11 Rebels (2024), directed by Kazuya Shiraishi, is a visceral samurai epic set during Japan’s Boshin War (1868-69), a brutal civil conflict marking the end of feudalism. The film, which premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival, follows a ragtag group of 11 death-row criminals and samurai—led by Takayuki Yamada and Taiga Nakano—tasked with defending a fortress for the Shibata clan. Promised pardons, they face betrayal as the clan, shogunate, and new government clash in a web of political deceit. Shiraishi, adapting a 1964 script by Kazuo Kasahara, delivers a gory, action-packed spectacle with impressive swordplay and practical effects, though the 155-minute runtime occasionally drags with repetitive battles. The film critiques samurai honor, focusing on marginalized perspectives, but some characters lack depth, and the complex historical context can overwhelm. Still, its brutal finale and themes of loyalty and injustice resonate, making it a thrilling, if flawed, throwback to classic samurai cinema.