People are probably scared to walk in the shadow of such an achievement. They’re always talking about remaking it, but it usually falls apart. See what the big deal is about with a revisit of a film that has influenced literally hundreds of other works, animated and live-action, in the three decades since its release. Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 adaptation of the hit manga franchise has been often imitated but rarely duplicated.

It’s a perfect balance of storytelling and sprays of samurai blood. A remake of Eiichi Kudo’s 1963 film, it is loosely based on actual events from 1844 when 12 samurai and a hunter worked together to assassinate the leader of the Akashi clan. Takashi Miike has directed over 100 movies, and 13 Assassins is one of the best, a stylish throwback to samurai cinema of old anchored by the modern filmmaking prowess of one of the best filmmakers alive.