13 Assassins (3½ Stars)

The film takes place in Japan at the end of the Samurai era, probably around 1840. The old ways of honour and loyalty are dying. Where noble men once fought battles of skill with swords, now any unskilled buffoon can buy a gun to shoot his enemies. Against this background the corrupt and sadistic young man Naritsugu inherits the leadership of the shogun from his father. This causes a rift among the samurai. Half say that they should follow him regardless of his moral qualities because it's the "shogun way". The other half want to oppose him, though they prefer to do this by assassination, because they agree that he is the rightful leader as long as he lives.

This is a film that I'd heard a lot about. It's a remake of a 1963 film with the same name, but it borrows more of its style from the 1954 film "Seven Samurai". The film is advertised as having the longest battle scene ever, lasting 45 minutes. And Takashi Miike is one of Japan's best directors.

Unfortunately I had difficulty relating to the film. Everything in the first 90 minutes was a build up to the final battle (which only lasted 30 minutes, not 45 as advertised). For me it was painfully slow. Long discussions about honour and morality, no action. I also found that there were too many assassins to remember. All 13 were introduced by name, but as a typical viewer I could only remember the names and personalities of about five of them. The rest were a blur, especially in the final battle.

The strength of the film is the final battle, of course. If I were rating that scene alone I would give it at least 4 stars, maybe more. The rest of the film doesn't rise above 2 stars. I'll be generous and average it at 3½ stars. I do have to point out that other reviewers have rated this film highly, so if you're a fan of samurai epics check it out. And if you like it more than I do, leave a comment.

Click here to view the trailer.