An epic samurai movie that had TIFF audiences engrossed from start to finish

13 Assassins is a film that gets your blood pumping. It doesn't tug but full out yanks your gut. It reels you in, slaps you with brutal imagery, and gets your adrenaline going as you cheer whole heartedly for the good guys. It's a film that has you leave the theatre with the buzz you get when you watch something that makes you go wow.

From a brutal beginning that leaves more to the ears and imagination than the eyes, writer and director Takashi Miike (Sukiyaki Western Django, Ichi the Killer), set a definite tone that didn't falter. Set in the Shogunate era, the plot is almost refreshingly simple, the ruthless villain (Gorô Inagaki) must die. It's the way the story is told that is stunning, riveting, and kick ass. Upon hearing of the disturbing acts by the hand, sword and arrow of the blood-lusting villain (shown without censorship), Shinzaemon Shimada (Kôji Yakusho, who previously appeared in Silk, Retribution, Babel, Shall We Dance?) is ordered to put an end to the reign of terror. He recruits a small troupe of skilled samurai on a deadly mission. The energy is kept up throughout the journey, but it's the culmination of an epic battle that is the piece de resistance: total massacre.

Reminiscent of legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai, 13 Assassins is classic samurai. No wires, no supernatural sparkles, no goofball comedy. Simply put in two words: bad ass!

Emer Schlosser
		About the author:
		Always a fan of words in various glorious forms – novels, dialogue, lyrics, etc – Emer translated her passion into a writing career in 2005. She has since supplied gossip on celebrities to Canadian Press, interviewed individuals from the arts for Inside Entertainment, expressed her fondness for food for Cheese Boutique’s blog, & co-founded, edited and contributed to iheartthemusic.com. At the moment she’s taking the mystery out of Green Living and providing some great tips on Home Renovation, Decorating & Design and Curb Appeal to the members of casaGURU.com. casaGURU, “the homeowner’s home online”, is a free web community that connects homeowners and local house experts.
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