Review by Justin Bateman
Stars Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Iseya, Goro Inagaki, Masachika Ichimura,
Mikijiro Hira, Hiroki Matsukata, Ikki Sawamura, Tsuyoshi Ihara | Written by Daisuke Tengan
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £15.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 126 minutes | Directed by Takashi Miike
As much as I enjoyed the mystical, surreal fantasy martial arts of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and other ‘wire-fu’ films of that ilk, it’s good to get back to some good old-fashioned swordplay. Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins may be a remake but it’s a classic case of a simple story simply told.
Lord Naritsugu (Inagaki) is the Shogun’s brother and as such is above the law in a generally peaceful, feudal Japan. Naritsugu takes advantage of his position by raping and murdering just to amuse himself. But while his brother will take no action to prevent these atrocities Sir Doi (Hira), a top official of the Shogun has decided to take matters into his own hands by enlisting the help of Shinzaemon (Yakusho), a master samurai. Shinzaemon must gather together a team of the finest assassins he can find, from swordsmen to bomb experts, to take the life of Naritsugu and in so doing overcome the might of his highly trained and plentiful army of bodyguards.
Following a classic three-act structure, the first sets the scene slowly and quietly but with sufficient gravitas to make the point that the man the good guys are up against is a despot in the making, and that without their help innocent people will suffer. Shinzaemon soon gathers his band of men, all desperate in their own way to fulfil their roles as samurai. It’s soon clear that a straight fight will not work. However skilled the assassins, quality cannot in this case overcome the sheer quantity of the opposition. Shinzaemon must therefore employ what are effectively guerrilla military tactics to outwit his foe – and mightily effective they are too. To go into details would be to spoil what is a bloody battle that is as entertaining and imaginative as it is brutal. One of the clever things about the carefully choreographed fight sequences is that while they begin with measured camera movements, as the actions of those involved become more erratic and desperate, so do the visual representations. The violence, plentiful though it is, is never gratuitous. More often than not, Miike cuts away at the last minute, sparing either the viewer or the victim from the indignity of the moment of death. So when there is a decapitation (and there are a few) it has real resonance. Inevitably there are numerous deaths but the fact that they come largely at the hands of skilled swordsmen lends the whole affair a nobility of purpose and spirit that is even remarked upon by Naritsugu. Despite being an action adventure at heart, there would be no real drama or reason to care without there first being properly drawn characters. For Shinzaemon, this is a final gamble at making his life worthwhile, and the same can be said of his nephew Shinrokuro (Yamada). Sahara (Furuta) wants only to be paid but at least his reasons are honourable, Ogura (Masataka Kubota) has lost both of his parents at an early age, while Hirayama (Ihara) wants the chance to use his carefully honed skills. The one exception is Koyata (Iseya) who is no samurai but more than makes up for a lack of craft with his sheer bravura and joie de vivre.
Essentially though, all of them want to do the right thing and it’s virtually impossible not to cheer for them. As well as being a film about the meaning of life, the dignity of death and loyalty, 13 Assassins is a hugely enjoyable and masterfully directed slice of samurai excellence.
EXTRAS ★★★ Deleted scenes (22:47); an interview with Miike (18:45); the theatrical trailer