And thats not a bad thing. If you've seen Takashi Miike 13 Assassins than you know what kind of ride you are in for. Over the top violence, buckets of blood, over the top acting, great fighting choreography, meaty sound effects, and pretty good cinematography. You can tell they tried to fit in as much as possible of the story. I wish they turned it into two parts so we got more back story on all the cool characters. At times characters do things that make you yell at the screen but I mean if this was real life it would be over pretty quick.

The pacing is pretty good, slows down towards the middle act but picks up at the end. Very Takashi Miike like. If you are a fan of the manga/anime you wont be to disappointed. If you are coming in this this blind and just want a bloody Samurai film you will be pleased with this one. I would love to see a sequel that explores more of the characters in this world. Its a fun ride. If you enjoy it be sure to check out 13 Assassins which is based more in reality...well as much as it can be. A solid 7/10 for me.