13 Assassins - Review Thread

Daniel · 07-11-2011, 12:31 PM

13 Assassins - Review Thread

Perusing Rotten Tomatoes one day, I saw a film getting high marks and was intrigued by the title. When I clicked on it to get more information, my suspicions were correct in that this was either a ninja or samurai film (the latter being the case). When I saw that "13 Assassins" is directed by Takashi Miike of "Audition," "Ichi the Killer," and "Three Extremes" fame, I knew I was in for a bloody treat.

"13 Assassins" tells the story of a land where the role of the samurai seems to be in question and is in a time of transition. One side of the samurai community feels the traditional ways of existing only to serve and protect the master are to be upheld while the other side believes samurai are to be a champion for the people. When a blood-thirsty and evil-hearted master thrusts his sword and shoots his arrows into the hearts of good people, these two camps find themselves at odds and must deal with the matter at hand.

Leading the side that wishes to uphold justice for the people is Shinzaemon. He is asked to assassinate the evil master (the brother of the Shogun), Lord Naritsugu. Shinzaemon gathers a team of 11 assassins and embarks on a mission to bring Naritsugu's horrific reign to an end. Along the way, they pick up an ally, bringing the total number to 13, and then set out to use a town to ambush Naritsugu as he journeys with a small army of warriors. The familiar story of bravery and the samurai honor unfolds, and the body count adds up as those with strong convictions on both sides of the fence collide in an epic samurai battle.

Miike is known for his use of over-the-top violence and gore. "13 Assassins" sure has its share of it, but it's different from "Ichi" or "Audition." "Ichi," to me, was pretty laughable because some of the gore was so ridiculously over the top, especially when "Ichi" was trying to fight a group of gangsters while slipping on copious amounts of blood and intestines on the floor. "Audition" was a torture film that made me actually turn from the screen for a few instances. "13 Assassins," while gory, is nothing like those two. Here, the violence and gore is appropriate with what you would expect from a serious samurai film. There are a few laughs shared between the samurai, and the mysterious man they encounter along the way is pretty zany himself, but Miike keeps the film on-track as a serious entry in his repertoire.

The film is a lot simpler than I imagined. Naritsugu has a few instances of brutality and cruelty to give as an idea of how heartless he is, then the team is assembled, they carry out plans to move Naritsugu to a particular town, travel through the forest, and then arrive at and fortify the town in order to set up a battleground that works in their favor since numbers are highly against them. Then, the final battle takes place, and it does not disappoint in the least. The traps they set up are nice, and these samurai are brutal, adept warriors.

The problems I had were small, but present nonetheless: First off, I saw a dubbed version of this film, and it was absolutely ridiculous. I felt like I was watching a Marvel vs DC video on Youtube because the voices were so bad and the audio track did not "gel" with the film very well. It took me out of the movie quite a bit to the point that I actually had to work to get over it and keep watching. Second, Naritsugu was a pretty one-dimensional villian. He does some heinous crap, cackles about it, acts arrogant on-screen, then kind of fails to deliver much of a good final fight in the film. If anything, his right-hang man, Hanbei, is much more the anti-hero to be tussled with and has much more dimension. I couldn't understand if Miike meant to make Hanbei the main antagonist, but if that is the case, then too much attention is paid to Naritsugu's horrific acts of atrocity and him being presented as the villain of the film. Hanbei isn't necessarily a villain, but he does all the masterminding of strategy and gives us the proper one-on-one final fight. Additionally, I felt like we didn't really get to know some of the assassins very well. I think the film could have used an additional 15 - 20 minutes to give us more face/relaxation time to see them interacting or even setting the traps up. Part of the fun of movies like "Predator" is seeing Arnold gathering supplies, setting up traps, and then seeing how they work. In "13 Assassins," little talk of the traps occurs, and suddenly they are just there. As cool as they are, it's a little gripe that I would have liked to see more development for.

Those small issues aside, "13 Assassins," is entertaining, a good story, and provides some relentless action for the last 45 minutes or so. I liked the man in the woods they encountered, Koyata, and he brought a bit of light relief to otherwise heavy scenes. It is worth noting that some strange things happen regarding him in the film, and if you are unfamiliar with in-depth Japanese folklore (as I certainly was), a little investigation on the internet is going to be required. I could see this annoying a lot of people since there is a pretty big "WTF" moment at the end of the film involving him.

Maybe I need to explore Miike's library of films further, but this is the first one I saw of his that I thought was a take at more serious cinema. For what it's worth, I think he did a great job with it.

8/10

Doomsday · 08-19-2011, 06:06 PM

I recently watched this and loved it. Like you said, it's a simple story but thematically rich with a very epic scope, very Kurosawa-esque. It doesn't fall any traps of bland characterization, making (almost) every 'assassin' unique without being stereotypical. Definitely a good movie for action/epic fans.

In a short 'because I'm at work' review, A so says Doomsday.

Starwars411 · 08-19-2011, 07:12 PM

The huge battle at the end was awesome.

