Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 28, 2014

Stories about amnesiacs tend to work better when the audience, whether that be a reader or a viewer, is as lost in the present as the focal character. Gambits like that helped to make films like Mirage or Mister Buddwing exciting exercises in consternation, as neither the main character nor the audience was quite sure of what was going and whom to trust (or mistrust, as the case might be). Bayonetta: Bloody Fate doesn’t follow that approach, and perhaps surprisingly isn’t that much the worse for wear for it. Based on the popular videogame, Bayonetta: Bloody Fate starts with a brief but jam packed prologue that gives the basic background not just of the world of the story, but Bayonetta herself. It’s a mythic creation built around the age old battle of good versus evil and/or light versus darkness, which in this case are personified by Lumen Sages (light, in case that “lumen” didn’t tip you off) and Umbra Witches. While this new anime is a bit discursive in doling out the details, it seems that a Romeo and Juliet-esque affair between members of these warring factions resulted in progeny, with the baby being dangerously superpowered. That baby of course turns out to be Bayonetta, who is raised by her maternal (witch) relatives and who possesses a mysterious talisman known as The Left Eye. Imprisoned as an adult for half a millenium, Bayonetta awakens without any memory of who she is or what her history might be. While Bayonetta: Bloody Fate gives the viewer the broad outlines of the backstory in just the first few minutes, this anime turns out to be surprisingly well conceived (with a few caveats), with an interesting plot that plays off of the videogame without being slavishly devoted to its every last jot and/or tittle.

While those with a history with the videogame are certainly going to get the most out of Bayonetta: Bloody Fate, there’s nothing here that should prove too daunting for those who have never held a controller in their hands. Aside from the establishing prologue, the film does an adequate job in detailing the various characters, though it can take time to ultimately figure out how everyone and everything is interconnected. In fact, Bayonetta is actually first seen in the midst of a huge battle that isn’t really very fully explained. What the first actual sequence of the film does is establish Bayonetta as a force to be reckoned with, while also introducing her organ playing assistant as well as a journalist named Luka, a guy who initially seems to be a nemesis but who ultimately turns into an ally.

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate plays out on several levels simultaneously. The overarching interest here is in Bayonetta’s quest to figure out who she is and where she comes from. But she finds herself in a world where a supposed “Second Coming” is imminent, and where she’s also regularly thrust up against the angel class which is her biggest enemy. Luka’s own history plays into his interest not just in Bayonetta, but in the whole story of the sages and witches. There’s also the one patently annoying character in the anime, a little girl whose “secret” is not especially hard to guess.

What could have helped Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is more attention paid to elements of the story that aren’t going to be familiar to those who never played the videogame. Characters are just kind of plopped into the story here with little or no introduction (other than that aforementioned prologue), and that can lead to at least temporary befuddlement until relationships are made clear. There’s enough action and general intrigue to keep things percolating at a fairly steady pace here, but there’s also a sense of a bit of a missed opportunity in expanding the franchise beyond an already established fan base.

What ultimately may bring Bayonetta: Bloody Fate to a wider (non game playing) audience is its beautiful animation. Starting with startlingly vivid stained glass windows and moving through a series of impeccably staged action sequences, the design aesthetic here (by Gonzo) is consistently exciting and alluring. If the story doesn’t completely support the visuals, there’s at least always a lot to be looking at during the moments of consternation or wandering interest.

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This anime is consistently beautiful, with an incredibly lush palette that exploits tones of red, gold, purple, and blue to vivid and memorable effect. Character designs are relatively distinctive, aided by strong, consistent and stable line detail. Some of the backgrounds can look slightly soft at times, but overall detail is excellent, and the image is generally clear and stable. There are some very minor banding issues that crop up here, but they're less of a distraction than they might otherwise be due to the fact that the frame is almost always stuffed to the gills with various elements.

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate features Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mixes in both the original Japanese as well as an English dub. The mixes are virtually identical here save for the voice work, and both provide incredible support for LFE and surround activity. While the opening prologue may lull the listener into a false sense of calm, once the first action sequence bursts forth, it's clear that this soundtrack is going to be awash in forceful, even bombastic, sound effects and ubiquitous use of the lower registers. Despite these elements, dialogue is always clear and easy to hear, and the entire mix in both languages is extremely well prioritized. Fidelity remains true throughout the presentation, and dynamic range is extremely wide.

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Actor Commentary features Jonathan Klein, ADR Director (evidently very excited to be at Shepperton Studios in England) with Hellena Taylor, the longtime voice of Bayonetta. While casually conversational, this is a nicely done commentary that should be especially interesting to longtime lovers of the videogame.


• Storyboards (1080p; 22:33)


• U.S. Trailer (1080p; 1:34)

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate tends to rely on viewers' foreknowledge of the basic story and especially some of the characters, but even newcomers will probably be swayed by the visual elegance on display here, even if certain plot points are at least temporarily confusing. The mythic element of the story is done quite well, and Bayonetta's "identity crisis" provides fuel for a generally intriguing plot arc. Some of the other elements don't gel quite as well, but the animation virtuosity tends to distract enough that it ultimately probably doesn't matter that much. While fans of the franchise are obviously the target market for this release, adventurous anime fans who love lush visuals may well want to check this out as well. Technical merits are very strong, and Bayonetta: Bloody Fate comes Recommended.