Takeshi Miikes 13 Assassins is his most mature and masterful film to date. Slow moving with well developed characters and a consistent tone, the film is pretty much the opposite of what you expect from a Miike film. Splatter is absent in the movie and the shocking imagery that has previously been Miike stock in trade is all but absent from the film, aside from one truly disturbing scene.
The story of the film is one that you will of seen many times if you are in any way familiar with Samurai films. The Shoguns younger brother is Lord Naritsugu, portrayed as an otherworldly force, taking inhuman pleasure in the cruelty he inflicts on others. His behaviour is fermenting rebellion against the Shogunate. Shinzaemon, an older Samurai is hired to assassinate him. He is disgusted with Naritsugu and is delighted to be given the opportunity to die a heroes death in battle. Together with 12 other Samurai and Ronin a plot is hatched to kill the Shoguns younger brother while he is travelling, climaxing in a showdown between the 13 assassins and Naritsugu's 200 guards and Hanbei, Shizaemons old sparring partner who is now Naritsugu's chief of security.
Though the plot is predictable and features many clichés the direction of the film elevates the material. The themes of the film, the danger of unquestioning loyalty and pain of ageing, adds extra resonance to the movie. The main protagonists in the film are old, they have lived a life of complete servitude to their masters. Their willingness to question authority and act against tyranny defines the characters and the story of the film.
The film clocks in at just under 2 hours of which 45 minutes is the climactic battle sequence. The film is expertly paced, the first hour of the film is spent introducing the many characters and building the relationships between them. All of the assassins are given distinct personalities and while only a select few are given any real depth enough characterization is provided to make you care about these people and their eventual fate (the suicidal nature of their mission is repeatedly empathized throughout the film, lines such as “those who value life die a dogs death” abound in this movie). Lord Naritsugu is never really shown as anything but pure evil, but the character is played with such childlike glee that he never feels like a stock villain. Hanbei, Naritsugu's chief of security is played very sympathetically. He is not an evil or even bad person, he is just unwavering loyal to Naritsugu no matter what his actions.
Miike builds the tension to breaking point in the middle of the film as both sides try to outwit one another before the incredibly visceral “Total Massacre” that is the final 45 minutes of the movie. This is where Miikes skills as a director come to the fore. To make any action scene exciting is difficult, its a task that most mainstream directors are seemingly incapable of, and to make a 45 minute action scene which holds your attention the entire time and is never boring is a something that very rarely happens. The characterization established early in the films means you are invested in the assassins and makes the action easy to follow. You know these people and have no trouble knowing who is who, which could be a problem given they wear the same clothes and have the same hair. CGI is used sparingly and on the whole very well, there are CGI animals which are very lacking, and while enough blood is split to turn every character in the movie red by the end credits there is very little actual gore. The action is well choreographed and edited, a feeling of exhilaration is maintained throughout the entire climax.
The film making is far from revolutionary, there are no great sweeping camera moves or amazing special effects but the film doesn't need them. 13 Assassins is carried by its excellent script, acting and the understated (for Miike) directing, with the empathize on characters and clear action. Miike has undoubtedly made his masterpiece. Lacking all the elements which usually derail Miike films, inconsistent tone and a juvenile desire to shock to name just two, 13 Assassins is uniformally excellent on every level. I can't imagine I will see a better film this year.