Justin · 08-28-2011, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doomsday

I recently watched this and loved it. Like you said, it's a simple story but thematically rich with a very epic scope, very Kurosawa-esque. It doesn't fall any traps of bland characterization, making (almost) every 'assassin' unique without being stereotypical. Definitely a good movie for action/epic fans.

In a short 'because I'm at work' review, A so says Doomsday.

Ditto.

Rating: A

nine1wing · 08-28-2011, 04:53 PM

I was bummed about the hunter, I like him, some disturbing scenes like the chick when they remove the blanket, good movie.

Daniel · 08-28-2011, 08:22 PM

The more I think about it, the more I want to bump my rating to a 9/10. I need to see a version without the awful english dubbing, however. I am ok with subtitles and what to see that version. I'll check it on Netflix to see what they have.

Justin · 08-29-2011, 02:27 AM

See it with subtitles, you'll like it a lot more.

Starwars411 · 08-29-2011, 05:58 AM

Saw it with the subtitles, makes it feel more authentic. Dubbing can ruin dramatic movies like this.

Daniel · 08-29-2011, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

See it with subtitles, you'll like it a lot more.

I am thinking that is probably going to be the case. The English dubbing made the characters sound a lot more comical than I think Miike was going for. It really was on-par with those dubs on those YouTube Marvel vs DC videos.

PG Cooper · 08-29-2011, 08:14 AM

Wow, you guys have made me really wanna see this.

Tolkien · 08-29-2011, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

See it with subtitles, you'll like it a lot more.

That was the version I saw. I hate english dubbing. One of my favorites of the year.

shained · 05-31-2012, 06:32 PM

Quality film but what was the deal with the hunter at the very end. He died!

Daniel · 06-01-2012, 08:49 AM

I'm gonna cut y .... hey wait! 3 out of 5 threads spammed were my reviews! I think I like you.

Daniel · 06-02-2012, 01:55 PM

now i just look crazy

Fanible · 06-02-2012, 10:17 PM

Daniel is talking to himself again.

Tolkien · 06-02-2012, 11:18 PM

It's lonely on these boards, I'm surprised more of us aren't doing it.

Justin · 06-03-2012, 03:29 AM

I thought I'd post this, since it's really that awesome. This would look good in my room:

JGBarnes · 06-09-2012, 12:16 PM

Excellent film. A bit slow at first, but wow does it ever get shocking and flat out awesome. If anyone has Netflix it's still streaming on there. It's a must watch!

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07-11-2011, 12:31 PM	#1
Daniel Flawed Design Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,607	13 Assassins - Review Thread 13 Assassins - Review Thread Perusing Rotten Tomatoes one day, I saw a film getting high marks and was intrigued by the title. When I clicked on it to get more information, my suspicions were correct in that this was either a ninja or samurai film (the latter being the case). When I saw that "13 Assassins" is directed by Takashi Miike of "Audition," "Ichi the Killer," and "Three Extremes" fame, I knew I was in for a bloody treat. "13 Assassins" tells the story of a land where the role of the samurai seems to be in question and is in a time of transition. One side of the samurai community feels the traditional ways of existing only to serve and protect the master are to be upheld while the other side believes samurai are to be a champion for the people. When a blood-thirsty and evil-hearted master thrusts his sword and shoots his arrows into the hearts of good people, these two camps find themselves at odds and must deal with the matter at hand. Leading the side that wishes to uphold justice for the people is Shinzaemon. He is asked to assassinate the evil master (the brother of the Shogun), Lord Naritsugu. Shinzaemon gathers a team of 11 assassins and embarks on a mission to bring Naritsugu's horrific reign to an end. Along the way, they pick up an ally, bringing the total number to 13, and then set out to use a town to ambush Naritsugu as he journeys with a small army of warriors. The familiar story of bravery and the samurai honor unfolds, and the body count adds up as those with strong convictions on both sides of the fence collide in an epic samurai battle. Miike is known for his use of over-the-top violence and gore. "13 Assassins" sure has its share of it, but it's different from "Ichi" or "Audition." "Ichi," to me, was pretty laughable because some of the gore was so ridiculously over the top, especially when "Ichi" was trying to fight a group of gangsters while slipping on copious amounts of blood and intestines on the floor. "Audition" was a torture film that made me actually turn from the screen for a few instances. "13 Assassins," while gory, is nothing like those two. Here, the violence and gore is appropriate with what you would expect from a serious samurai film. There are a few laughs shared between the samurai, and the mysterious man they encounter along the way is pretty zany himself, but Miike keeps the film on-track as a serious entry in his repertoire. The film is a lot simpler than I imagined. Naritsugu has a few instances of brutality and cruelty to give as an idea of how heartless he is, then the team is assembled, they carry out plans to move Naritsugu to a particular town, travel through the forest, and then arrive at and fortify the town in order to set up a battleground that works in their favor since numbers are highly against them. Then, the final battle takes place, and it does not disappoint in the least. The traps they set up are nice, and these samurai are brutal, adept warriors. The problems I had were small, but present nonetheless: First off, I saw a dubbed version of this film, and it was absolutely ridiculous. I felt like I was watching a Marvel vs DC video on Youtube because the voices were so bad and the audio track did not "gel" with the film very well. It took me out of the movie quite a bit to the point that I actually had to work to get over it and keep watching. Second, Naritsugu was a pretty one-dimensional villian. He does some heinous crap, cackles about it, acts arrogant on-screen, then kind of fails to deliver much of a good final fight in the film. If anything, his right-hang man, Hanbei, is much more the anti-hero to be tussled with and has much more dimension. I couldn't understand if Miike meant to make Hanbei the main antagonist, but if that is the case, then too much attention is paid to Naritsugu's horrific acts of atrocity and him being presented as the villain of the film. Hanbei isn't necessarily a villain, but he does all the masterminding of strategy and gives us the proper one-on-one final fight. Additionally, I felt like we didn't really get to know some of the assassins very well. I think the film could have used an additional 15 - 20 minutes to give us more face/relaxation time to see them interacting or even setting the traps up. Part of the fun of movies like "Predator" is seeing Arnold gathering supplies, setting up traps, and then seeing how they work. In "13 Assassins," little talk of the traps occurs, and suddenly they are just there. As cool as they are, it's a little gripe that I would have liked to see more development for. Those small issues aside, "13 Assassins," is entertaining, a good story, and provides some relentless action for the last 45 minutes or so. I liked the man in the woods they encountered, Koyata, and he brought a bit of light relief to otherwise heavy scenes. It is worth noting that some strange things happen regarding him in the film, and if you are unfamiliar with in-depth Japanese folklore (as I certainly was), a little investigation on the internet is going to be required. I could see this annoying a lot of people since there is a pretty big "WTF" moment at the end of the film involving him. Maybe I need to explore Miike's library of films further, but this is the first one I saw of his that I thought was a take at more serious cinema. For what it's worth, I think he did a great job with it. 8/10 __________________ Only fear can make you feel lonely out here Last edited by Daniel; 07-12-2011 at 08:33 AM.

