13 Assassins (2010) is a samurai action film about a band of 12 samurai and 1 ronin who secretly plot to assassinate the Lord Naritsugu.

Naritsugu is shown to be cruel and uncaring, to the extent of being considered dangerous to society at large and a threat to the long-lasting peace. However, Naritsugu is protected by the Shogun, who happens to be his half brother. This is why the Justice Minister Doi decides to ask Shinzaemon to do the assasination. Meanwhile, Hanbei, who studued with Shinzaemon at sword school and is now Naritsugu’s loyal retainer, finds out about the plot. The two are unable to resolve things peacefully and decide to meet each other on the battlefield.

Shinzaemon recruits 10 samurai as well as a ronin on the way to intercept Naritsugu. He buys out a town and fortifies it, where the battle with Naritsugu’s retainers takes place.

Something I really like about this film is how much of the first half of the film is spent setting up all the stakes of the battle, building anticipation for the final showdown. The action that subsequently occurs feels so much more satisfying to watch when you know what is at stake for each assassin and the larger cause that they fight for. It’s also really cool to see how each assassin’s quirks play a part in how they conduct themselves on that fateful day.