13 Assassins Review

Saturday, 07 May 2011 17:46 | by Jon Goddard

Goodness, Gracious Great Bulls of Fire!...

13 Assassins...and I thought one was difficult enough

Having seen and enjoyed cult Japanese swordplay films before, including the original of this remake, I had a feeling I knew exactly how the plot of this particular period drama would develop and hoped that knowing the end of the story wouldn’t ruin the rest of the film. You see, the plot of these films are as old as the subject matter themselves, and have appeared in enough Hollywood films that even the most infrequent of film goers will know how it goes.

Fortunately, cult director Takeshi Miike - of Ichi the Killer and Audition fame - is able to refresh the subject matter and shows a genuine care in how the film is produced. The skilful craftsmanship of the director is present throughout and allows you to sit back and enjoy the simplicity of the spectacle unfolding before you; without being distracted by the inevitability of what will happen.

Set at the end of the Shogun era and based on true events in Japan, the film opens with a bloody example of what is to come, as a Japanese lord commits harikiri in protest of the actions of Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira (Inagaki Goro). It appears that the over privileged Lord Naritsugu has been pillaging, raping and decapitating his locals as he saw fit, in a rather dubious attempt to satisfy his lust for violence and blood. So, driven by rage, vengeance and an undeniable degree of desperation, the men in charge of justice for the nation hatch a plan to assassinate him and prevent another war.

Shinzaemon Shimada (Koji Yakusho) is the samurai given the impossible task; one which he accepts after considering the honourable death that may await. He gathers his posse of 12 (12 I hear you cry, but the film is called 13 Assassins! More on that later) other samurai and, between them, plot to ambush the evil lord in the isolated village of Ochiai. Before leaving, the duty bound Hanbei (Masachika Ichimura), Naritsugu's samurai bodyguard and former sparring partner of Shinza, attempts to persuade Shinzaemon to leave his master alone, a scene which asks the age old samurai question of duty over morality. However Shinza ignores his pleas and the group depart for the village.

Following departure, Shinzaemon etal are subsequently ambushed by Ronin, a samurai hitman with no masters, and a fee paid for by Naritsugu. This gives a preview of what a group of Samurai can do against lesser trained soldiers, cutting through the mercenaries like a katana through sushi. To avoid further attack, the group divert to the jungle where they come across Kiga Koyata (Yusuke Iseya), a hunter trapped in a net who claims to be of samurai lineage. He offers to join the group - rounding off their numbers and ensuring the films namesake - before leading them to the village where ambush preparations are made.

However, before the battle royale breaks out, it is announced that Lord Naritsugu’s guard has quadrupled from 70 to 200; but, despite facing somewhat impossible odds, the samurai stand their ground and the ambush goes ahead.

Normally a fight sequence that lasts over 40 minutes can get tiring. Your eyes get bored of the constant shaky camera shots; the blood and gore desensitises you from the drama; and the initial rush of adrenaline you felt at the start gradually fades away...along with your interest in the film. However, Miike handles the action masterfully, as each sequence is broken down into easily digested set pieces, allowing for better fluidity and greater audience interaction. The use of CGI blood can occasionally be distracting but it wasn’t so overbearing as to detract from the fantastic choreography of the combat on show.

A special mention has to go to the sound director, whose remarkable involvement has produced sounds that are as beautiful as they are visceral. From the soft, thudding feet against the wooden floored homes in the first act - to the wince inducing sound of swords slicing through flesh in the third - the audio remains one of this films highlights, perfectly complementing the on screen cinematography.

The characters in 13 Assassins may seem familiar. There is the 'slightly chubby comedy value' samurai, the 'drunk and gambling, down on his luck' samurai, as well as the 'drunken master style' samurai and the wily 'grand old master'; each of which are executed well by the actors in question, and you never doubt the authenticity of each. Make no mistake, even though its story, characters and ending are entirely predictable, 13 Assassins is very enjoyable. Takeshi Miike has successfully blended his ultra violent style with the more traditional style of Japanese greats such as Kurosawa and Ozu, creating a great modern take on a true Japanese classic.

4 stars