Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx
by Kenji Misumi
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Akiji Kobayashi, Kayo Matsuo, Minoru Oki, Shin Kishida, Tomisaburô WakayamaDirector: Kenji Misumi
Brand: Koch International
Cinematographer: Chishi Makiura
Editor: Toshio Taniguchi
Producer: Hisaharu Matsubara
Producer: Shintarô Katsu
Writer: Goseki Kojima
Writer: Kazuo Koike
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Japanese (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 81 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-09-09
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: ANIMEIGO
Product features:
- The Yagyu clan has murdered Ogami Itto's wife, and had him stripped of his position of Official Shogunate Second. Now Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro wander the countryside as the hired assassins known as. Lone Wolf and Cub! Ogami Itto is dead. What lives on is the desire for revenge upon the Yagyu. Knowing this, Retsudo, evil mastermind of the Shadow-Yagyu, gives a special branch of the cla
Movie Reviews of Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx
Movie Review: Battling Blades bring Blood and Brutality
Summary: 5 Stars
I wanna mention up front that though this is probably only a 4 star movie overall, action movie's are held to a lower standard in my book, and by those standards this is a 5.
This movie's not big on plot, but I'll talk about it some anyway. In the first film, Sword of Vengeance, which I haven't actually seen, Ogami Itto, the Shoggunate assassin, is framed for treason and his wife is murdered by the Yagyu clan. Thus he is now a Ronin, and he and his young son Daigoro wander the country as assassins. In this film they are hired to assassinate some guy to prevent the Awa clan from losing their secret dye processing method, or something like that, while they are continually hunted by the Yagyu clan. The man they need to assassinate is being guarded by the 3 Gods of Death, who wield a spikey-fist, a mace-type thing and a claw hand, whom Ogami will need to defeat in the final showdown.
The 2 protagonists are quite appealing. Ogami is your standard vengeance-seeking, morally dubious hero who is taciturn and isolated. Perhaps not the most original characterization in the world, but it's a good one none the less. And what can I say, Daigoro is a cute kid. Their relationship adds a greater emotional depth to the film, and not in the traditionally manipulative use of children in film. i.e. you sympathize with Ogami when Daigoro is in danger because Ogami is his father moreso than because Daigoro is a little kid. The villains are alright too, though they don't really do all that much other than fight. There's a bit of evil laughter on their part which seems a bit forced, but it's not to big a deal. Other than that the acting is generally more than competent, though it's harder to judge this sort of thing when you don't speak the languange.
This film is beautifully shot, with lots of great outdoor locations. Lotsa nice long shots as well, which remind of Leone's westerns and accentuate the landscape too. The dune filled desert at the end is particularly stunning. Overall the film has great atmosphere.(The scenes where Ogami listens to the drums of the Kurokawa are especially atmospheric) The music is good enough if not remarkable. It suits the material, but nothing really jumps out at you. The action scenes are just great, as they ought to be in an action movie. These are nice, old fashioned actions scenes where you actually get to see what's going on, and the camera actually sits still. It's melee stuff, of course, but always with weapons. Though the fight at the end is good, the ones with the female Shinobi and Kurokawa in the forest are the best. This series is most famous for its extravagant, over the top gore, and it doesn't disappoint. Limbs fly, arteries spray 20 feet or more, faces are cut down the middle etc. The most notable scene comes early in the film where, a pack of female Shinobi slowly dismember their opponent, eventually leaving him a limbless and rather dead torso. Despite the stylized nature of the gore this film isn't camp. Though the gore is over the top, and some of the moves they use in battle can be a bit whacky, the film is very serious and professional otherwise, and always plays the material straight.
Well, what else is there to say. It's got great action, which is all you need for an action movie, and some good atmosphere and cool characters to boot. Definitely worthwhile.
Summary of Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx
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