January 2, 2026 (NYC)-Don’t Mess With Revolver Lily. Revolver Lily is the latest release from Well Go USA Entertainment to come out of the Japanese market, and it is an engaging and well done action thriller.
Anyone who reads my reviews understands what a big fan I am of films that come out of the Korean market. I consider them the best in the world for the past several years. However, when Japanese filmmakers get it right their films are unmatched. Revolver Lily is a terrific period action piece and worth watching.
The story is set in post World War I Japan. It centers around a semi-retired female Assassin, played by Ayase Haruka. She is, in many ways the heart of the movie. Her subtle, yet complex performance is top notch. It is rare to have a character with such composure, and with only glimpses of her back story, command such a central role. She is masterful here.
She is not alone. The entire cast is terrific. Hamura Jinsei gets it. He is a young actor with great promise. He plays his role maturely, and memorably, and is one of the best young actors I have seen. Hasegawa Hiroki also shines here in a pivotal role and character. He, too, provides a lot to think about in Revolver Lilly.
The time period is one that is not the subject of many movies; however, it was a critical time for many countries in the world and the events shaped much of what would occur as the Second World War unfolded.
The action and fight scenes are great. The gun play is paramount in this action film and well done. The martial arts combat has a, surprisingly, Chinese, influence which confused me; however, these scenes were very well choreographed.
The film is thoughtful and has some strong messaging, while not being heavy in the audience feeling they are being preached to.
I highly recommend this film.
The film is subtitled.
-review by Master Marc Zirogiannis
Synopsis:
Once upon a time, Yuri was one of Japan’s deadliest assassins, but she’s retired now and spends her days running an underground brothel. A news report about a former colleague who has died under mysterious circumstances doesn’t quite sit right. The dead man’s son is now the target of a military manhunt, and Yuri will do whatever it takes to keep him safe.
Country of Origin: Japan
Revolver Lily has a runtime of approximately 139 minutes and is not rated.
