Prolific cult director Takashi Miike reaches a new peak with this colorful remake of Eiichi Kudo's 1963 Jûsan-nin no shikaku. Set in mid-19th-century feudal Japan, 13 Assassins begins with a startling hara-kiri sequence: the victim could not overcome the shame that followed in the wake of the rape and murder of his daughter by the evil Lord Naritsugu (Gorô Inagaki), brother of the ruling shogun. When an official within the shogunate plots the assassination of Naritsugu by hiring the samurai Shinzaemon Shimada (Kôji Yakusho), the warrior forms and leads the eponymous baker's dozen, who prepare to take down Naritsugu and his militia. While the plot's core concept is the stuff of numerous action flicks, this film stands out from the pack thanks to extraordinary camerawork, rich costume and production design, and a memorable star turn by Yakusho (best known stateside for Memoirs of a Geisha and Babel). The inevitable climactic confrontation is pure Miike gold—including some of the most remarkable swordplay ever captured in a Japanese production—and masterfully presented. Highly recommended. [Note: Blu-ray/DVD extras include an interview with director Takashi Miike (19 min.), deleted scenes (18 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film, and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this excellent remake.] (P. Hall)
13 Assassins
Magnolia, 126 min., in Japanese w/English subtitles, R, DVD: $26.99, Blu-ray: $29.99, July 5 Volume 26, Issue 4
13 Assassins
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