Directed by: Takashi Miike
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Iseya, Goro Inagaki, Masachika Ichimura
Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins may well be the most wholly accomplished and satisfying film to come our way all year (and bear in mind, the year is creeping up on the halfway mark). In some ways, it’s essentially a standard samurai film, but in other ways, it completely subverts that claim. Setting the film in an end-of-an-era time when the samurai and their code are about to become extinct, it would have been an easy task to trade on the inherent emotional kick that comes with watching an era pass, and to sentimentalize the samurai. 13 Assassins, however, has very little use for senimentality of any kind, and instead makes the case that there are very good reasons for this era to end—even suggesting that the samurai code of unswerving allegiance is itself at fault and flawed, and needs to die to make way for modern man.
Do not, however, get the idea that 13 Assassins is in any sense a deeply meditative think-piece. This is a full scale epic. It trades in spectacle and is essentially a really big Western that takes place in 1844 Japan. To give some idea of how much the film sticks to the action/spectacle concept, nearly the entire second half of the film consists of the prolonged showdown between our 13 assassins and the much larger forces of the story’s central villain, Lord Naritsugu (Goro Inagaki), who, by the way, is the most thoroughly detestable and frightening bad guy to come along in some considerable time.
The film spends its first half establishing the insane perfidy of Naritsugu and the reason behind the outnumbered 13 samurai’s (well, 12 samurai and one eccentric hanger-on) equally insane mission to assassinate the man. Naritsugu redefines the idea of the degenenerate aristocrat. He doesn’t merely think nothing of raping and viciously murdering anyone any time it strikes his fancy, but he revels in his innate sense of superiority and the psychotic kicks he gets from his actions. The central issue is forced when he rapes the daughter-in-law of a host, hacks her husband to death when he dares to object, and then knocks off the ravished lady for good measure. It is this—combined with being shown the lone survivor (a woman left with no arms, feet or tongue) of one of his murderous escapades—that prompts the retired samurai Shinzaemon (Koji Yakusho) to come out of retirement and assemble his elite band of assassins. He—along with the people who desire his aid—realizes the depths into which the country will be plunged when Naritsugu attains his full power.
Some time is spent on assembling the crew, intelligently mapping out their campaign, and—for the sake of good drama—setting up the fact that Naritsugu’s chief samurai protector, Hanbei (Masachika Ichimura), is an old classmate of Shinzaemon—and his old nemesis. There are no prizes for guessing the order in which the various showdowns that make up the film’s final section will take place.
What makes the film work—beyond the performances and the magnificently staged last section—has much to do with the inclusion of that 13th nonsamurai assassin. This is Koyata (Yusuke Iseya), a wily, disreputable mountain hunter, who doesn’t think much of the samurai or their code from the onset and becomes progressively less impressed as the story unfolds. In many ways, he seems to represent the modern man—one who thinks for himself and is increasingly skeptical of tradition for its own sake. I suspect this is why Miike’s final scene is the major instance in the film that topples over into something like outright fantasy.
But the big selling point, of course, is that final showdown between the valiant 13 and Naritsugu and his men—and it works from start to finish. It’s huge, it’s exciting, the action is coherent, and its choreographic violence is a delight to behold (though bear in mind that is very violent and bloody, though not excessively bloody). Few action films have ever even attempted to sustain such a scene this long—and even fewer have succeeded. Do yourself a favor, though, and see this on the big screen. This does not belong on a TV. Rated R for sequences of bloody violence, some disturbing images and brief nudity.
