User Reviews

Where the Lone Wolf and Cub adventure has been delightfully frenetic up to this point, the fifth film is a decided change of pace. Much more deliberate and pensive, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons spends an unusual amount of time in one place, toying with a more nuanced (at times even confusing) story, while also fleshing out an important supporting character. Young Daigoro, stone-faced son of the wandering master at the center of this great storm, finally gets his close-up and proves to be every bit as determined, soft-spoken and unflappable as his father. His scenes are the ones that stuck with me afterward, resonating in a way that felt fresh while also remaining loyal to the saga's identity. Daddy, meanwhile, has his hands full with a difficult five-pronged onslaught and a pair of complex, intertwined kill contracts. His actions at the film's climax once more cast the character in dark grey fabric, a recurring theme for the series, and prove that (where duty is concerned) he hasn't changed all that much from the very first time we met. Less visceral and rubber-tendoned than any of the earlier entries, and perhaps overly ambitious with that tangled primary storyline, it's good stuff if a touch below the standard its brethren have thus far maintained. An outlier in many ways.

This is part 5 of the legendary BABY CART series, which deals with ronin assassin Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro. They are on a mission to destroy the Yagyu clan for their betrayal, and to avenge the death of Itto's wife.

More beautiful battles and swordplay - this one primarily centering around 5 warriors that Itto must battle in throughout the film to earn his bounty and the clues that he needs to take on his next "hit" - to kill a crazy clan leader before the clan falls apart.

Full of beautiful cinematography, great action and swordplay, excellent acting, and the strange yet touching relation ship between Itto and Daigoro - the BABY CART series is not to be missed for those that enjoy martial arts films. I highly recommend the whole series. 8.5/10

Master film-maker Kenji Misumi returns in the Lone Wolf and Cub series to helm the fifth entry, Baby Cart in the Land of the Demons, and if you thought even just for a fleeting second that this would be anything but orgasmically violent and existentially mystifying, you just don't have enough confidence on the man.

Picking up the story of the Shogun's former executioner Ogami Itto and his son Daigoro, this is another tale of betrayal, political intrigue and murder. The Kuroda Clan is in deep trouble, trouble that Ogami Itto's fierce opponents, the Yagyu, want to exploit for their own benefit. Ogami Itto is paid his usual fee (500 gold pieces of course) and bloodshed ensues.

Now as a chambara and LWAC fundamendalist, I will confess upfront that the combination of stylized comic-book violence and the existential, quasi-mythic look at both historical Japan and the genre conventions that form chambara, are a sure win in my book. It might not be as groundbreaking as the first two entries in the series, it is after all following a now well-tested tradition, but it is done with such conviction and deliberation that one has to pay notice.

As with other serialized characters of the chambara universe like Zatoichi or Nemuri Kiyoshiro, it is exactly that it simultaneously meets our expectations as a pure Lone Wolf movie that doesn't disappoint the way Hollywood sequels do and that it breaks the traditional forms of the period drama that make even a fifth entry of this tried and tested recipe so good.

The plot is of secondary value to the actual journey of Itto and his son. They have been through the crossroads at Hades and now into the land of the demons and there is no turning back. What pushes them through piles of dead bodies is revenge, and I say "them" because Daigoro has made his commitment to follow the same path of blood as his father, their fates inextricably linked through life and death; yet as with other Lone Wolf movies revenge is but a vague part of the storyline. A skeleton that gives these movies form and reason to be but they take life beyond that.

In Lone Wolf and Cub's case their journey is an existential fable bathed in blood, like they are doomed to cut their way through the land for all time and it is through the act of killing that their existence takes meaning. It takes one look at Ogami Itto's grim stare to realize that if there is a god and he would dare to appear in front of him, Itto would swiftly cut him down and move on his path. Takashi Miike understood all this crystal clear when he made Izo.

Speaking of blood, yes, there will be lots of it. It's a staple of the Lone Wolf movies and I wouldn't have it any other way. Arterial sprays, chopped heads and bodies sliced in half. And then there is Tomisaburo Wakayama, the man, the myth, crafting the most mesmerizing character role of his career.

