Baby Assassins (2021)

Baby Assassins is special because it treats its killer premise with a straight face and a mischievous grin, blending low-fi realism, razor-sharp comedy, and genuinely impressive action into one surprisingly endearing ride. Director Yugo Sakamoto stages “crunchy,” inventive fight scenes that feel physical and specific—less superhero ballet, more messy, breathless problem-solving—while the script keeps finding humor in the girls’ awkward attempts to function like normal people. What really hooks you, though, is the prickly, evolving friendship between Chisato and Mahiro: their bickering roommate energy makes the danger hit harder and the laughs land cleaner. It’s not for the squeamish or anyone allergic to blood and strong language, but if you want a fresh buddy-action film with personality and real craft behind the chaos, this one’s an absolute treat.

Baby Assassins is clearly trying to mash up deadpan Gen Z roommate comedy with sudden, crunchy hitwoman action, and when it clicks, the fight choreography is sharp and the leads have a fun, prickly chemistry. The problem is it takes its time getting to the “assassins” part, spending a lot of runtime on low-key bickering and awkward day-job struggles that can feel shapeless if you came for a tight crime plot. The tone also swings hard from mundane to bloody mayhem, so if you don’t enjoy violence played for laughs or you want a more traditionally structured thriller, this will test your patience. If you’re up for something niche, offbeat, and occasionally brilliant in bursts, it’s worth a look; if you need momentum and broad appeal, you can safely skip it.