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I hadn’t heard of this movie prior, but now I really want to see it. My only reservation is that I despise drawn-out, violent rape sequences. It’s just an unpleasant annoyance of mine. Should I be properly concerned in that regard? |
May 25, 2011 |
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I hadn’t heard of this movie prior, but now I really want to see it. My only reservation is that I despise drawn-out, violent rape sequences. It’s just an unpleasant annoyance of mine. Should I be properly concerned in that regard? No. This is Miike’s best film. |
 May 25, 2011 at 7:19 AM |
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No. Ok, thanks for the answer; but you didn’t really need to elaborate so much. This is Miike’s best film. I look forward to seeing it in all it’s (hopefully) epic, big-screen grandeur. |
May 25, 2011 |
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If memory serves, the rape scene is hardly shown. |
May 25, 2011 |
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I’ve been wondering whether to spend the $6.99 for the pay-per-view on this. I guess you just helped me make up my mind! |
 May 28, 2011 at 6:34 AM |
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I don’t mean any offense, but paying $7 to watch a movie at home sounds downright tragic to me. It’s only a tiny bit more for a big, theater screen. You’re missing so much without really saving money. That makes me sad inside. |
May 28, 2011 |
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Makes me sad too, but when you live in a smaller city, with no hope of this movie coming to either of the theaters here(both owned by Marcus Corp), it’s either that or wait and see if one of the cable channels ends up carrying it. |
May 28, 2011 at 9:52 AM |
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We all too often forget how well off we really are here in terms of what plays in theaters thanks to the Fine Arts and The Carolina. |
May 28, 2011 |
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Yes, I sometimes forget how blessed we are to have access to films like this. I’m sorry - that didn’t even occur to me. |
May 28, 2011 |
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I’m sorry - that didn’t even occur to me. I doubt that Chester was offended. |
May 28, 2011 |
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Not in the least. |
May 28, 2011 at 5:52 PM |
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Watched this for a second time last night, and I think that this could be my favorite film of the decade so far. Yes, I know that we just started the decade, but the statement packs more of a punch. |
May 29, 2011 at 8:16 AM |
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I wasn’t going to actually point that out. Then again, for the way we tend to look at decades (for instance, we don’t look at a film from 1940 and think of it as belonging the previous decade), you could be said to be about a year and five months into the decade. |
May 29, 2011 |
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If we are technical though isn’t the decade from 2011-2020? If anyone missed it at the theaters (don’t!), it’s coming out real soon on dvd. |
May 29, 2011 at 12:52 PM |
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If we are technical though isn’t the decade from 2011-2020? Who did you see wait till 2011 to include 2010 on a best of the decade list? |
May 29, 2011 |
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Movies are coming out so fast these days from theatrical release to whatever that I believe I saw everything I loved from 2010 last year. Valhalla Rising was my number one film and that came out on dvd in December. |
May 29, 2011 at 5:03 PM |
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I saw this again today and it’s still the best thing I’ve seen this year. I can’t say it’s even close, really. |
May 30, 2011 |
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Movies are coming out so fast these days from theatrical release to whatever that I believe I saw everything I loved from 2010 last year. That’s not my point. Yes, technically, years run 1 thru 10, not 0 thru 9, but when assessing the last movie decade, everybody did it at the end of 2009 and included 2000. So if you don’t put 2010 at the beginning of this decade, it’s going to be orphaned. It may be wrong, but it’s not new. If you pick up a book on 1940s movies, it’s going to include the movies from 1940. |
May 30, 2011 |
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I saw this again today and it’s still the best thing I’ve seen this year. I can’t say it’s even close, really. Nothing is coming immediately to mind, but I’d have to go over a list of everything I’ve seen to be sure I’m not forgetting something. |
May 30, 2011 |
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Nothing is coming immediately to mind, but I’d have to go over a list of everything I’ve seen to be sure I’m not forgetting something. Besides Rango, I can’t say there’s much that’s come out at that’s impressed me all that much this year. I think your list is a bit longer, though. |
May 30, 2011 |
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Besides Rango, I can’t say there’s much that’s come out at that’s impressed me all that much this year. I think your list is a bit longer, though. I will eschew the obvious riposte, but say that you’re probably right. At this point, though, that list shows signs of something like desperation. Paul and Insidious might hold on to the end of the year, but I doubt Drive Angry is likely to, no matter how much I enjoyed it. |
May 30, 2011 |
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I should note that Asheville has supported this film pretty handsomely, which is nice to see. |
