@kickass552 two options thrown out by the director. 1) he died and the one survivor just imagined an encounter with his ghost. 2) he was essentially a forest spirit (his backstory is supposedly very similar to an old japanese tales of spirits and demons) and he represented the old forces and traditions joining sides with the assassins.
Takashi Miike is one of my favorite foreign directors, and maybe even one of my favorite insporational director's too, b/c as Mark pointed out, he makes several films in one year and doesn't consider himself to be an artist, he is just doing wat he can with what he has. He has made such a wide variety of films and doesn't spend days and days just getting the perfect shot, he is quick and a very good film maker and I can't wait to see 13 assassins tonight! :D
Really disappointed with this film - had no clue which character I was following at points and to be honest I didn't care when a death would occur. The action set pieces were very good, but at the end of the day, there was simply too many of the assassins for me to care about and follow. A very half-hearted portrayal of characters in this film, although I must admit that the fight scenes were very gritty and well rehearsed.
Something that Kermode does not mention, and it's highly likely because he is not aware, is that the version he saw is a cut version. It's cut by 20 minutes. The original uncut version of the movie is 141 minutes. A shame that there was a cut version of this movie released in most territories outside Japan. They don't do this with Hollywood movies.
Take the best of 60s & 70s westerns (Wild bunch, Magnificent Seven) and transfer it into feudal japan, throw in a bunch of great characters who are all willing to go to any lengths to get the job done and then finish the film with an hour long battle which is brilliant from start to finish and 13 Assassins is what you get.
@aikighost You may not be aware of this but The Magnificent Seven was a direct ripoff of a Kurosawa film called The Seven Samurai. 13 Assassins is much more reminiscent of Kurosawa than any it is of any western film.
@brogin Yeah I'm a bit of a film buff so I'm aware of the fact that magnificent 7 is a reuse of the 7 samurai story. I just thought that the final extended is a bit more gonzo than Kurosawa and reminded me more of the end of a Peckinpah film.
Take the best of 60s & 70s westerns (Wild bunch, Magnificent Seven) and transfer it into feudal japan, throw in a bunch of great characters who are all willing to go to any lengths to get the job done and then finish the film with an hour long battle which is brilliant from start to finish and 13 Assassins is what you get.
Caught the film earlier this week and Dr K. is spot on in his review, I loved the film from start to finish and it's leading the way as the best film I have seen this year so far! If you're in Newcastle, it's being shown by the Tyneside Cinema.
@DoTheFuStyle Hmm, well it's not on the odeon metro center's website, dosen't mean it won't be on at a later date though. Tyneside isn't really any dearer than the multiplexes, nicer cinema as well! Hope you enjoy the film if you check it out :)
I've seen Audition! Yeah, there's something very unsettling about it that puts all these Saw films to shame. The atmosphere in Audition is increasingly forboding in an aptly uncomfortable way, like a killer stalking his victim.
Anyone who is even vaguely interested in Takashi Miike films should check out Gozu. Gripping, bizzzare, hillarious and disturbing all in equal measure. I implore you to check it out.
@SuperAdamMan64 I will if the damn thing comes anyplace that I can get to it near my suburbia. Esoteric cinema doesn't hit the big multiplexes, sadly, and it's difficult to find movies like this.
It's actually got a nationwide release here in the UK, which is good as I got to see it on a colossal screen in my local multiplex, and it's quite an incredible looking film.
@SuperAdamMan64 Interesting, Miike was one of my favourite directors up until Gozu which was when I started to lose interest - seemed all style over substance and kinda poor mans David Lynch, and marked the beginning of a downward spiral in Miikes work with films like ZebraMan and the simply awful Django Sukyaki Western.
Still, based on Kermodes recommendation I will check 13 Assassins at some point, sounds like it could be a return to form.
I'm glad Audition creeped out the Dr because it scared me and I don't get scared by horror films usually. My girlfriend had nightmares for weeks after I made her watch it!
I would actually say it is better than both Kagemusha and Ran, but not better than Twilight Samurai or 7 Samurai. However, it is a fantastic film about honor and duty, and there is a great sense that this represents the twilight of an era, and the last hurrah for the dying samurai class.
@Edhunter665 It must be pretty nihilistic to be better than Ran. that film was absolutely great, considering the main character is an old lord instead of all tose teenagers in films today. and i thought the battle scenes were very well shot as well. 13 assassins has to be pretty good to beat both these films.
