:13 Assassins (2010 film)

In 1844, during the Edo Period, the Tokugawa Shogunate is in decline. Lord Matsudaira Naritsugu of Akashi sadistically rapes, tortures, mutilates and murders nobles and commoners, but is protected by the Shōgun, his half-brother. With Naritsugu due to ascend to the Shogunate Council, the Shōgun's Justice Minister, Sir Doi Toshitsura, realizes that this ascendance will cause civil war between the Shōgun and the many feudal lords Naritsugu has offended. The Mamiya clan's feudal lord publicly commits seppuku as a protest against the Shōgun's refusal to punish Naritsugu, who had personally murdered the feudal lord's entire family. When the Shōgun insists upon Naritsugu's promotion, Sir{{nbsp}}Doi hires a trusted older samurai, Shimada Shinzaemon, to assassinate Naritsugu. However, Naritsugu's loyal retainers led by Hanbei, an old contemporary of Shinzaemon, learn of the plot by spying on Doi.

Shinzaemon gathers ten more samurai, including his nephew, Shinrokurō, plus one rōnin, to attack Naritsugu during his official journey from Edo to Akashi. Before Naritsugu leaves, Hanbei confronts Shinzaemon over the plot. The assassins decide to ambush Naritsugu at the town of Ochiai, predicting that he will insist on carrying out his pre-announced visit of Naegi and thus pass through Ochiai. During the assassins' journey to Ochiai, they stop at a town where they are attacked by rōnin paid off by Hanbei. Fearing more attacks, the assassins leave the roads, instead trekking through the mountains, but lose their way. They rescue a hunter, Kiga Koyata, who guides them to Ochiai and volunteers to become the thirteenth assassin.

The assassins enlist the help of Makino, a feudal lord whose daughter-in-law was raped and son murdered by Naritsugu. Using troops with firearms, Makino blocks the official highway, forcing Naritsugu to take a detour. Makino then commits seppuku to conceal his involvement in the conspiracy. Sensing a trap, Hanbei advises Naritsugu to avoid Naegi, but Naritsugu refuses as this would publicly embarrass him. Naritsugu acknowledges that visiting Naegi is unsafe, but also exciting. Meanwhile, the assassins, with the legal authority and generous financial assistance of Doi, buy the help of Ochiai to convert the town into an elaborate maze of booby traps and camouflaged fortifications.

Naritsugu and his retinue arrive at Ochiai, with reinforcements arranged by Hanbei, increasing their number from 70 to 200. As Ochiai's civilians escape, the 13 assassins trap Naritsugu's party in Ochiai. A lengthy battle begins, with the assassins first using arrows and explosives, then using swords for melee combat, with the exception of Koyata, who fights with rocks in slings and with sticks. While many of Naritsugu's retainers are killed, Naritsugu is aroused by the bloodshed of the battle and declares that when he ascends to the Shogunate Council, he will start wars reminiscent of the Sengoku Period.

While most of the Akashi forces are defeated, at least 10 of the assassins perish, with several fighting until they collapsed dead from their injuries. Eventually, Shinzaemon and Shinrokurō confront Naritsugu, Hanbei and two remaining retainers. Shinzaemon argues that Naritsugu will ruin the realm, but Hanbei insists on loyalty to his master. Shinzaemon duels Hanbei and decapitates him after kicking mud into Hanbei's eyes, while Shinrokurō slays the last two Akashi retainers. Naritsugu kicks Hanbei's severed head away and announces that the people and the samurai have only one purpose: to serve their lords. Shinzaemon counters that the lords cannot live without the support of the people and that, if a lord abuses his power, the people will rise up against him. Naritsugu and Shinzaemon mortally wound each other. Crying, crawling in the mud, and experiencing rare fear and pain, Naritsugu thanks Shinzaemon for causing the most exciting day of Naritsugu's life. Naritsugu is decapitated by Shinzaemon, who succumbs to his wounds.

