Review of 13 Assassins (2010) by Andrew B — 26 Jan 2015

"13 Assassins" is an epic battle of good versus evil, with the stakes as high as they could possibly be. You've got a group of rag-tag heroes pitted against a villain so diabolical every cell in your being wants to see him killed.

Don't think that means he's a cartoon though, because what really makes this movie something special for me is that while the film is grandiose and epic, it's never so outlandish that it feels like a fantasy film.

The climax is nothing short of incredible. It grabs you, pumps up the stakes as high as they can get and never lets go until the credits start rolling. It's a sure hit for anyone who loves Samurai movies or any film where the underdog stand to lose everything but decide to take the chance anyway.

One note though, when you watch the movie have your remote ready during the first few scenes because with the subtitles being at the bottom of the screen at the same time as some crucial written information being displayed, you have to pause the movie in order to get all of the little bits of information and the names memorized.

If that sounds like extra work, you won't even mind after seeing the explosive action contained within this truly legendary battle. (Original Language with subtitles on Dvd, January 2012).