Takashi Miike's remake of the 1963 jidai-geki of the same name is faithful to the original plot, but the violence and visual style are all his own. Set in 1844 towards the end of the Shogunate, a sadistic lord, Naritsugu (Goro Inagaki), is in line to take the throne. Fearful of the abominations to come, some royals hire an elder samurai (Koji Yakusho, Tokyo Sonata) to sever Naritsugu's bloodline. In true mythic fashion, the swordsman assembles a small band of brothers to help lure Naritsugu and his army into a tiny, booby-trapped village, where the outnumbered men will pounce. Seven Samurai is an obvious point of reference, but by the big finale, we've learned less about the jaded assassins and more about the glory of going out in a bloodbath. Nominated for the Golden Lion at Venice. In Japanese with English subtitles.

Takashi Miike---Japan---2010---125 mins.

• Magnolia
  Release Date: 07/05/2011