Today’s quick review: Bayonetta: Bloody Fate. Five hundred years after a forbidden romance sparked a cataclysmic war between the Umber Witches and the Lumen Sages, Bayonetta (Atsuko Tanaka), a witch who lost her memory, wakes from her centuries-long slumber. To find answers to her questions, Bayonetta seeks out Balder (Norio Wakamoto), the last surviving Lumen Sage, not realizing he plans to use her to summon Jubileus the Creator and remake the world.
Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is a Japanese animated fantasy action movie based on the video game Bayonetta. Bayonetta: Bloody Fate offers a glimpse at an action-packed world where gun-toting witches battle with monstrous angels to preserve the balance between light and darkness. The movie’s plentiful action and stylish setting should be enough to satisfy most action fantasy fans, but its story and writing leave something to be desired.
Bayonetta: Bloody Fate’s most distinctive feature is its combat. Bayonetta’s weapon of choice is a quartet of pistols that she wields with both hands and both feet. Her magical abilities let her summon demons, defy gravity, and perform superhuman feats of strength. Between Bayonetta’s exotic weaponry, her magic, and the host of bizarre monsters she fights, Bloody Fate never runs out of ideas for its action sequences.
However, the film’s writing is a mixed bag. The story has a few good ideas, including Bayonetta’s amnesia and Balder’s plan to remake the world, but their execution is lacking. The plot isn’t explained clearly, the mysteries aren’t set up properly, and the supporting cast gets little attention. Viewers who are in it for the action won’t mind too much, but Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is more of a guided tour of the universe than a cohesive story.
There are other, lesser issues that will impact how much you enjoy the film. True to the source material, Bloody Fate includes salacious character designs, provocative poses, and lots of near-nudity, although no actual sex. The animation is on the detailed, rigid, and realistic end of the spectrum, as opposed to the cartoonish style of other anime. Bayonetta’s unflappable personality and grace in combat will also be hit-or-miss.
Give Bayonetta: Bloody Fate a shot if you’re a fan of the game or of action-oriented anime in general. The story is not quite polished enough for the movie to hold broad appeal, but there’s enough to make it a fine popcorn watch for action fantasy fans. For similar gun combat in a grounded, dramatic sci-fi story, try Equilibrium. For a fantasy superhero movie with similar mythology, try Ghost Rider. For similarly imaginative action, try Sucker Punch.
5.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for solid action and an interesting world held back by a mediocre story.