I enjoyed the film but I found there was too much battle and not enough character development of the 13 Assassins to actually give a toss about any of them when they were in danger.
a group of shoguns get together ? its samurai you tit still good review
hardrinker1989 3 weeks ago 2
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KurosawasHouseBand 2 months ago
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ProfetvonWaagh 4 months ago
@kickass552 two options thrown out by the director. 1) he died and the one survivor just imagined an encounter with his ghost. 2) he was essentially a forest spirit (his backstory is supposedly very similar to an old japanese tales of spirits and demons) and he represented the old forces and traditions joining sides with the assassins.
hellsfoxes 6 months ago
@hellsfoxes Miike also said that the character can just be seen as so badass that not even a knife to the throat can stop him. :D
RockBottomRiser21 4 months ago
This movie is FANTASTIC!!
EffectivePickup 6 months ago
The film is really good. It is basically the movie "300" except not completely retarded. lol
Good acting, good cinematography, good story, good characters, good villain, good action..etc Please don't mind the subtitles..check it out.
thecolorunknown 7 months ago
I saw 13 Assassins last night and man, what an awesome film. While my favorite Miike film is still Gozu, 13 Assassins was great.
KurosawasHouseBand 8 months ago 3
Takashi Miike is one of my favorite foreign directors, and maybe even one of my favorite insporational director's too, b/c as Mark pointed out, he makes several films in one year and doesn't consider himself to be an artist, he is just doing wat he can with what he has. He has made such a wide variety of films and doesn't spend days and days just getting the perfect shot, he is quick and a very good film maker and I can't wait to see 13 assassins tonight! :D
Googopqp 8 months ago
Really disappointed with this film - had no clue which character I was following at points and to be honest I didn't care when a death would occur. The action set pieces were very good, but at the end of the day, there was simply too many of the assassins for me to care about and follow. A very half-hearted portrayal of characters in this film, although I must admit that the fight scenes were very gritty and well rehearsed.
Fuzileer 8 months ago
Best action film of the last ten years, in my humble opinion etc.
terratrema 9 months ago 5
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MrSonny1980 9 months ago
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MrSonny1980 9 months ago
Something that Kermode does not mention, and it's highly likely because he is not aware, is that the version he saw is a cut version. It's cut by 20 minutes. The original uncut version of the movie is 141 minutes. A shame that there was a cut version of this movie released in most territories outside Japan. They don't do this with Hollywood movies.
DaRunningMan 9 months ago
Its basically real life anime, it was fucking brilliant!!
Animationgatecom 9 months ago
Saw this last week. In a word A MAY ZING!!!
Take the best of 60s & 70s westerns (Wild bunch, Magnificent Seven) and transfer it into feudal japan, throw in a bunch of great characters who are all willing to go to any lengths to get the job done and then finish the film with an hour long battle which is brilliant from start to finish and 13 Assassins is what you get.
Go see this NOW!!!
aikighost 9 months ago
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brogin 9 months ago
@aikighost You may not be aware of this but The Magnificent Seven was a direct ripoff of a Kurosawa film called The Seven Samurai. 13 Assassins is much more reminiscent of Kurosawa than any it is of any western film.
brogin 9 months ago
@brogin Yeah I'm a bit of a film buff so I'm aware of the fact that magnificent 7 is a reuse of the 7 samurai story. I just thought that the final extended is a bit more gonzo than Kurosawa and reminded me more of the end of a Peckinpah film.
aikighost 9 months ago
Saw this last week. In a word A MAY ZING!!!
Take the best of 60s & 70s westerns (Wild bunch, Magnificent Seven) and transfer it into feudal japan, throw in a bunch of great characters who are all willing to go to any lengths to get the job done and then finish the film with an hour long battle which is brilliant from start to finish and 13 Assassins is what you get.
Go see this NOW!!!
aikighost 9 months ago
VISITOR Q
avarioussire 9 months ago
I saw the director's cut, last year at Rotterdam film festival. Definitely his best work in years.
Robkinggozer 9 months ago
1:46
"..what happens is a group of shoguns..." FACEPALM xD
Saber10inch 9 months ago
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This is the best film I've seen so far this year. 'Nuff said.
Chronolyse 9 months ago
Just might be Takashi Miike's best film, and THAT is saying a whole lot.
RockBottomRiser21 9 months ago
Caught the film earlier this week and Dr K. is spot on in his review, I loved the film from start to finish and it's leading the way as the best film I have seen this year so far! If you're in Newcastle, it's being shown by the Tyneside Cinema.
Santos138 9 months ago
@Santos138 Pricey tickets though I would imagine. I hear it'll be shown at the Odeon at the Metro Centre...
