13 Assassins (2011)

I saw “13 Assassins” smack dab in the middle of this summer, and suddenly every rote dish of super heroes and fighting robots fell away. This is what an action/thriller is supposed to be – a sense of living in the moment, where anything can happen, and yet the filmmaker ups the ante. Director Takashi Miike’s kick-ass film is a bloody violent and smart return to the samurai genre, worthy of Kurosawa’s “Ran” and “Throne of Blood.” The plot is a classic staple: An aging warrior (Kōji Yakusho) is given a suicidal task he welcomes for he will die in battle. His target: Lord Naritsugu (Gorô Inagaki), a sadistic Shogun who zealously enjoys murder and rape. The massive end battle is a brilliant game of chess: Every grisly move and horrifying trap is a planned strategy to dismantle the enemy. The title’s 13 warriors give as good as they take, and in a wild card act, Naritsugu enjoys the chaos. There’s wit abounding, and the supernatural acts of gods and spirits if you’re looking. In a summer of mostly underwhelming calculated hits, Miike stands tall, sword in hand, splattered with the blood of lesser films, ready for more challengers. I doubt there will be any this year. A