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13 Assassins

Play trailer Poster for 13 Assassins R 2011 2h 6m Action Adventure History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 129 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In this remake of a 1963 film based on historical events, Shinzaemon Shimada leads a team of assassins in 19th-century Japan to eliminate the ruthless Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira, who is wreaking havoc against his own people. Hired secretly by a government official hoping to end Matsudaira's reign of terror, Shimada recruits the best samurai in Japan and then sets a trap for the lord's large contingent of faithful bodyguards.
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13 Assassins

13 Assassins

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Critics Consensus

Takashi Miike's electric remake of Eiichi Kudo's 1963 period action film is a wild spectacle executed with killer, dizzying panache.

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Critics Reviews

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Tom Mes Film Comment Magazine Culminates in a riveting, ingeniously plotted, and inventively shot 45-minute battle scene. Nov 7, 2013 Full Review Jim Schembri The Age (Australia) The excessive mind of Japanese director Takashi Miike (Audition; Ichi the Killer) throttles back the gore to deliver a disciplined, refreshingly grounded samurai action film. Rated: 3.5/5 Sep 14, 2011 Full Review Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald 13 Assassins looks at honour from many angles, without becoming simplistic. Ichii hasn't lost his edge after all. Rated: 4/5 Sep 9, 2011 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Miike has delivered one of his very best films. Rated: 3.5/4 Jun 7, 2023 Full Review Jason Adams My New Plaid Pants "13 Assassins could end up being Miike's masterpiece. It's that good." Jul 2, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins It's clear that the exhilarating 50-minute climax battle is both the director's forte and his primary passion. Rated: 7/10 Nov 30, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C Based on actual events in Japan in 02 hours, 05 minutes, and 05 seconds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Some Disturbing Images, Sequences of Bloody Violence and Brief Nudity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Copyright 2011-2025 Magnet Releasing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/22/25 Full Review victor w Brilliant sets of Japan two centuries ago. The movie is full of violence, which I usually abhor, but violence in this setting I can handle. Ultimately it's a feel good movie, not so common in this day and age. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/14/25 Full Review Mark R Just got finished playing Ghost of Yotei. Perfect time to watch this classic. For those that don't know the game has a setting called "Miike Mode" which adds more mud and blood. A nod to the legendary Takashi Miike, obviously Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/20/25 Full Review Audience Member Best samurai film ever. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/19/25 Full Review Audience Member It saves the fruit-on-the-bottom by eating all the yogurt first. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/18/25 Full Review John P What an incredible movie. This is what good people truly do for the greater good of a nation and world. Maybe we should start doing this stuff again. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/08/25 Full Review Read all reviews
13 Assassins

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Cast & Crew

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Takashi Miike

Director

Kôji Yakusho

Shinzaemon Shimada

Takayuki Yamada

Shinrouko

Yusuke Iseya

Koyata

Goro Inagaki

Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira

Mikijirō Hira

Sir Doi

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13 Assassins

(L-R) Mikijiro Hira as Sir Doi and Koji Yakusho as Shinzaemon Shimada in "13 Assassins." (L-R) Masachika Ichimura as Hanbei Kitou and Koji Yakusho as Shinzaemon Shimada in "13 Assassins." A scene from "13 Assassins." (L-R) Masachika Ichimura as Hanbei Kitou and Koji Yakusho as Shinzaemon Shimada in "13 Assassins." (L-R) Yusuke Iseya as Koyata and Takayuki Yamada as Shinrouko in "13 Assassins." A scene from "13 Assassins." A scene from "13 Assassins." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In this remake of a 1963 film based on historical events, Shinzaemon Shimada leads a team of assassins in 19th-century Japan to eliminate the ruthless Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira, who is wreaking havoc against his own people. Hired secretly by a government official hoping to end Matsudaira's reign of terror, Shimada recruits the best samurai in Japan and then sets a trap for the lord's large contingent of faithful bodyguards.
Director
Takashi Miike
Producer
Minami Ichikawa, Tôichirô Shiraishi, Michihiko Yanagisawa
Screenwriter
Daisuke Tengan
Distributor
Magnet Releasing
Production Co
Recorded Picture Company (RPC), Dentsu, Toho Company Ltd., TV Asahi, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation
Rating
R (Some Disturbing Images|Sequences of Bloody Violence|Brief Nudity)
Genre
Action, Adventure, History, Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 29, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 7, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$802.5K
Runtime
2h 6m
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