Review of 13 Assassins (2010) by Jonathan H — 25 Feb 2012

Much like The Dark Knight deconstructs the idea of the superhero, Miike's masterful 13 Assassins does the same with the samurai as a guardian of values in an increasingly valueless feudal Japan. The film does a fantastic job weighing the myth of the samurai as not merely an anachronism, but as a belief system whose core reverberates, regardless of historical placement.

Thematic concerns aside, it is shot beautifully, with a gritty artistry that belies many of the so called "epics" we see today. The action is tightly wound, and expertly choreographed with a small dose of Miike's morbidly hyper-realistic violent aesthetic.

Doing so adds a tremendous amount of stature and weight. This may be the most complete film to date for the great director, and proves once for all that Miike is far more than a mere provocateur. I love samurai films, but 13 Assassins is the first I've seen that views this culture through a postmodern lens.

Approaching it from this perspective gives "the samurai film" more teeth and a deeply philosophical current that hasn't been seen since Kurosawa's golden years.