11 no Zokugun

There is nothing that compares to a good Samurai movie in the genre of historical actions films when done well. 11 Rebels, the newest Japanese release from Well Go USA is a really good and watchable Samurai action film.

The film is set in 1868, as the era of the Japanese Samurai is coming to an end, and Japan's political landscape is changing. The film is based upon true events, although, certainly, fictionalized for the screen.

The film's main premise surrounds a deal made to a group of convicted men to defend their feudal town in order to win their freedom. While this is the main storyline, there are numbers of smaller, personal stories that are woven into the film, using the plethora of characters as instruments to tell those stories. Those stories are as personal as the revenge of a man for the rape of his wife by a Samurai to a the preservation of the dying breed of the Samurai itself. These interwoven stories help elevate the film from a good action film to a good movie, that transcends the genre.

This film covers the same period as Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai, albeit from a different perspective. It also pays homage to the work of Akira Kurosawa, having many of the elements of his classic film, The Seven Samurai, later remade by Hollywood as the highly successful, The Magnificent Seven. While the film doesn't have the depth or complexity of a Kurosawa film (not many do), the use of multiple, diverse, and dynamic personalities is a signature of the Great Director. It is well utilized in 11 Rebels.

The cast does a great job of working as an ensemble. While the action and fighting begin to whittle the ranks of characters down, there is a natural synergy among the players that make the sum of the cast greater than any single player. While I did find myself wanting to understand a little more about each of the characters, the limitations of a single film, as opposed to a trilogy, or television series, understandably limited the possibilities for more.

While the film is a historical drama, it is also, and fundamentally, an action film. The action and violence here are well done and they are plentiful. There is action, violence, and fighting throughout the film. The migration from sword to modern weapons is a tool of action and violence here, but also lends itself to the theme of the extinction of a the noble breed of Samurai Warriors. The climactic action and fight scenes in this movie are unique, well filmed, and highly engaging. I loved the violence, in its support for the story.

The costumes, set designs, and cinematography for this film are very good. The film may not be a big budgeted film; however, the elements come together for something that is visually powerful and has an authentic feel as a period piece.

Interesting fact: this film is based upon a 1964 Script that was shelved and took sixty years to revive. I am glad these filmmakers undertook the challenger of reviving it.

11 Rebels is a great film in the Japanese tradition. I highly recommend it.

11 Rebels was a movie I picked at random and I'm glad I did. It was another suicide squad of criminals kind of movie. It followed the typical pattern of a bunch of misfits finding common causes and overcoming a series of adversities.

But...cliche tho it was, it worked. No CGI, which was a nice change. Just decent practical effects.

Actors had good chemistry and the ensemble worked. It was a simple movie, in that there weren't ton of elaborate sets...the outdoor shots reminding me a bit of MASH locations.

The swordsmanship was about stabbing, slashing and flailing with differing degrees of skill, which one would expect from a real, ragtag, makeshift, fighting company, which helped to create a realistic feel.

It was over 2 hours long but it never felt too long. It was well worth watching. If you're looking for a change from dreary hollywood fare, I recommend 11 Rebels.

The movie had kind of a folksy charm. I liked it.

A pretty good samurai movie, some very nice set designs and practical effects. Having randomly come across this on Netflix and not knowing of any of the actors, impressive performances all round. The film is obviously very centered around a real Japanese civil war though, so if like me you go into this with no real knowledge of the events in the film it can be hard to keep up with who's who.

Some cool action set pieces as well and surprisingly gory, despite some very CGI blood early on once the action gets going the film certainly doesn't hold back with gore and characters being chopped up with katanas. The film doesn't feel too draggy overall despite the 2 and a half hour run time (there's a lot of character introduction at the start) a neat film if you're looking for some samurai action.

Without hesitation i recommend this film for anyone who wants to be transported into the samurai saga escapeds of begotten years. Delves into the formulations of epic timeless tales rarley found in the last 25 years. Honestly until the credits rolled i thought i was watching a production from then. Of course it can be hard on the stomach, not so much because the violence isnt outmatched by the cinema of our time, but because the experience feels so real.. Im a fan of this time period & those who express it, not because im obsessed with some of the most carnal human experiences to hit the box, but because again, it is actually real, is actually a part of human history & despite its flavor, depicts our experience.. I cried, i laughed, i cheered... Bravo family, bravo.

11 Rebels explores key themes such as loyalty, courage, rectitude and sacrifice.

I thought the story was good, but the cast and their characters are what stand out the most in this movie. As it progresses, you get to know more of the criminals and their crimes and their bond with their samurai captors.

The action sequences were amazing, and they're very bloody! Watch out for that.

The emotional stakes near the end really get you, but what really is different about this period drama compared to others is the ending, it's not a traditional hero meets loved one, it's darker and that's what makes it special.

It's very watchable, I recommend.