13 Assassins

13 Assassins

1963 · 125 min · JA · 7.5 (45 votes)
Dir. Eiichi Kudō · Starring Chiezo Kataoka, Kōtarō Satomi, Ryōhei Uchida, Tetsuro Tamba, Satomi Oka, Sumiko Fuji · Music Akira Ifukube · Kudo's Samurai Revolution Trilogy

“A group of assassins come together for a suicide mission to kill an evil lord.”

AdventureDramaAction

A sadistic Daimyo (feudal lord) rapes a woman and murders both her and her husband, but even when one of his own vassals commits suicide to bring attention to the crime, the matter is quickly hushed up. Not only will there be no punishment, but because the Daimyo is the Shogun's younger brother, he will soon be appointed to a high political position from which he could wreak even more havoc. Convinced that the fate of the Shogunate hangs in the balance, a plot is hatched to assassinate the Daimyo. The two most brilliant strategic minds of their generation find themselves pitted against each other; one is tasked to defend a man he despises, and has a small army at his disposal. The other is given a suicide mission, and has 12 brave men. They are the 13 Assassins.

VIBE

A grim, honorable quest for justice unfolds with deliberate pacing. The film builds to an explosive, brutal climax, showcasing the stark realities of samurai warfare and the weight of duty in a corrupt Edo period.

intensegrimepicbrutalsteadyjidaigekisamurai epicperiod dramahonorrevengejusticesacrifice
japanassassinsamuraikatanajidaigekiedo periodchanbaragroup conflictbushi
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