The fourth entry to the brilliant "Kozure Ôkami" ("Lone Wolf And Cub") film series, "Kozure Ôkami: Oya no kokoro ko no kokoro" aka "Baby Cart In Peril" is yet another masterpiece about the 'Lone Wolf' Ogami Itto and his only son Daigoro. This is the first of the Lone Wolf and Cub films that was not directed by genius director Kenji Misumi, who directed the first three and the fifth entry to this greatest samurai film series in motion picture history. Buichi Saito, however, did an astonishing job with "Baby Cart In Peril", a blood-soaked, stylish and astonishing film of unique atmosphere and elegance. The Lone Wolf and Cub cycle should be seen in the right order, and yet every one of the movies has its very own particular charm and genuine ingenuity.
Ôgami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama), former Kaishakunin (highest executioner) of the shogunate, who fell victim of a complot by the powerful Yagyu clan, is traveling through Edo Japan with his only son Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa). Itto, who is working as an assassin for 500 ryu, is walking the 'path to hell' in order to avenge his wife's death and to clear his name, and Daigoro is walking this path with him. This time, Ogami Itto is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin, and the father and son once again have a variety of other enemies against them, the powerful Yagyu-clan in particular...
The entire 'Kozure Ôkami' cycle is brilliant, and every single film has some particularly ingenious aspects. This fourth part has a unique, mesmerizing atmosphere and an incomparable elegance. The swordplay is once again exceptionally stylish and very bloody. Tomisaburo Wakayama is, as always, brilliant in his role of Ogami Itto and so is Akihiro Tomikawa in the role of Daigoro, without doubt one of the greatest child-characters ever in a film. The father-son relationship is one of the greatest aspects of the Ôkami-films, and gives these blood-soaked and brilliant Chambara-highlights a sometimes heart-warming note. Another superb character of this particular entry to the cycle is that of Oyuki (Michie Azuma), the tattooed (and mostly bare-breasted) swordswoman, who is as stunningly beautiful as she is lethal. As it is the case with the other Ôkami-films, film is exceptionally photographed in impressive locations and impressive. I could go on praising "Baby Cart In Peril" forever, but I'll come to an end instead: The entire "Kozure Ôkami" cycle is incomparably brilliant, and "Baby Cart In Peril" is an essential masterpiece that must not be missed! 10/10
Ôgami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama), former Kaishakunin (highest executioner) of the shogunate, who fell victim of a complot by the powerful Yagyu clan, is traveling through Edo Japan with his only son Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa). Itto, who is working as an assassin for 500 ryu, is walking the 'path to hell' in order to avenge his wife's death and to clear his name, and Daigoro is walking this path with him. This time, Ogami Itto is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin, and the father and son once again have a variety of other enemies against them, the powerful Yagyu-clan in particular...
The entire 'Kozure Ôkami' cycle is brilliant, and every single film has some particularly ingenious aspects. This fourth part has a unique, mesmerizing atmosphere and an incomparable elegance. The swordplay is once again exceptionally stylish and very bloody. Tomisaburo Wakayama is, as always, brilliant in his role of Ogami Itto and so is Akihiro Tomikawa in the role of Daigoro, without doubt one of the greatest child-characters ever in a film. The father-son relationship is one of the greatest aspects of the Ôkami-films, and gives these blood-soaked and brilliant Chambara-highlights a sometimes heart-warming note. Another superb character of this particular entry to the cycle is that of Oyuki (Michie Azuma), the tattooed (and mostly bare-breasted) swordswoman, who is as stunningly beautiful as she is lethal. As it is the case with the other Ôkami-films, film is exceptionally photographed in impressive locations and impressive. I could go on praising "Baby Cart In Peril" forever, but I'll come to an end instead: The entire "Kozure Ôkami" cycle is incomparably brilliant, and "Baby Cart In Peril" is an essential masterpiece that must not be missed! 10/10