I wasnt quite sure what to expect when the opening credits appeared for 13 Assassins. I watched with idle enthusiasm as frames of text flickered across my screen, setting up the background to the film, and fading to a man kneeling in a courtyard.
With silent serenity, the man began to perform a Hara Kiri; a slow, painful, honourable suicide for a disgraced samurai warrior. Not a word is said as the man stabs himself in the gut and draws the blade across his stomach before falling in a pool of blood. This intense, nerve-testing scene sets the tone of the film brilliantly and aptly demonstrates a samurais devotion to their cause.
The film depicts a group of unemployed samurais banding together to assassinate the Shoguns evil younger brother, Naritsugu, before he can bring the land into an age of chaos and bloodshed. The warriors anguish is central, as they are torn between killing a member of their Shoguns family (the ultimate betrayal) and stopping what they know to be a crusade of evil intent.
Amongst the political unrest we see old friendships torn apart, the bonds of family fastened and sacrifices being made all before they set off on their journey. This emotional crutch supports the warriors on their mission and guides their hands in the final 45-minute showdown against an army of Naritsugus own samurai. Here we see the true extent of their camaraderie as they fight against impossible odds, using guerrilla warfare and flaming bovine, before meeting the enemy head-on in a powerful, blood-curdling fight to the death.
The character that shines the most in the film has to be Naritsugu. His complete lack of concern for human life and sordid displays of cruelty create an air of such evil that you hope to God that the assassins succeed in their mission. Naritsugu is not a misunderstood individual with a painful past, or a person clear-minded enough to eventually see the error of his ways. Hes a greedy, lavished being whose blood runs black with wickedness. The scenes that he is in are often distressing and shocking, and so Naritsugu makes the perfect enemy.
This is not to say that the film doesnt have its flaws. When the band of assassins reach a forest, director Takashi Miike (Audition, Ichi The Killer) introduces a character called Kiga, whose jokes and antics change the tone of the film completely, and not for the better. His animé-style statements break up the combat for the sake of a cheesy one-liner and his endless bounty of energy made me as a viewer almost as exhausted as the rest of his party.
It would also have been nice if the film hadnt fallen back on the old cliché of having the quality of samurai skill differing massively depending solely on if youre a protagonist or not. Where the assassins are well versed in the art of combat, Naritsugus samurai manage to put up as much of a fight as the Putty Men from Power Rangers, and are depicted as cowardly targets barely able to hold a sword straight without shaking uncontrollably.
These are, however, minor dents in an otherwise brilliant re-imagining of a 1963 classic and can be easily overlooked if youre not an overbearing pessimist like me.
Overall Verdict: It is a triumph of emotion and action blending harmoniously together. Mixed with litres of shed blood and a compelling story-line, 13 Assassins has quickly become one of the best world cinema releases in the past few years.
Special Features:
Interview with Takashi Miike
Deleted Scenes
Trailer
Reviewer: Dean Barratt