13 Assassins

johnny_ultimate

Takeshi Miike does samurai! For a film with a body count in the hundreds, it's surprisingly restrained stuff from the provocateur. Indeed, it opens on an act of graphic violence occuring just off frame, although you hear it in all its gut wrenching glory. There's then an hour of setup, which is engaging feudal Japan stuff. Then it all culminates in what might be the best action sequence of the last few years - an epic battle in confined spaces that seems to last well over half an hour. It's brilliant, messy, tense, brutal and yet without the silly excess that made Miike his name - there's much death, but it is surprisingly sombre and realistic.

It's a terrific action film, and it's not unfair comparing it to Seven Samurai in many respects. It's far from original, and the setup and internal politics take a while to fully settle in, but it's an energetic, entertaining and thoughtful film. Miike back on form after the disappointment of his excursion into the Western

Mickeroo

Been dying to see this since I saw the trailer a while back. Where ya see it if ya don't mind me asking??

Cantona's Collars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-IzbkXo7bo

Really looking forward to seeing this,looks awesome.

e_e

Film of the year so far for me.

It works on so many levels. As a period drama, an action epic and an ideas driven film about 2 aging world views coming to conflict and soon ending. ...and the long and thorough setup only makes the battles more satisfying.

johnny_ultimate

Mickeroo wrote: »

Been dying to see this since I saw the trailer a while back. Where ya see it if ya don't mind me asking??

Saw it in the IFI. Although think the paper said it was on in Cineworld too so there's hope there may be a few prints knocking around!

More I think about, the fairer comparisons to Seven Samurai are (although this is a remake of another samurai film I haven't heard of) - the mud drenched final battle would do Kurosawa proud. Ah, if only more action films were like this! Also, nice to see Miike reflect on death for a change as opposed to just reveling in it.

Mickeroo

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Saw it in the IFI. Although think the paper said it was on in Cineworld too so there's hope there may be a few prints knocking around!

More I think about, the fairer comparisons to Seven Samurai are (although this is a remake of another samurai film I haven't heard of) - the mud drenched final battle would do Kurosawa proud. Ah, if only more action films were like this! Also, nice to see Miike reflect on death for a change as opposed to just reveling in it.

Just checked Entertainment.ie, looks like Cineworld and IFI have it on all week. Only on in Dublin by the loks of it, have to wait for DVD so

Watched it a few months back and loved it. Easily one of the msot entertaining films I've seen in a long time. As restrained as it is for a Miike I found some of the imagery depicitng just how evil the Lord was to be far harder to watch than anythign in Ichi the Killer or Gozu, given how set in reality they were.

Mickeroo

I caved and watched this last night, bloody brilliant film. Some disturbing imagery earlier on in the film and a fantastic battle at the end with a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. Plenty on bad-assery on display:

The sequence where one of them has all the swords left sticking out of the ground and he gets his student to mop up behind him was fcukin awesome

Will be buying this when it comes out, Miike's best film hands down imho.

johnny_ultimate

Mickeroo wrote: »

I caved and watched this last night, bloody brilliant film. Some disturbing imagery earlier on in the film and a fantastic battle at the end with a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. Plenty on bad-assery on display:

The sequence where one of them has all the swords left sticking out of the ground and he gets his student to mop up behind him was fcukin awesome

Will be buying this when it comes out, Miike's best film hands down imho.

Wouldn't say it's his best - I'm very fond of Audition and Visitor Q and their playful subversions. 13 Assassins for its many, many strengths lack the true auteur flair that I've grown to like about Miike. That's not necessarily a bad thing though - like True Grit with the Coens, I think it proves he's far from a one trick pony, and is as comfortable with straight genre films as his more rule breaking films.

Mickeroo

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Wouldn't say it's his best - I'm very fond of Audition and Visitor Q and their playful subversions. 13 Assassins for its many, many strengths lack the true auteur flair that I've grown to like about Miike. That's not necessarily a bad thing though - like True Grit with the Coens, I think it proves he's far from a one trick pony, and is as comfortable with straight genre films as his more rule breaking films.

Fair point, I guess if I hadn't known it was him directing I probably wouldn't have guessed it apart from the scene

with the limbless tongueless girl

I suppose its more how enjoyable I found the whole thing than anything that made me like it so much. While Audition and Visitor Q are great films they definitley made me feel somewhat uneasy while watching them, but I guess that was the point(Ichi the Killer to la lesser extent). 13 assassins is probably his most easily accessible movie that I've seen I would say along with Happiness of the Katakuris maybe.