Jun 01, 2011 |
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“I should note that Asheville has supported this film pretty handsomely, which is nice to see.” Does that mean I can wait for the weekend to see it? |
Jun 01, 2011 |
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Does that mean I can wait for the weekend to see it? Yes, it’s there for at least another week. |
Jun 01, 2011 |
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Jonathan, if you miss it it will be in on dvd in a month, but I strongly suggest catching it in the theater. |
Jun 01, 2011 at 4:27 PM |
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Thanks Ken and Orbit. I will try to catch it on the big screen. |
Jun 02, 2011 |
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Best $6.99 I ever spent! And I know I’ll be buying this when it comes out on DVD to add to the other few dozen Samurai films I already have. I am sorry that I missed the chance to see it on the big screen, it would have been wonderful. |
Jun 06, 2011 at 1:17 PM |
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Yeah, it’s mighty fine, isn’t it? |
Jun 06, 2011 |
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I’m impressed that this held up for another week, but with the additions of Midnight in Paris and Hobo with a Shotgun this week, it brings the art/indie total up to five movies at The Carolina. With Cave of Forgotten Dreams and (I guess this is art/indie) The Beaver down for next week (the latter might change), something’s—or more than one something—gonna have to leave next Friday. |
Jun 08, 2011 |
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I finally got the chance to watch this last night. It’s every bit as good as everyone has said. I loved it! SPOILER ALERT |
Jun 09, 2011 |
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I have nothing against the reading—though some real simian value would have been appreciated to make the point clearer and to just generally please me. My own problem is I’m not up on the mythology. I think I’m personally a little happier thinking that he represents the dawn of modern man rejecting the blind allegiances of the past. |
Jun 09, 2011 |
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I think I’m personally a little happier thinking that he represents the dawn of modern man rejecting the blind allegiances of the past. Regardless of what (if anything) Koyata is meant to specifically represent, there’s no doubt in my mind that the director intended to use the character as a catalyst to make that very statement within the film. To me, both readings seem perfectly valid, working in unison. I think the beauty of what Takashi has done, lies in the subtlety of all these things. Neither reading is specifically stated, but rather left in the hands of the viewer to decide on his own. It’s what I often love about good art. |
Jun 09, 2011 |
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Neither reading is specifically stated, but rather left in the hands of the viewer to decide on his own. It’s what I often love about good art. I can think of very few examples of good art—at least that with some attempt at depth—where there isn’t at least some ambiguity. |
Jun 12, 2011 |
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Kagi is a mountain spirit in the least, possibly the Monkey God. Upashi is shown eating her own fetus. That’s the act of demon in Japanese folklore, though demons aren’t always evil per se. The reason he is strung up is because he can’t die so he has to be contained. |
Ian Jun 17, 2011 |
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Violence has ‘loved you long-time’ in the art of moving pictures. But it may have never been so spectacular. I was clinging to my chair in fear for our heroes! BEST OF ‘11!!! |
Drum in AVL Aug 02, 2011 |
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Demystifying Kiga Koyata (an attempt) I was intrigued by Kiga’s character and so I watched the deleted scenes. The Director had decided to omit some scenes that define Kiga as unnatural/special. Unfortunately I don’t understand Japanese, and there were no English subtitles in the deleted scenes. This is what I could make out from the visuals alone: Kiga Deleted Scene #1: Kiga Deleted Scene #2: As night falls, the mayor snoops around Kiga’s den. Through sliding windows that are slightly open, he hears moans and screams of people having sex. He opens the windows for a better look and sees Kiga banging away at a girl. The girl can’t handle the extreme(pain or pleasure) and is screaming and writhing on the floor. As the mayor walks to the front door of Kiga’s den, he sees 6 prostitutes strewn all over the front lawn, half naked and exhausted, still moaning. Out stumbles the woman Kiga had just finished with, and she falls on her back with her legs open, holding her crotch, moaning and mumbling something I can’t make out. As the mayor decends to her aid, Kiga walks out completely naked and stands with his crotch at the mayors eye-level. The mayor takes a long, hard (excuse the pun) stare at his schlong - his eyes grow wide, his jaw drops and he mumbles something in Japanese. (I’m just guessing that he said OMFG WTF RU. There is a rustling in a nearby bush and Kiga sees a woman coming to her senses (I think). He rushes to assume the position and is about to bang her when the mayor stops him, suggesting something in Japanese. Kiga is then seen banging the mayor doggie style, and as the mayor screams in pain, Kagi yells “UPASHI!!!!! Summary: 1) Kiga is a mythical messenger of the Japanese God Oinari. *What I can’t figure out is his disfigured left ear. Or are they gills of a water-monkey? |
Yao-han Sep 12, 2011 |
