come across it, it's a fine way to spend 80 minutes.
