13 Assassins (2010)

In terms of Samurai movies, this is the real deal. Even though I'm no expert on the subject or Takeshi Miike, i can just sense it.  This is equal parts Magnificent Seven and Wild Bunch. It's the story of a retired warrior (gawd... Aren't they all!) tasked with removing a morally-void Duke/Prince deally. To fulfil this objective, he puts together 13 ASSASSINS.
Miike has made over 80 films but hasn't ever worked on this scale yet, he's made a no-fooling epic, channelling Lean and Peckenpah, without forgetting to bring in the stone-cold tangible uncomfortable rawness that he based his career on.
The villain, Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira is one of the most reprehensible people seen in a cinema, since the twot who put his feet up on the back of the seat next to mine. There's absolutely no redeemable features in the man, to the extent who have to enjoy him on a heightened level of catharsis. Gorô Inagaki plays him not sneering al-la Rickman but perpetually bored al-la killing and mutilating simply to see how people's expressions change.
It's impressive to see how the infamous Miike makes scenes of rape, death and mutilation moderately pallitible, at least enough for someone like me, with an aversion to body-horror. Which is not to say that he's not affective in showing us what a monster Matsudaira is, it's just well written to the extent we know what he's capable of.
Kôji Yakusho plays Shinzaemon Shimada, the old man in charge of taking the man down. Shinzaemon is a man duty and honour completely. He has survived a warrior life and restless until given this task. He treats it almost as a god given chance to end his life in the only way honourable-in battle. Not that this is glorified hari-kiri for him but it ignites him anew putting the team together, training them.
And when the time comes, the final set piece is just incredible. This is not a war movie obviously but it has one of the greatest full-scale battles ever. It like they built a town and over the course of 30mins or so, you want it get gradually obliterated-smashed, burnt, exploded and otherwise destroyed in this battle royals between 100's of soldiers and these 13 Samurai.
Miike has just made a masterpiece about stoic duty and sacrifice and honour. I keep using that word only because the film is just neck deep in it and the majesty of it.