Shinrokurō wanders through the carnage and Koyata runs up, appearing virtually unharmed despite being impaled through the neck by Naritsugu and slashed in the stomach by Hanbei. Koyata dismisses his previous injuries as trivial. Shinrokurō and Koyata leave separately, with Shinrokurō intending to become a bandit or travel to America, while Koyata vows to elope with his lover.

An epilogue states that Naritsugu's death was officially attributed to illness, and that 23 years later, the Tokugawa Shogunate was overthrown during the Meiji Restoration.

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{{hatnote|Character names follow the pattern of Japanese names, with the family surname placed first.}}

• Gorō Inagaki as Lord Matsudaira Naritsugu:{{cite news|last1=Ryan |first1=David C. |title=Film Essay: The Natural Supernaturalism of the 13 Assassins |url=http://www.identitytheory.com/film-essay-the-natural-supernaturalism-of-the-13-assassins/ |access-date=31 March 2017 |work=Identity Theory |date=14 November 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401055507/http://www.identitytheory.com/film-essay-the-natural-supernaturalism-of-the-13-assassins/ |archive-date= 1 April 2017 }} The ruler of the Akashi Domain. His violent atrocities in his land have gone unpunished since he is protected by the Shōgun, who is his half-brother.
• Mikijirō Hira as Sir Doi Toshitsura: The senior advisor to the Shogunate Council. Alarmed that Naritsugu has been considered by the Shōgun for a political position on the council, he hires Shinzaemon to kill Naritsugu beforehand.
• Koji Yakusho as Shimada Shinzaemon:{{cite news|last1=Schilling |first1=Mark |author-link=Mark Schilling |title=Jusannin no Shikaku (13 Assassins) |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/09/24/films/film-reviews/jusannin-no-shikaku-13-assassins/#.WN5VTDuGPDd |access-date=31 March 2017 |work=The Japan Times |date=24 September 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118082134/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/09/24/films/film-reviews/jusannin-no-shikaku-13-assassins/ |archive-date=18 January 2017 }} A war-weary, decorated samurai who believes that there is more to Bushido than blind obedience. Convinced that there was no chance for an honorable death, he is deeply elated when hired to carry out the mission. He assembles a group of eleven samurai to plot an ambush on Naritsugu's annual journey from Edo to his land in Akashi.
• Seiji Rokkaku as Otake Mosuke
• Hiroki Matsukata as Kuranaga Saheita: Second-in-command to Shinzaemon, another veteran samurai who volunteers his best and most trusted students for the mission
• Tsuyoshi Ihara as Hirayama Kujūrō: A masterless samurai of unmatched swordsmanship, who trained under Shinzaemon
• Takayuki Yamada as Shimada Shinrokurō: Shinzaemon's nephew, who has strayed from Bushido to become a gambler and a womanizer. Bored and ashamed, he joins the mission to redeem himself.
• Yusuke Iseya as Kiga Koyata: A hunter who is found suspended in a cage in the forest as a punishment for seducing his boss's wife and aids the assassins in finding a route to Ochiai. He is eventually recruited by Shinzaemon as the thirteenth assassin. Although not explicitly stated, it is heavily implied that he is a supernatural entity.

File:Takashi Miike.jpg]]

13 Assassins was produced through Toshiaki Nakazawa's film outfit, Sedic International, and Jeremy Thomas{{'}}s Recorded Picture Company. Nakazawa had previously worked with director Takashi Miike on The Bird People in China and Andromedia (both in 1998), Yakuza Demon (2003), and Sukiyaki Western Django (2007). At the start of production, Thomas said he was pleased to be working again with "wonderful Japanese filmmakers like Toshiaki Nakazawa and Takashi Miike, whose work speaks for itself as being amongst the most successful and innovative coming from Japan". Nakazawa replied that he would like Thomas "to wear a sword also, and with one more assassin, together we will send out the fourteen assassins over there". Of his approach in directing the film, Miike said:

{{blockquote|text=I felt that all of us working on our remake of 13 Assassins had to honour the original director, Eiichi Kudo, and everyone else who created the original. It was important to avoid doing what most modern-day chanbara do, which is to insert a love story, or interpose modern-day mindsets. Over the years, people have remade Kurosawa movies, but failed every time because they have not been able to adapt the story into something young audiences can understand.{{cite news|last1=Miike |first1=Takashi |author-link=Takashi Miike |title=Takashi Miike: Why I am bringing Japanese classics back to life |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/may/05/takeshi-miike-japanese-samurai-classics |access-date=13 May 2017 |work=The Guardian |date=5 May 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916163725/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/may/05/takeshi-miike-japanese-samurai-classics |archive-date=16 September 2016 }}}}

Having been a fan of Koji Yakusho's acting, Miike made it a priority that he be cast in the leading role. In addition, he sought younger actors to play the assassins, in particular Sousuke Takaoka and Takayuki Yamada, with whom Miike had worked in his two films, Crows Zero (2007) and its sequel Crows Zero 2 (2009).{{cite web|last1=Mack |first1=Andrew |title=Takashi Miike talks 13 Assassins and More... |date=14 April 2011 |url=http://screenanarchy.com/2011/04/takashi-miike-talks-13-assassins-and-more.html |publisher=Screen Anarchy |access-date=31 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331210447/http://screenanarchy.com/2011/04/takashi-miike-talks-13-assassins-and-more.html |archive-date=31 March 2017 }} The film's screenplay was written by Daisuke Tengan, who had also written the screenplay for Miike's film Audition (1999).

The film entered production over a two-month period.{{Cite web|url=http://www.easternkicks.com/features/takashi-miike-interview-for-13-assassins |title=Takashi Miike Interview |last1=Heskins |first1=Andrew |publisher=EasternKicks.com |date=2 May 2011 |access-date=18 December 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213135316/http://www.easternkicks.com/features/takashi-miike-interview-for-13-assassins |archive-date=13 February 2012 }} Principal photography began in July 2009 on a large open-air set in Tsuruoka in the Yamagata Prefecture in northern Japan. The filming of the action scenes took about three weeks and was met with minor weather-related difficulties. Miike had strayed from the use of CGI in the film as well as planning the scenes via storyboarding, insisting on shooting the scenes right away.{{cite news|last1=Smith |first1=Jeremy |title=Takashi Miike And Mr. Beaks Talk 13 Assassins! |url=https://www.aintitcool.com/node/49441 |access-date=31 March 2017 |publisher=Ain't It Cool News |date=28 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331211536/http://www.aintitcool.com/node/49441 |archive-date=31 March 2017 }} In a separate interview, however, Miike said that some CGI were used, albeit minimal. Over half of the thirteen actors playing the assassins were reportedly inexperienced in sword fighting and horseback riding, and Miike wanted them to be just that, explaining, "If the actors had been skilled from the beginning, and had been in several samurai movies before, the way they approached the action would've been different; they probably would've ended up being something they were doing to look good or be beautiful, or to fall into the trappings of the stereotypical form that they had." Filming concluded in early September 2009.{{cite web |title=Yakusho joins Thirteen Assassins |first=Mark |last=Schilling |author-link=Mark Schilling |date=20 August 2009 |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/news/yakusho-joins-thirteen-assassins-1118006191/ |work=Variety |access-date=7 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701150800/http://variety.com/2009/film/news/yakusho-joins-thirteen-assassins-1118006191/ |archive-date=1 July 2017 |url-status=live}}

For international exhibition, the 141 minute film was edited to 125 minutes.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/13-assassins-film |title=13 Assassins (15) |publisher=British Board of Film Classification |date=16 February 2011 |access-date=4 November 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105161107/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/13-assassins-film |archive-date= 5 November 2016 }}

Jeremy Thomas{{'}}s London-based company HanWay Films handled international sales. Toho had prebought the rights to distribute in Japan,{{cite web |title=Duo gets behind Thirteen Assassins|first=Stuart |last=Kemp |date=12 May 2009 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i5c6f976cbed5f4a9415f9c5c37983f00. |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=7 April 2010|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090515140506/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i5c6f976cbed5f4a9415f9c5c37983f00 |archive-date = 15 May 2009|url-status=dead}} and released it on 25 September 2010.{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=Deborah|title=13 Assassins {{en dash}} Film Review|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/13-assassins-film-review-29966|access-date=25 July 2017|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=14 October 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820120122/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/13-assassins-film-review-29966|archive-date=20 August 2017}} The film competed for the Golden Lion at the 67th Venice International Film Festival on 9 September 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/festival/lineup/off-sel/venezia67/ |title=Venezia 67 |access-date=29 July 2010|publisher=Venice Film Festival | date=29 July 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100801005005/http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/festival/lineup/off-sel/venezia67/| archive-date= 1 August 2010 }}

Magnet Releasing, a genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, acquired North American distribution rights.{{cite news|last1=J. Renninger |first1=Bryce |title=Magnet Takes Takashi Miike Samurai Film 13 Assassins |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2010/09/magnet-takes-takashi-miike-samurai-film-13-assassins-244835/ |access-date=30 March 2017 |publisher=IndieWire |date=22 September 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330181126/http://www.indiewire.com/2010/09/magnet-takes-takashi-miike-samurai-film-13-assassins-244835/ |archive-date=30 March 2017 }} The film streamed video on demand in March 2011, and was released theatrically in the United States on 29{{nbsp}}April.{{cite news|last1=Brevet |first1=Brad |title=Trailer for Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/551219-trailer-for-takashi-miikes-13-assassins |access-date=30 March 2017 |publisher=ComingSoon.net |date=25 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330180953/http://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/551219-trailer-for-takashi-miikes-13-assassins |archive-date=30 March 2017 }}

At the box office, 13 Assassins grossed $802,778 in the US and Canada. From an estimated $6 million budget, it grossed $17,555,141 worldwide.

13 Assassins drew favorable reviews from critics,{{cite news|last1=Cohen|first1=Finn|url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2011/09/the-swords-play-and-the-blood-spurts-in-13-assassins-this-weekend-in-new-orleans|title=The Swords Play and the Blood Spurts in 13 Assassins This Weekend in New Orleans|access-date=4 June 2017|work=Complex|date=15 September 2011}} many of whom praised its final battle sequence (which runs 45 minutes). Rotten Tomatoes gives a score of 95%, with an average rating of 7.9/10, based on reviews from 131 critics. The consensus reads, "Takashi Miike's electric remake of Eiichi Kudo's 1963 period action film is a wild spectacle executed with killer, dizzying panache."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/13_assassins_2011/ |title=13 Assassins (2011) |access-date=4 January 2024 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media }} On Metacritic, the film received "Universal acclaim" and was awarded its "Must-See" badge, with a weighted average of 84 out of 100 based on 33 reviews.{{cite web|title=13 Assassins (2011) |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/13-assassins |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive (CBS Corporation) |access-date=12 September 2019}}

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, who gave the film 3{{sfrac|1|2}} stars out of 4, praised the film as "terrifically entertaining, an ambitious big-budget epic, directed with great visuals and sound", and compared it favorably with other action films in its subtle use of CGI effects. Ebert also praised the way the film "focuses on story in the midst of violence", as well as incorporating characters and drama with a skill that most blockbuster action films lack.{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110524/REVIEWS/110529985 |title=13 Assassins |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |access-date=26 November 2012 |date=25 May 2011 |website=RogerEbert.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125084111/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20110524%2FREVIEWS%2F110529985 |archive-date=25 November 2011 }} Ebert later included it in his Best Films of 2011 list as an addendum to his top 20.{{cite news|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/12/the_best_films_of_2011.html |title=The Best Films of 2011 |last=Ebert |first=Roger |access-date=26 November 2012 |date=15 December 2011 |publisher=RogerEbert.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105215412/http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/12/the_best_films_of_2011.html |archive-date=5 January 2012}} Manohla Dargis chose 13 Assassins as her Critic's Pick for The New York Times, describing it as "A stirring, unexpectedly moving story of love and blood".{{cite news|last1=Dargis |first1=Manohla |author-link=Manohla Dargis |title=Swords Drip Red With Revenge |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/movies/13-assassins-directed-by-takashi-miike-review.html |access-date=30 March 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=28 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331025704/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/movies/13-assassins-directed-by-takashi-miike-review.html |archive-date=31 March 2017 }}

V.{{nbsp}}A. Musetto of the New York Post said the film complements Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai (1954) and Ran (1985), describing Miike's film as "a pulse-quickening masterpiece that would please the mighty Kurosawa".{{cite news|last1=Musetto |first1=V. A. |title=13 Assassins |url=https://nypost.com/2011/04/29/13-assassins/ |access-date=30 March 2017 |work=New York Post |date=29 April 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331031551/http://nypost.com/2011/04/29/13-assassins/ |archive-date=31 March 2017 }} Mark Schilling of The Japan Times commended Miike's direction and the performance of the ensemble cast (including Koji Yakusho's). Schilling gave the film 4 stars out of 5, but, notwithstanding other favorable comparisons, he noted that it barely "strike[s] the deeper chords" of Seven Samurai. Tom Mes of Film Comment said the film "culminates in a riveting, ingeniously plotted, and inventively shot 45-minute battle scene that few contemporary Japanese directors besides Miike could pull off, either logistically or artistically".{{cite news|last1=Mes |first1=Tom |title=Review: 13 Assassins |url=https://www.filmcomment.com/article/13-assassins-review/ |access-date=13 May 2017 |work=Film Comment |issue=May/June 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028003833/http://www.filmcomment.com/article/13-assassins-review |archive-date=28 October 2014 |issn= 0015-119X}} Leslie Felperin of Variety praised the film's technical aspects, describing Kenji Yamashita's editing as "gracefully executed", Kazuhiro Sawataishi's costume design as "terrific, character-defining", and Kōji Endō's soundtrack as "rousing, propulsive score".{{cite news|last1=Felperin |first1=Leslie |title=Review: 13 Assassins |url=https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/13-assassins-1117943483/ |access-date=19 April 2017 |work=Variety |date=9 September 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419195744/http://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/13-assassins-1117943483/ |archive-date=19 April 2017 }}

The film's DVD and Blu-ray versions were released in the United States on 5{{nbsp}}July 2011 by Magnet Releasing,{{cite news|last1=Hurtado |first1=Josh |title=Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins Blazes Onto Blu-ray/DVD July 5th From Magnet Releasing |url=http://screenanarchy.com/2011/06/takashi-miikes-13-assassins-blazes-onto-blu-raydvd-july-5th-from-magnet-releasing.html |access-date=30 March 2017 |publisher=Screen Anarchy |date=6 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331031240/http://screenanarchy.com/2011/06/takashi-miikes-13-assassins-blazes-onto-blu-raydvd-july-5th-from-magnet-releasing.html |archive-date=31 March 2017 }} and in the United Kingdom on 5{{nbsp}}September by Artificial Eye.{{cite news|last1=Foster |first1=Dave |title=13 Assassins (UK) in September |url=http://film.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/74112/13-assassins-uk-in-september.html |access-date=19 April 2017 |work=The Digital Fix |date=13 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419195125/http://film.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/74112/13-assassins-uk-in-september.html |archive-date=19 April 2017 }} The DVD version was the 12th-bestselling DVD in its first week of availability in the US, selling 41,593 copies. In its second week, it dropped to 30th place, selling 13,922 copies. The Blu-ray version was the third-bestselling Blu-ray, selling 33,142 copies in its first week. In its second week, it dropped to 10,335 copies and was placed 20th.{{cite web|title=Jûsan-nin no shikaku (2011): Video sales |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Jusan-nin-no-shikaku#tab=video-sales |publisher=The Numbers |access-date=30 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331030948/http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Jusan-nin-no-shikaku |archive-date=31 March 2017 }} The Blu-ray version garnered positive reviews from IGN, DVD Talk, Slant Magazine, and HuffPost UK.

• {{cite news|last1=Schaffer |first1=R. L. |title=13 Assassins Blu-ray Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/07/06/13-assassins-blu-ray-review |access-date=24 June 2017 |website=IGN |date=6 July 2011 }}
• {{cite news|last1=Orndorf |first1=Brian |title=13 Assassins (Blu-ray) |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/49557/13-assassins/ |access-date=24 June 2017 |website=DVD Talk |date=4 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919203358/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/49557/13-assassins/ |archive-date=19 September 2015 }}
• {{cite news| last1=Heath | first1=Glenn Jr. |title=13 Assassins |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review/13-assassins |access-date=24 June 2017 |work=Slant Magazine |date=17 July 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223181926/http://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review/13-assassins |archive-date=23 December 2016 }}
• {{cite news|last1=Skinner |first1=Craig |title=Blu-ray Review: 13 Assassins |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/craig-skinner/bluray-review-13-assassin_b_932608.html |access-date=24 June 2017 |work=HuffPost |location=United Kingdom |date=31 August 2011 }}

In Japan, the film won four of its ten nominations at the 34th Japan Academy Prize,{{cite web|url=http://www.japan-academy-prize.jp/prizes/34.html |script-title=ja:第 34 回日本アカデミー賞優秀賞 |access-date=17 December 2010 |language=ja |publisher=Japan Academy Prize |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118174008/http://www.japan-academy-prize.jp/prizes/34.html |archive-date=18 November 2011 }} and won both of its two nominations at the 32nd Yokohama Film Festival.{{cite web|url=http://yokohama-eigasai.o.oo7.jp/ |script-title=ja:第32回ヨコハマ映画祭2011年2月6日（日）横浜･関内ホールベストテン･個人賞 |access-date=31 March 2017 |language=ja |publisher=Yokohama Film Festival |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203063315/http://yokohama-eigasai.o.oo7.jp/ |archive-date= 3 December 2016 }} In 2014 Time Out polled several film critics, directors, actors, and stunt actors to list their top action films.{{cite web |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/best-action-movies |work=Time Out |title=The 100 best action movies |access-date=7 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106142045/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/best-action-movies |archive-date=6 November 2014 }} 13 Assassins was listed at 94th place on the list.{{cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/the-100-best-action-movies-100-91 |work=Time Out |access-date=7 November 2014 |title=The 100 best action movies: 100–91 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107142624/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/film/the-100-best-action-movies-100-91 |archive-date= 7 November 2014 }} Rotten Tomatoes ranked the film at No. 70 on its list of the "140 Essential Action Movies To Watch Now",{{cite web |title=100 Best Fresh Action Movies |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/140-essential-action-movies-to-watch-now/2/ |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |access-date=13 November 2018}} and was ranked at No. 5 on Screen Rant's "12 Best Action Movies You've Never Heard Of".{{cite news|last1=DiGiulio|first1=Matt|title=12 Best Action Movies You've Never Heard Of|url=https://screenrant.com/best-underrated-action-movies/|access-date=29 September 2017|publisher=Screen Rant|date=20 January 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116000737/http://screenrant.com/best-underrated-action-movies/|archive-date=16 January 2017}} 13 Assassins made the British Film Institute's list of 10 great samurai films.{{cite web|last1=Sharp|first1=Jasper|title=10 great samurai films|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-samurai-films|publisher=British Film Institute|access-date=24 December 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224213849/http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/10-great-samurai-films|archive-date=24 December 2017}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|1436045|13 Assassins}}

{{Takashi Miike}}

{{Yokohama Film Festival Best Film}}

Category:2010 films

Category:2010 action films

Category:Films directed by Takashi Miike

Category:Films produced by Jeremy Thomas

Category:Films produced by Minami Ichikawa

Category:Films set in 1844

Category:Japanese action war films

Category:Remakes of Japanese films

Category:2010s action war films

Category:Jidaigeki films

Category:2010s samurai films

Category:Toho films

Category:Curzon Artificial Eye films

Category:Recorded Picture Company films

Category:2010s Japanese films

Category:2010s Japanese-language films

Category:Films about assassinations