13 ASSASSINS – The Review

“…being a samurai is truly a burden.” — Shinza

Much like the westerns of Hollywood, new works of traditional samurai film from Japan are few and far between these days, pushed aside for the more outlandish and bizarre (although usually quite enjoyable) cult and horror films defining this new era of Asian cinema. However, in both genres, the occasional treat is offered up either by a fresh new filmmaker or, in this case, an endlessly refreshing veteran by the name Takashi Miike.

13 ASSASSINS is a throwback to the classic era of Japanese samurai films; period films that are usually filled with swordplay. This film tells the story of a ruthless, arrogant and shamefully twisted young Lord who, if allowed to take power in the political position promised him, would inevitably pluck the nation from their time of peace and plunge them head first back into the deep, dark recesses of brutal war.

Disgusted by Lord Naritsugu’s perverted lust for the flesh and obsession with absolute power over those who serve him, a samurai named Shinza leads a pack of 12 talented samurai on a suicide mission to assassinate Naritsugu before he can destroy their country. Grossly outnumbered and relying greatly on luck, the men put forth a heroic display of bravery and incredible wherewithal in a battle ingeniously designed to the advantage of the underdog.

Takashi Miike (ICHI THE KILLER, AUDITION) is far from bashful when it comes to graphic, over-the-top violence, but has held back much of this impulse in favor of a more historically appropriate vision, favoring realism over stylized filmmaking. 13 ASSASSINS still bears the mark of Miike, with his subdued need for the bizarre fulfilled in the first act when a poor, starving women is revealed as having been made a grotesque plaything of Lord Naritsugu, serving as the final straw for the small clutch of samurai offended beyond their duty by his actions.

By now, you may be wondering why the film s called 13 ASSASSINS, when I continuously refer to only twelve, but that’s where my favorite character enters the picture. This wild card character, filthy and reckless, emerges from the forest and joins the samurai in their fight. His disregard for the samurai way of life clashes with the twelve, but only until he proves himself in battle, armed only with a couple of rock-flailing slings. He offers a touch of comic relief, but also serves as an unexpected, bizarre little twist at the end, once again serving as a touch of Miike’s more recognizable trademark.

Miike’s flair peeks through again in the final act with his own take on “running with the bulls” but, otherwise surfaces only within the elaborate traps and slightly extreme contraptions of war the samurai construct to use against Naritsugu’s forces. With that said, there is certainly a fair amount of blood and violence, but this too is scaled back some, relative to Miike’s average quotient of gushing red geysers and severed limbs.
The first 45 minutes of 13 ASSASSINS is a tad slow as it sets up the story, but with patience comes great reward. This 126-minute film is eye candy for fans of the period samurai genre, with locales showcasing both the villages and the woodlands, and the swordplay is pretty darn fantastic, especially from the older more seasoned samurai who truly put on a great show. Some of the final scenes have single samurai surrounded by enemies, fearlessly swinging their swords with the grace and awe of the most mesmerizing dance. It’s a thing of beauty.

I need not sell this film to any fan of the genre or of Takashi Miike, but for those less familiar, I say this… if you liked THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and THE DIRTY DOZEN, or any of the many westerns and war films influenced by these and countless classic samurai films, do yourself a favor and indulge in Takashi Miike’s 13 ASSASSINS, which opens in Saint Louis on Friday, May 27th for a limited one-week-only run at the Tivoli Theatre.