Strongly recommended as are all the other Lone Wolf movies. Watch them in order though.

Even though all the festival-scenes are a sub-plot that adds little to nothing to the story, I find this an excellent film. The idea and the enactment of the five Samurai, each giving Ogami a part of his mission as their dying words, exemplifies the value of loyalty and truth above all. In all the Lone Wolf films honor is considered the highest value, and there is a continuous presence of morality throughout the series. In this film I was touched by the incredible loyalty of all the Samurais of the Kuroda clan. Even when on fire, fatally wounded or bleeding from every orifice, they still continue to serve their clan. In fact they care so much for their clan that they hire Ogami to kill their own, perverted masters, because their actions bring dishonor and great danger to the clan.

Story-wise certainly the most elaborate of the Lone Wolf films, I found this one to be the best.

I was interested in seeing how director Kenji Misumi would pick up the series again. He directed the first three movies but the previous one, "Kozure Ôkami: Oya no kokoro ko no kokoro", got directed by Buichi Saito. would Kenji Misumi continue on the same trend he had started the series in, or would he go with the successful more western style of approach Buichi Saito brought to the series.

The answer would be the first. Kenji Misumi pretty much continues what he had started. This is not a bad thing of course, since all of the first three movies were great and entertaining ones but it just makes it a little bit less accessible as a movie for the western audience. This style was however also more appreciated in Japan itself, so the switch back is quite understandable.

The movie starts off kind of slow and uninteresting and I wasn't too fond about its storytelling but it soon finds its old form. It actually turns into one of the more stronger movies out of the series, also story-wise. The movie does feature some great memorable moments in it, perhaps even more so than was the case with any of the previous movies. It's a very entertaining movie and its fight sequences are a pleasure to watch. It's being highly original and creative with some of its moments.

It's awesome to see how Ogami Itto is taking on whole armies again. You would think that by now his reputation would had exceeded him and people would know better to cross swords with him. The Japanese are however too noble and proud to just runaway at his sight or perform harakiri right away. Luckilly for use though, since it means that the movie gets action packed and features plenty of fountains of blood again, especially toward the ending when the movie becomes really more and more action filled and spectacular.

Such an awesome and entertaining movie.

9/10

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The indefatigable Itto Ogami continues his journey through feudal Japan with his son in tow. BABY CART IN THE LAND OF DEMONS is the fifth in the six-film series and for the first time, the film shows signs of flagging. It's not that I didn't enjoy this movie, because I did; rather, I started to find the plot shenanigans to be ever-so-slightly familiar, if not a little tired. Much of what goes on in the film has been seen before, and although the action sequences are as vivid as ever, there's little here that hasn't been done previously (and better).

As per usual, Ogami finds himself caught up in plotting between various factions and must form political allegiances to see him through. The opening of the film sees him tackling a series of martial arts masters, all of whom test him unawares to make sure he's worthy of the job. The plot then takes a lengthy and slightly pointless detour to a market village where Daigoro is accused of helping a pickpocket conduct her business. Although this sequence has been incorporated to allow greater characterisation of Ogami's son, I found it dragged the pacing down to crawling speed.

Thankfully, things pick up for a relatively exciting climax which sees Ogami finishing off his job. There's still a great deal of entertainment value from watching the various characters occupying different positions in Japanese society at this time and how they react to our hero. The cast give understated performances and the action is typically well shot, but I'm actually looking forward to the end of this series now: better to end on a high than dragging it into the ground.

This is the fifth of six films of the Lone Wolf & Cub Series. A clan offers to hire Lone Wolf Ogami Itto for an assassination but they want to test his skills. They set five individual warriors upon him, each to test a certain skill. After each is defeated, the warrior is to give part of the story and a fifth of the payment. Upon defeating the fifth warrior, he is finally given his full mission.

