Opening Song: N/A
Credits Song: Night, I Stand (by Mai Sato)
Spoiler Warning: I am going to give a synopsis and my opinions at the very end.
Summary:
Two European clans oversee history for the powers that be: the Lumen Sages (light) served the angels and the Umbra Witches (darkness) served the demons. The clans kept balance by respecting each other until two clan members violated their doctrines by producing a child of sage and witch heritage. The birth of the child threw everyone into an age of chaos. The witch was imprisoned and the sage was banished.
Each clan possessed an "eye of the world" that governed creation. The forbidden child possessed the left eye and when brought together with the right eye, Jubileus the Creator would be resurrected and a new world born. The angels wish for Jubileus to return and the demons oppose it.
The forbidden child, Bayonetta, was raised as a Witch and then sealed away when the witch hunts began. 500 years later she was released and started battling angels for a living. Rodin (a fallen angel) supplies Bayonetta with her signature weapons - four large-caliber handguns called "The Elfin Knight" which she uses to destroy a small army of Affinity and Applaud angels in a chapel.
A much larger Beloved angel appears that is promptly devoured by the demon Gomorrah,
who enters the world through a portal created with Bayonetta's hair
(which doubles as her outfit). After the fight, Bayonetta stores a
freshly-licked lollipop in her cleavage and then teases Luka
(whom she calls Cheshire), a normal human bystander who is aware of her
true nature. She destroys the camera Luka used to take photos of the
battle and Luka chews her out for also destroying his car (Enzo's car in
the game). Luka insists Bayonetta killed his father and vows to one day
find proof. Meanwhile, Bayonetta stops by Rodin's bar, The Gates to
Hell, to get a drink and confer with her informant Enzo.
Enzo explains that people of the Ragna faith are gathering in Vigrid to witness the first public appearance of Father Balder, a Lumen Sage. Luka also notices the news stories and knowing that his father was investigating the Sages prior to his death, decides to leave for Vigrid. Meanwhile, Bayonetta is attacked by a fellow Witch named Jeanne, and during their sparing match Bayonetta vaguely recalls having met Jeanne once before but can't remember when or where that would have been.
Bayonetta is transported through a glowing portal after the fight to a place where a small girl, called Cereza, is being attacked by an Ardor angel. Cereza has a stuffed cat named Cheshire and a watch Bayonetta recognizes in her possession. The girl also mistakes Bayonetta for her mother. Bayonetta catches up to Luka and forces him to babysit Cereza.
Bayonetta takes a motorcycle to Vigrid, with Luka and Cereza not far behind. An Irenic angel initiates a high speed car chase that ends with the demon Scolopendra being summoned to constrict the car-like angel. Shortly after her victory another angel appears, the high-ranking Temperantia. Again Bayonetta summons a demon, this time using Hekatoncheir to pummel Temperantia. Because ordinary humans are unable to perceive supernatural beings, Cereza lends Luka her enchanted(?) glasses so that he can watch the battle taking place.
Bayonetta blows up an Inspired angel, then the trio take a chopper to Father Balder's headquarters in Vigrid where they find Jeanne waiting for them. Bayonetta engages Jeanne in a rematch, during which her memories finally return: Jeanne was her childhood friend and was the one to seal her away 500 yeas ago when the witch hunts decimated their numbers. Bayonetta wins the battle and then together with Cereza and Luka, the trio meets Father Balder - Cereza/Bayonetta's biological father. Cereza is Bayonetta's real name and the little girl she has been traveling with is actually her younger self. Balder opens a portal to send Cereza back to her own time and explains to Bayonetta how he intends to make the two of them into gods when the world is reborn.
Balder claims that Cereza was meant to aid Bayonetta in experiencing love and innocence, while Jeanne was key to unlocking her memories. He also admits to hiring Luka's father to do work for him, but when he discovered Bayonetta's body, Balder had to have him executed by angels for knowing too much. Balder then tries to kill Luka but is interrupted by Bayonetta.
The angels smell of rosemary in-game and in the film. Luka mistakenly attributed the smell to Bayonetta.
At that moment Jubileus awakens with Balder and Bayonetta as its eyes. Jeanne arrives to free Bayonetta and together they summon Queen Sheba to torture Jubileus on a chevalet before shooting her dead. With the world saved, Jeanne and Bayonetta continue to battle heaven's forces. Luka publishes his father's findings on the Lumen Sages and Umbra Witches, but it is far from a best seller.
Final Thoughts
Bloody Fate basically retells all the major events from the first game.
Naturally a few sequences had to be changed or omitted but on the whole
Bloody Fate remains shockingly faithful to the original storyline, to
the point that it could work as a substitute to playing the video game.
Several lines were even copied word-for-word straight from the game.
Occasionally the drawing style looked a little off or the character's
heights changed between scenes, but the animation was pretty good,
especially with all the over the top action sequences. The backgrounds
were beautifully drawn as well and the lighting effects really
highlighted the majesty of the angels and demons; particularly their
glowing eyes or golden accoutrements.
As an advertisement for the
game series I honestly didn't expect much, but Bloody Fate turned out
to be a solid effort. The density of content and lightning-fast pacing
makes it difficult to enjoy as a standalone film, but it does act as a
good recap of the first game's storyline for anyone that needs a
refresher, plans on skipping the first game, or just wants the gist of
what Bayonetta is about.
Have you seen Bayonetta: Bloody Fate? What were your thoughts on the film? If you haven't seen it, do you plan to?
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