13 Assassins

There's so much misplaced hubbub made about "serious" films, and their antithesis, CGI spectacles, but the major point of cinema is lost on these: that an extremely fun film is better than the decently profound film. By this real standard, INDIANA JONES is a better film than, say, THE KING'S SPEECH because it is more fun than THE KING'S SPEECH is profound. Japanese director Takashi Miike understands the importance of outstanding fun or outstanding anything within the realm of cinema, and thus he makes outstanding films, whether that be an outstanding action movie, or an outstanding art house film. With 13 ASSASSINS, he accomplishes this. Although it's a remake of a 1963 film of the same plot, Miike's film is fresh. It consists of two parts. The first arranges the action by introducing the assassins who must inevitably show up and have a reason to be assassins. They are samurai at the end of their age, but are enlisted by a politician to assassinate a brutal royal member: the brother of the Shogun. This man is pure evil, going about the worst acts imaginable that surpass evil and enter sadism. Because of this we get completely on the samurai side, as they spout phrases about honor and duty. The samurai come up with a plan for their assassination. They are only 13 men, facing 200 guards. They set up a town for their ambush, but Miike smartly keeps what they're doing under wraps, revealing only a bit of their intents. When the ambush finally comes, after we have been compelled to care about the various characters, and even given some comic relief, Miike brings on the surprises, joyously showing comprehensive, believable sequences of absolute brilliance. Furthermore, after he has already proven his storytelling prowess, he continues to develop his characters even in the second act. Even his statements about samurai warriors is a smart and worthy one of the rest of his film. 13 ASSASSINS is a terrific action movie.
13 Assassins: ★★★★