Of the five, the poisoning is the most dramatic and the most interesting. The story is relatively simple except the side trip with the Cub. It's interesting that the Cub has his own little adventure. As always, Lone Wolf and Cub do a mass slaughter in the end. My only concern is that he has kill a little girl. It doesn't matter how bratty the girl gets. He still kills a little girl but I still like the massacre. I also really like Cub having his own adventure.

I love the Lone Wolf and Cub series, they are the greatest series of action movies ever made! Tomisaburo Wakayama is my favourite samurai (well, technically ronin) of all time and Daigoro is the greatest "sidekick." I love every one of these movies but this has got to be my favourite for many reasons.

The swordplay in this one is amazing and relentless. There is barely a minute without some sort of fight and none are repetitive. There always seems to be a new way to off someone with plenty of blood. The story is particularly in-depth in this one, with an interesting plot about deceit and betrayal within the Kuroda clan. Of particular note is the focus on the relationship between Itto and Daigoro, which in this entry is very unique and moving. The cinematography is as usual stunning, it really showcases Japan's beautiful countryside.

Be sure not to miss this entry into this amazing series.

5/5

I've seen most of the other Lone Wolf and Cub movies. I've been happy with all of them except for this one.

The martial arts sequences are excellent. The acting is great; however, this movie drove home an important point about film-making: If the plot is incomprehensible, the movie is lost on the viewer.

Why did he listen to those he listened to and kill those he killed? He was supposed to be saving a particular clan, but ended up pretty much wiping it out. In the end, people kill themselves with no explanation and Lone Wolf walks away with his cub...

Part of the problem with my understanding might have been that this movie, unless the others that I own, was dubbed. It might have been over simplified...

The Lone Wolf and his son are back again, and greater than ever! The entire "Kozure Ôkami" aka. "Lone Wolf And Cub" cycle is exceptionally brilliant, and the fifth entry to the series, "Kozure Ôkami: Meifumadô" aka. "Baby Cart In The Land Of Demons" is (alongside the second) my personal favorite of the six films. After another director, Buichi Saito, had directed the (impressive) fourth part, original director Kenji Misumi returns with brilliance. Out of all six films, this one has the most intriguing storyline, and the film is brilliant beyond comparison in so many aspects that I can hardly find the right words to praise it adequately.

Ogami Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama), the former Kaishakunin of the Shogunate, has been traveling through Japan with his only son Daigoro (Akihiro Tomikawa) ever since he fell victim to a conspiracy by the powerful and sneaky Yagyu-clan. He is now killing for 500 ryu as the assassin 'Lone Wolf with Child', walking on the 'path to hell', for vengeance and to clear his name... The beginning of the fifth Ôkami film is already ingenious: Ogami Itto is challenged by five messengers, each of which has 100 Ryu (one-fifth his reward) and one-fifth of the information he requires in order to know whom to assassinate... I do not want to give away more than necessary, but I can assure that "Baby Cart In The Land Of Demons" is exceptional in all regards. Ogami Itto is my personal favorite (anti-)hero character ever, and his son Daigoro, who keeps growing to be more and more self-reliant throughout the films, is equally great. This fifth part has an ingenious subplot featuring Daigoro as the main protagonist. This subplot is one of the greatest parts of the entire series, and the mere fact that Daigoro has his biggest role here makes the film an absolute favorite. This film has everything that is brilliant about the cycle: The swordplay and carnage are once again exceptionally stylish and brilliantly blood-soaked, the camera-work and locations are impressive, the film is outstanding both in plot and action, and there's a special focus on the father-son relationship between Itto Ogami and Daigoro. Additionally, this fifth part has the most intriguing story of all six films, a beginning that is unmatched in its brilliance, and a subplot that delivers some of the most ingenious moments in the series. I could watch the entire brilliant Lone Wolf and Cub film series over and over again, and the fifth part is one of the best of them all. A personal favorite of mine, brilliant and essential Chanbaracinema that has yet to find an equal! 10/10.

