Fantasia 2022 Film: Baby Assassins Review – Wild & Stylish Rollercoaster

Baby Assassins is bold, daring, and totally out of control. John Wick with a maid cafe spin.

The combo of Saori Izawa’s masterful stunt work and Akari Takaishi’s electric, scene stealing charisma make for one of Fantasia’s freshest action films.

When’s the sequel coming out?

This Baby Assassins Review contains spoilers. The film was viewed during the 2022 Fantasia International Film Festival.

Full time assassins, part time slackers.

Baby Assassins – Saori Izawa as Mahiro and Akari Takaishi as Chisato. Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

Mahiro is a trained introverted one woman army that just wants to be left alone and watch shows on her iPhone. While her extroverted roommate Chisato is casually ruthless yet charming. Going from loafing around with a Nintendo Switch on the couch to a contracted, remorseless killer in milliseconds. The life of the party and Heart of Hearts Maid Cafe.

Baby Assassins – Saori Izawa as Mahiro and Akari Takaishi as Chisato. Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

The duo’s polar opposite sheepishly quiet and noisy life of the party chemistry is off the charts. Reminiscent of a dark comedy, modern take on The Odd Couple.

Baby Assassins – Saori Izawa as Mahiro and Akari Takaishi as Chisato. Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

A major focal point of Baby Assassins is showing how the 2 hitwomen try to integrate into regular society and hilariously fail. Their secret life habits always getting the best of them at inopportune times.

At a diner, Chisato is repeatedly scolded for placing whipped cream the wrong way by her boss, finally she does it right. When she serves the customer he mentions not liking whipped cream and scrapes it off… Leading to Chisato slamming his head into a pair of freshly sugar dusted Belgian waffles with her aluminum tray.

Meanwhile, from the opening scene, Mahiro quits a job interview midway and simply shoots a convenience store boss because she tires of his many questions & criticisms of her generation.

Baby Assassins – Saori Izawa. Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

Although Mahiro and Chisato later mock the convenience store boss quoting “Dreams don’t run away, it’s always you who run away” as being cliche and cheesy. We have to admit it’s the first time we’ve heard it and liked it quite a lot.

When Surreal Comedy Turns to Dark Reality

Akitani Mone as Himari and Yasukaze Motomiya as her father in Baby Assassins. Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

From the moment a Yakuza leader is introduced played by actor Yasukaze Motomiya, Baby Assassins diverts to an exceptional dark path. The main scene that will stay with you takes place at the Hearts of Hearts Maid Cafe where Chisato is working part time.

The Yakuza leader initially tells his son “pimping and drugs” are old hat, it’s time to “modernize” and take control of other “female-centric businesses”. The father decides to try out a maid cafe with his son.

However, he soon loses his patience, feeling mocked by one of the maids over her omelette ketchup spelling. His son takes out a weapon and tells all the maids to face the wall at gun point, informing them they’ll “soon be sold”.

One maid, however, lead protagonist Chisato, does not turn around and takes out both of them. Telling the other maids to “go home and not look back”. It’s a brutal and intense scene, even for a dark comedy.

There’s also a scene earlier where the Yakuza leader is teaching his daughter Himari target practice with a live person.

Thrilling Martial Arts Fight Scenes and Action Stunts

Baby Assassins – Saori Izawa. Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

Baby Assassins is always setting up contract hits, gun fights, or all out hand-to-hand combat. The havoc catches you off guard, like the action movie version of a jump scare where there’s a lull for a couple of minutes to quiet the senses than a curveball is thrown at miles per hour.

Saori Izawa’s stunt work in Baby Assassins cannot be mentioned enough, every fight she’s in has top tier choreography. The highly skilled Izawa is clearly going to be a martial artist action movie staple moving forward.

Baby Assassins – Saori Izawa as Mahiro and Akari Takaishi as Chisato. Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

Baby Assassins is chaotic fun, a direct, nonstop flight to action with no boring rest stops.

Review Score: 8.6

Baby Assassins is currently streaming exclusively on Hi-YAH!. The film will release on Digital, Blu-ray & DVD on August 16, 2022. You can pre-order the film now on Amazon.

Chisato (Akari Takaishi) and Mahiro (Saori Izawa) on Baby Assassins Blu-ray and DVD – Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment

More 2022 Fantasia International Film Festival Coverage

Be sure to read:

– My Broken Mariko Review – Our 2022 Fantasia Film of the Year

– Fantasia 2022: ‘Special Delivery’ Review – Car Chase Heaven

– SADAKO DX leads 10 films we can’t wait to see at Fantasia 2022

Check out more Japanese cinema reviews in our Japanese Films section on The Natural Aristocrat®!

Baby Assassins Blu-ray – Photo provided by Well Go USA Entertainment