EDIT: Oh one question..............

What you reckon is the significance of seeing the guy they met in the woods alive at the end after he was clearly dead??

Zombienosh

Thought this was amazing, the only downfall was the

dodgy CGI bulls/bisons on fire

Goldstein

That was only feckin' brilliant. A total success across a plethora of criteria and immensely enjoyable. Definitely ticked all the boxes, then found some new boxes that weren't even on the questionnaire, then the marker got depleted from ticking boxes so it just shredded the remaining boxes with a Samurai sword.

No doubt one to be watched and enjoyed again and again over the years.

@ Mickeroo, I bloody loved that part.

Was wondering what all the swords were about myself. "Kill the men that get past me. Leave none alive". Epic stuff.

e_e

Ending in the IFI tomorrow, seriously do try and see it in a cinema. Epic stuff.

HappyTuesday

I thought it was extremely boring and slow-moving! Probably because it was so hyped up here.

It takes so long for the action to start, with 70% of the movie taken up with slow dialogue. For those looking for a samurai movie, look elsewhere, (like Azumi for example). This is more like a period piece drama.

johnny_ultimate

PedoPriest wrote: »

This is more like a period piece drama.

Isn't that what all the best samurai films are meant to be

I personally can't see how this could be viewed as slow-moving or boring. Yes, it takes a time to get on board with the politics, but once that's all established it moves at an agreeable pace. When the action gets going it's one of the most exciting, epic action films of recent times.

Oh, anyone have any thoughts on the mysterious forest dweller?

His 'resurrection' suggested to me he was a forest god of some description, perhaps a fox going by the fact that he was caught in a rope cage?

HappyTuesday

But it was hyped here as the best action film ever... action films shouldn't be 70% dialogue.

johnny_ultimate

PedoPriest wrote: »

But it was hyped here as the best action film ever... action films shouldn't be 70% dialogue.

I'm sorry, but that's a ludicrous statement. 100% death, violence and explosions does not make a good film (even Michael Bay would agree on that one). There are things like context, character and set-up that are as important as the action, and defines - to use a cliche - the men from the boys.

Indeed - look at Die Hard, Lord of the Rings and countless others held up as 'good action films': you'll be dealing with vast amounts of dialogue and other 'non-action' sequences there too. Off the top of my head, Crank is the only one that floors it 90%+ of the running time - and that's a happy exception, and one which more than definitely doesn't feature anything in the way of character development or emotion.

I'll admit hyping it as the best action film ever is unfair (didn't read that anywhere myself). Doesn't take away from the fact it's damn good samurai action.

Mickeroo

RE the forest guy

I wasn't sure what to make of him, but your forest god theory sems pretty sound, would correspond with a lot of japanese beliefs i think? Guess it could have been the spirit world trying to help the samurai on their quest to vanquish the evil ex-shogun's son.

HappyTuesday

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

I'll admit hyping it as the best action film ever is unfair (didn't read that anywhere myself). Doesn't take away from the fact it's damn good samurai action.

Just a few quotes from this thread that hyped the shyte out of the movie (and there's another thread about it here somewhere...)

It's a terrific action film

It works on so many levels. As a period drama, an action epic

Ah, if only more action films were like this!

Easily one of the most entertaining films I've seen in a long time.

You can see how I was ready for an action movie. I actually nearly fell asleep, only to wake up for the final fight scene.

Meh. Different folks....

Mickeroo

PedoPriest wrote: »

Just a few quotes from this thread that hyped the shyte out of the movie (and there's another thread about it here somewhere...)

You can see how I was ready for an action movie. I actually nearly fell asleep, only to wake up for the final fight scene.

Meh. Different folks....

One of those quotes clearly states it works on many different levels, one of which is a period drama.

e_e

Any film which contains a battle sequence that lasts for a third of its runtime (plus a few smaller fights beforehand) counts as action, sorry.

What's the rush anyway? To race past the politics of the first half would demean the film's subtext (something that gives every movie substance) anyway. That and there'd be no development for any of the characters, and with so many of them we wouldn't feel sympathy as

most don't make it through to the end.