This one seems quite popular among viewers, but I didn't really care for it. "Peril" and "Hades" are by far the best in my opinion. I find it odd that the messengers are able to give Ogami the full extent of their plight just before dying (even when being consumed by fire). One plus is his display at the end of the movie. He's got that sword moving so quick you can hardly see it. Another aspect I found interesting was when Daigoro was beaten to save a pickpocket. He seems to share his father's empathy for the down-and-out. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad movie. But in this great series, I think this one and "White Heaven in Hell" are the weakest.

This movie essentially begins with the greatest swordsman in all of Japan "Ogami Itto" (Tomisaburo Wakayama) walking through the countryside with his young son "Daigaro" (Akihiro Tomikawa) being pushed in his baby cart. As they continue their journey, Ogami Itto is challenged to a duel by a samurai from a certain clan who then, with his dying breath, pays him 100 gold pieces for an assassination he wants committed and tells him that he will come upon 4 other samurai who will likewise challenge him and then give him more information. Sure enough, he meets and slays all 4 of his opponents and each of them give him more details about his next assignment. In addition to that, they each pay him 100 gold pieces to meet his usual price of 500 gold pieces for an assassination--with his target being a well-protected priest who has knowledge of that clan's insane daimyo trying to fool everyone into believing that a young female child is his male successor. And he must not be allowed to pass this information on to the shogunate because it would mean the end of everything for that clan. If that wasn't difficult enough, having now been paid his usual asking price, Ogami Itto is further asked by a female samurai named "Shiranui" (Michiyo Yasuda) that, in order to prevent the clan from being taken over by the shogunate, to not only kill the daimyo, but also his concubine and their young 5-year-old daughter as well. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that I didn't quite care as much for this particular film as I did the other 4 in the series as it lacked the depth and intensity of its predecessors. That being said, while it certainly wasn't a bad film by any means, I honestly expected something better and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

These movies were infamous for their incredibly brutal and bloody swordplay sequences, but equally impressive IMHO was the leading actor- Tomisaburo Wakayama a.k.a. "Lone Wolf" was surely the greatest martial arts star ever. The command and authority with which he wielded a sword (and other weapons) was just phenomenal. The blade truly was an extension of himself, and his use of it was the definition of lethal, with none of the unnecessary/show-off flourishes so desperately thrown about by today's wannabes. He had incredible presence and charisma- easily on a par with the likes of say Eastwood or Bronson- with eyes that reflected pure death, and the desolation in his soul. There were moments in the "Babycart" series where you'd swear he was the personification of his namesake, the Wolf. You never doubted for one second that he WAS shogun executioner, masterless samurai, assassin for hire. One look at him in action, and you could readily understand why his enemies trembled at the mention of his name, and ran from him in sheer terror. Alas, Lone Wolf is one with void now, but his legend will live on forever in these films.

Forget Toshiro Mifune. Forget Takakura Ken. Forget Sonny Chiba. Forget Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and any of those wire-reliant ballet dancers from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. And CERTAINLY forget any American martial artists that you could care to name. Tomisaburo Wakayama was, is, and forever shall be, THE MAN!

It's the best moving picture of the bunch!! It is the Empire Strikes Back of the Lone Wolf with Cub moving pictures. The action was superb and the bad guys were REALLY bad! Of course, this moving picture may be better appreciated upon having viewed the previous installments. Without trying to give anything away; some of the climactic scenes may be better understood with some of the back story filled in, but, I cannot seem to remember how much of "Meifumado" is exposition. So even just viewing this moving picture may give a good enough idea of the characters idioms, respectively. I think I cannot remember because I watched the 6th installment of the series the next day and now it's hard to remember the 5th. The 6th moving picture was the "A View To A Kill" of the series. Take that as you will. But one large part of this moving picture is Tomisaburo Wakayama's intensity as both a battle-hardened Samurai and also as a caring father, even though he does things most father's wouldn't do. Iffen you like good Samurai movies, be sure to check this one out. Haha Had to leave you with a Reading Rainbow plug...