08-28-2011, 08:22 PM	#6
Daniel Flawed Design Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,607	The more I think about it, the more I want to bump my rating to a 9/10. I need to see a version without the awful english dubbing, however. I am ok with subtitles and what to see that version. I'll check it on Netflix to see what they have. __________________ Only fear can make you feel lonely out here

08-29-2011, 08:14 AM	#10
PG Cooper Raging Bull Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 6,141	Wow, you guys have made me really wanna see this. __________________ PG Cooper's Movie Reviews Our Youtube Channel CS! Recod Holder: Quickest Review in the Film Club (2 hours 19 minutes). April 18th, 2013, 9:24 PM-???? "Terminator 2's a pretty awesome movie."- Paul Thomas Anderson

05-31-2012, 06:32 PM	#12
shained Y.N.W.A Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: liverpool, england Posts: 3,385	Quality film but what was the deal with the hunter at the very end. He died! __________________ Liverpool Football Club You'll Never Walk Alone Letterboxd

08-19-2011, 07:12 PM	#3
Starwars411 Darth Smith Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 5,295	The huge battle at the end was awesome.

08-28-2011, 04:53 PM	#5
nine1wing Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 371	I was bummed about the hunter, I like him, some disturbing scenes like the chick when they remove the blanket, good movie.

08-29-2011, 02:27 AM	#7
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	See it with subtitles, you'll like it a lot more.

08-29-2011, 05:58 AM	#8
Starwars411 Darth Smith Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 5,295	Saw it with the subtitles, makes it feel more authentic. Dubbing can ruin dramatic movies like this.

06-01-2012, 08:49 AM	#13
Daniel Flawed Design Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,607	I'm gonna cut y .... hey wait! 3 out of 5 threads spammed were my reviews! I think I like you. __________________ Only fear can make you feel lonely out here

06-02-2012, 01:55 PM	#14
Daniel Flawed Design Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,607	now i just look crazy __________________ Only fear can make you feel lonely out here

06-02-2012, 10:17 PM	#15
Fanible FanFreakinTastic Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Oh, hi yo Posts: 15,892	Daniel is talking to himself again. __________________ My movie addiction is life controlling

06-02-2012, 11:18 PM	#16
Tolkien LOTR Junkie™ Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Minas Tirith Posts: 15,032	It's lonely on these boards, I'm surprised more of us aren't doing it. __________________ “When you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.” -- The Truth. My Facebook - My Twitter - My Blog

06-03-2012, 03:29 AM	#17
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	I thought I'd post this, since it's really that awesome. This would look good in my room:

06-09-2012, 12:16 PM	#18
JGBarnes Boom Operator Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Detroit Posts: 58	Excellent film. A bit slow at first, but wow does it ever get shocking and flat out awesome. If anyone has Netflix it's still streaming on there. It's a must watch!