Shimada leads a team of assassins in 19th-century Japan to kill the ruthless Lord Matsudaira, who is wreaking havoc against his own people. Hired secretly by a government official hoping to end this reign of terror, Shimada recruits the best samurai to set a trap for the lord’s faithful bodyguards.

Think the age of the samurai film ended years ago? Think again! Kurosawa may no longer be with us, but the insanely prolific Takashi Miike (Audition) delivers an old-fashioned samurai epic for an extreme 21st century, slashing its way across the widescreen frame with panache.