DoTheFuStyle 9 months ago
@DoTheFuStyle Hmm, well it's not on the odeon metro center's website, dosen't mean it won't be on at a later date though. Tyneside isn't really any dearer than the multiplexes, nicer cinema as well! Hope you enjoy the film if you check it out :)
Santos138 9 months ago
Great informative review.
siy01 10 months ago
Please someone let me know where I can watch this film in the cinema?
tiredy6 10 months ago
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rashomon
ran
check em out
heratus007 10 months ago
ichi the killer is ridiculous
TheHappydead 10 months ago
I've seen Audition! Yeah, there's something very unsettling about it that puts all these Saw films to shame. The atmosphere in Audition is increasingly forboding in an aptly uncomfortable way, like a killer stalking his victim.
sunnygirly2k4 10 months ago
Anyone who is even vaguely interested in Takashi Miike films should check out Gozu. Gripping, bizzzare, hillarious and disturbing all in equal measure. I implore you to check it out.
SuperAdamMan64 10 months ago 13
@SuperAdamMan64 One of my favorite films.
InfiniteWhizBang 10 months ago
@SuperAdamMan64 I will if the damn thing comes anyplace that I can get to it near my suburbia. Esoteric cinema doesn't hit the big multiplexes, sadly, and it's difficult to find movies like this.
hanshotfirst1138 9 months ago
@hanshotfirst1138 DVD is your best option I'm afraid, trying to find it in a Cinema is harder than finding a needle in a haystack.
SuperAdamMan64 9 months ago
@hanshotfirst1138
It's actually got a nationwide release here in the UK, which is good as I got to see it on a colossal screen in my local multiplex, and it's quite an incredible looking film.
Bobble86 9 months ago
@Bobble86 Sadly, no such luck here in the States.
hanshotfirst1138 9 months ago
@SuperAdamMan64
I think people need a more explicit warning than that!
I always read the reviews at snowblood apple.
lolaarcana 9 months ago
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@SuperAdamMan64 I think people need a more explicit warning than that!
I always read the reviews at snowblood apple.
lolaarcana 9 months ago
@SuperAdamMan64 Interesting, Miike was one of my favourite directors up until Gozu which was when I started to lose interest - seemed all style over substance and kinda poor mans David Lynch, and marked the beginning of a downward spiral in Miikes work with films like ZebraMan and the simply awful Django Sukyaki Western.
Still, based on Kermodes recommendation I will check 13 Assassins at some point, sounds like it could be a return to form.
MahMahAfro3000 8 months ago
Mikke is the man
cheebaism 10 months ago
I'm glad Audition creeped out the Dr because it scared me and I don't get scared by horror films usually. My girlfriend had nightmares for weeks after I made her watch it!
jibsmokestack1 10 months ago
Check out "When The Last Sword is Drawn"! Great samurai period film.
BopNiblets 10 months ago
Sounds like an compelling film with ideas as well as action set peices.
jd899 10 months ago 9
@jd899 the final fight is so amazing man...and also very very long fight sequence
coolmartcola 7 months ago
It's not better than "Ran" or "Kagemusha".
Regenmacher175 10 months ago
@Regenmacher175
I would actually say it is better than both Kagemusha and Ran, but not better than Twilight Samurai or 7 Samurai. However, it is a fantastic film about honor and duty, and there is a great sense that this represents the twilight of an era, and the last hurrah for the dying samurai class.
Edhunter665 9 months ago
@Edhunter665 It must be pretty nihilistic to be better than Ran. that film was absolutely great, considering the main character is an old lord instead of all tose teenagers in films today. and i thought the battle scenes were very well shot as well. 13 assassins has to be pretty good to beat both these films.
Regenmacher175 9 months ago
Visitor Q. Awesome...just awesome. Audition is great as well!
childeater6 10 months ago
Audition is far out man! You all should see it.
RAIDERS58th 10 months ago 2
Where's his review of the Arthur remake? I wanna see what he thought of that trash.
SethHesio 10 months ago
@SethHesio Kermode didn't review Arthur on the show he was away at the time so Boyd and Floyd covered it instead.
petertyson2 10 months ago
@petertyson2 Thanks for the info. Cheers.
SethHesio 10 months ago
I enjoyed the film but I found there was too much battle and not enough character development of the 13 Assassins to actually give a toss about any of them when they were in danger.
Jellyform 10 months ago
i'd rather just watch 'seven samurai'
ohthepeppers 10 months ago
Third eats the turd. Shit!
jcairns111 10 months ago
first's the worst, second's the best...
v1BR3NN3N7 10 months ago
look at me, i got the first comment.
ooooooh.
TheSuicidalGnome 10 months ago