Review of 13 Assassins (2010) by Michael O — 13 Dec 2011

Takashi Miike significantly tones down the weird and turns up the action with 13 Assassins. Set in the dying days of feudal Japan, the film follows 13 samarai who've never been tested in battle but must unite in a suicidal mission to destroy the Shogun's brother, an almost comically ruthless villain who threatens to plunge peaceful Japan back into an era of eternal conflict.

While character development and plot are slight, the film's seamless blend of action, comedy and style rival Miike's best work. While this is a remake, Miike not surprisingly leaves his own imprint.

At the same time, those who cringe at the extreme violence and ribald obscenity of much of his oeuvre, will find a more approachable, if not necessarily more restrained, Miike. In particular, the final set piece, an epic confrontation that destroys an entire town and an entire army, ranks with the great battle sequences of all time.