WATCH NOW
As a reviewer, I tend to consume a lot of discs, which means a ton of cinema, and at times, I catch myself thinking that I have seen it all and explored all there is to experience in the home entertainment world. Then a disc arrives that reminds me how ignorant I am, and worse, there is no way that serves justice to how much I will not be able to watch what is worth watching. For instance, I haven’t seen snippets of Ichi the Killer, Audition, and Sukiyaki Western Django. Yet still, it is a miracle that I have never watched a single movie of Takashi Miike, but thanks to the 13 Assassins check disc, I had a chance to watch it. As a fan of Japanese cinema, I find it absurd that I have not watched it. But I have to appreciate starting with Miike’s take on Samurai movies, 13 Assassins, the winner of 4 Japanese Academy Awards and all of his work.
We’re in the mid-19th century, where the Samurai’s reign is weak along with the Shogunate at its ends, and peaceful affluence envelopes the last times of the Shogunate.
However, there is one last burst of unwarranted brutality to it in the form of the Shogun’s half-brother, Naritsugu. Naritsugu is a sadistic, vicious, hedonistic embodiment of evil, a man who inflicts rape, torture, mutilation, and murder for personal amusement. Naritsugu’s position as an appointed member of the ruling council makes things worse. This is something Sir Doi cannot accept, but when his cries of dismay are ignored, he considers his honour and his obligations, and he also comes to the conclusion that it is for the nation’s goodness. He tells the retired samurai Shimada Shinzaemon to kill Naritsugu. But, Shinzaemon will not be able to do this alone. He starts to gather other warriors who share his ideas and creates strategies for defeating Naritsugu and the other guards who have to be killed. The situation is complicated because the retainer in charge of Naritsugu is Hanbei Kitou, who is a samurai and formerly the best friend of Shinzaemon.
One note to add is this is the international version which lasts 125 minutes, not the 141-minute version for a Japanese audience.
This feature film’s presentation is complete with clear imagery and a consistent layer of thin film grain. Everything is on point starting from the correct aspect ratio and frame rate to the incredibly appealing capture of the film. The imagery throughout is sharp and clear which further aids in the splendor of the film. With regards to the image quality, I do not have any complaints as it is presented in 1080p. Further, 13 Assassins is indeed set in a specific era and that is reflected in the details such as the production design, costumes, and other details relevant to the period. It sets out to achieve a more realistic feel and natural lighting, which can also be seen in the film’s sculpture. Regardless, the film does have its faults such as flimsy CGI which is easily spotted and is essentially everywhere to be found. I’m aware that setting bulls on fire and then stamping them isn’t exactly feasible, but surely there had to be a more sensible solution than CG.
You can opt for DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround and need not worry about the English subtitles as they’re optional. The overly theatric surround sound does not resonate well with the film and the score is simply too muted. The rest of the sound design features dialogue that is clear, so you can expect a subtle ambience to replace anything else. So, with that being said, you shouldn’t be surprised at how loud the surround sound is during the action sequence as it is indeed stunning. The defining criterion in which 13 Assassins were recognized was the best sound. Takashi Miike speaks in detail about the challenges of creating that surround sound in the interview featured on this DVD.
Aside from the standard trailer, one can come across 24 minutes of deleted scenes. Considering that the domestic version is almost 20 minutes longer than the international version, it’s safe to say these extra scenes are where the discrepancies lie. These will be helpful in understanding the context of their deletion as well. The fullscreen international version is unrelentingly terrifying and brutal and, even though the mission is heavily focused on it, there are several touches of dry wit and black humor. Within the few deleted scenes is a verbatim account of Koyata’s character arc, and it is self-evident from the cut scenes that his role in the movie is virtually relegated to comic relief. Those are the types of scenes that are expected to be in a film like that, but how, and placed completely out of context, would make a viewer chuckle. One other relevant detail in deleted scenes is the credit scroll. It’s important to note that within the film, it appears to just pass by un-translated then, but in these deleted scenes the actors’ names get subtitle translations.
The 19-minute interview with Takashi Miike contains a fascinating array of details pertaining to the particular subject. These are, however, a bit less detailed in some regard than expected. As always, it is recommended to watch the film before the interview, as there are indeed spoilers.
At a glance, it is one of the easiest plots to digest. Someone needs to be dealt with, and a hero stepping up to the plate is going to be beleaguered. To that end, a group of skilled, and motivated warriors are assembled, spend some time in training and guy bonding, and then showcase their martial skills in a battle to the death beneath overwhelming odds. This has been done more times than can be counted and without a doubt will be done again in the future. But, as is often the case, this particular excuse for a movie from Japan just gets the balance right. They spend just enough time on the politicking to bring across the import of Shinzaemon’s mission, spending sufficient time to bloodily demonstrate just why Naritsugu is deserving of killing, spending some decent amount of time on training and the mentioned guy bonding, building up the characters of the 13 Assassins of the title, and getting us to sympathize with at least some of them. There is a gradual increase in drama and tension, in the suspended aggression that finally bursts forth in a climactic battle sequence to end all battle sequences after 50 minutes of pure aggression. It is bloody brilliant.
This does not refer to the commoners combining forces to battle evil. This is simply an issue from the aristocrats, politics that happens up there when something within the ruling elite thinks that the Shogun’s heir is not fit for his role. No one here is interested in how the farmers and the warriors come together. The focus is on the warriors. 13 Assassins is in fact thematically closer to Clint Eastwood’s unforgiven set at the end of the Shogunate period when the samurai themselves started to become extinct. The Samurai’s leader of the assassins, Shinzaemon, is fishing during his retirement. His nephew, Shinrouko, would rather drink and gamble than spend time at the dojo. Contradictory to the rest of the Samurai, who are on the brink of extinction, 13 Assassins are a tribute to their skill. However, this film lacks calmness and grace in the portrayal of the gunfighter, unlike the rest of the samurai. The film does not spend rest to any kind of blood and destruction contemplating and begins right after its first sword is swung.
To begin with, it is undeniable that the first hour and a little more dedicated to the plot and characters is not enough time to flesh out the 13 assassins’ characters for thorough comprehension, some characters are bound to be more developed than others. Indeed, some of them receive more character in the instant of their death than in the extent of the film. It does concentrate on five or six main characters at a time. However, I have mixed feelings regarding Koyata, the 13th assassin who joins the team en route to the ambush. He is a degenerate mountain man who seems to be more comfortable throwing rocks than using swords, which makes him similar to Kikuchiyo in Seven Samurai. However, he is too much of a clown here, especially in the omitted scenes. I find it hard to reconcile his abnormal invulnerability with the other characters. Nonetheless, it gives rise to amusing questions about his real self when the credits finish rolling.
It doesn’t have to be too intricate, nor does 13 Assassins have to provide significant context to it, but it is first class sword swinging action that ends in the finest massacre ever captured on celluloid. As a festival of violence committed to film, this one is really a notch above. If that is what you are after, then the 13 Assassins is exactly the right movie for you brutal and unyielding.
To watch more movies like 13 Assassins (1963) visit 123Movies.
Also Watch for more movies like:
