Finally saw Eleven Samurai, another ensemble assassination film. It reminded me strongly of Thirteen Assassins (which predates this film by 4 years) - similarly to that one, this film is mostly about frustration. The villain is tantalizingly close, but the conditions are not right and the attack must be delayed yet again. This film gets more into some political machinations, motivating the protagonists not only with revenge but also by threatening destruction of their clan. Okay.
This film was okay, but it was basically Thirteen Assassins all over again, even down to a scene where they point out the ambush spot on a map and the camera zooms in all dramatically. The acting is very over-the-top, with dudes growling and grimacing directly into each other's faces. Like I say, this one gets more into the periphery of the story, delving into the political climate and the ringleader's romantic life. I'm not sure this adds anything beyond yet more motivation for the grand attack.
The grand attack, when it comes, is pretty and pretty satisfying. A big rainstorm affords some nice mist to cover the screen, exactly like the filmmaker drawing a veil over the rest of the film. Very clever bits. I didn't enjoy this very much, but it's done with now, which is good.
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