Takashi Miike is a director that, if you've heard of him at all before, courts controversy. His films Audition and Ichi the Killer are the definition of what the modern audience would call moral bankruptcy. I'm actually inclined to agree with them on this one. I find Miike's jet black humour often wildly misplaced, despite a clear artistic vision often on display. The degrading nature of Miike's content often tarnishes whatever other ideas he is trying to put forward.
13 Assassins is the sole exception (in my personal case) where that is not the case. Yes, the film is exceptionally violent. This time though the violence feels justifiable. A sadistic character commits sadistic acts, but importantly the character feels like a character rather than a caricature. His actions feel motivated, rather than aimless. Similarly, this is Samurai movie (the title itself recalls Kurosawa's epic Seven Samurai), and thus the lopping off of a limb is more likely than say hanging a man by hooks in a warehouse. The blood is within a context that makes sense.
The plot (loose term) concerns a Shogun's bastard brother Naritsugu sadistically travelling around and out of apparent boredom is committing atrocious acts of violence on servants and his hosts alike. The growing rage in Japan is marking Naritsugu out as a man who needs to be disposed of. Unfortunately, the man has a cult of personality accumulating about his person and his legion of followers is willing to protect him, or if it comes to it, die for him.
Thus a disgraced ronin (read: masterless samurai) assembles a team to take on the force and assassinate Naritsugu. The film, like Kurosawa's, is long but rewarding. We witness the team assemble. Admittedly, few of these characters register beyond 'spear guy' and 'mohawked bredda with short sword', but that is actually not a bad thing in this case. The nature of ronin being masterless goes beyond mere employment but status. These men are isolated from the world they have been charged to protect. The chance to go out in a blaze of arrows and swordplay gives their death meaning. Their deaths do register on the thematic level and thus we feel their passing though admittedly as cool a title as 13 Assassins is, Seven Samurai are a more manageable amount of characters.
The reason to stick with the film is for its second half. The 150 minute running time is divided into a distinct two halves. One is meeting all the characters; the second half is the battle. And boy, is it a battle. Easily the most thrilling action sequence of the year and almost entirely without the aid of CG, the battle never once drags or pauses for air. Constantly evolving and throwing in surprises there is never a dull moment.
WHILE THE MOVIE STRUGGLES IN ITS OPENING HALF, THE SECOND HALF IS WHY WE GO TO THE MOVIES.
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