Film #5 in the Lone Wolf series isn't a bad way to mindlessly plug into some action-based entertainment, but there's nothing special about it either. The taciturn assassin is pulled into a conflict between two clans, with one of them wanting him to carry out a contract on a high priest who has an important letter in his possession. They have an odd way of approaching him though, and it's one that doesn't make a lot of sense. Why do they feel a need to test the Lone Wolf's skills five times, when he's so well-known and highly regarded? We've seen him kicking ass for four films, after all. And why would they only impart important details about his assignment only after being fatally stabbed, trusting that they can do so before dying? Predictably, he passes the tests.

The 'Cub' aspect of the story doesn't bring much to the table either. In a subplot that feels oddly glued on in the middle of the film, the little tyke finds himself being publicly flogged to uphold his vow to not tell anyone about the identity of a pickpocket. During one battle scene, we see a scantily clad Lone Wolf running away from a mass of attackers, pushing the cart in front of him as he goes, and in another, we see him pulling it along through a desert, the cart attached with sleds. It made me chuckle, but it's a little silly.

Overall this one suffers from a story that is pretty thin, though at least it didn't lecherously rely on rape as a plot device as several of the others did. The battle scenes are pretty standard stuff and lack creativity, with the exception being how he carries out the assassination. I like how these films get in and get out quickly - this one is 89 minutes - so it has that going for it. I also like how there is both a moral code at play in how the Lone Wolf and his son conduct themselves, but also the amoral aspect of being a remorseless killer.

Where the Lone Wolf and Cub adventure has been delightfully frenetic up to this point, the fifth film is a decided change of pace. Much more deliberate and pensive, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons spends an unusual amount of time in one place, toying with a more nuanced (at times even confusing) story, while also fleshing out an important supporting character. Young Daigoro, stone-faced son of the wandering master at the center of this great storm, finally gets his close-up and proves to be every bit as determined, soft-spoken and unflappable as his father. His scenes are the ones that stuck with me afterward, resonating in a way that felt fresh while also remaining loyal to the saga's identity. Daddy, meanwhile, has his hands full with a difficult five-pronged onslaught and a pair of complex, intertwined kill contracts. His actions at the film's climax once more cast the character in dark grey fabric, a recurring theme for the series, and prove that (where duty is concerned) he hasn't changed all that much from the very first time we met. Less visceral and rubber-tendoned than any of the earlier entries, and perhaps overly ambitious with that tangled primary storyline, it's good stuff if a touch below the standard its brethren have thus far maintained. An outlier in many ways.

Fifth in the series and it seemed a little tired but maybe that was just me or the fact it came after the rather special previous film Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril directed by Buichi Saito filling in for regular man Kenji Misumi. Either way this is slightly longer than the first three and has a rather pedantic beginning with five men to be dispatched and then drifting rather before coming back for the usual spectacular finale. There is variety here with street scenes and festival goings on so nothing really to complain about and the violence when it comes is as crunching and bloody as ever.

This installment (#5) in the 'Babycart' film series finds Ogami Itto and Ogami Daigoro (played by respectively Tomisaburo Wakayama and Akihiro Tomikawa) recruited to protect the honour of a clan from its own leader, who is trying to pass off the offspring he sired on his concubine as his true heir. Much of the film moves at a slower pace than others in the series and there is a lengthy interlude in which little Daigoro, separated from his dad during a festival, has his own adventure. This sequence drags a bit although it is entertaining to see the stoic cub demonstrating baby-bushido as he is flogged for maintaining an honourable silence (like father, like son). Once the sanguinary twosome are reunited, the action picks up until the grand guignol finale, which even by the grim standards of this bloody series, is a bit shocking. The convoluted plot doesn't make a lot of sense (as others have pointed out, if only one of the waylaying samurai had died immediately when impaled on Itto's blade (as so many others have), the entire complex test-message scheme would have failed). That said, no one watches the Babycart series for tight plots and cohesive narratives. 'Land of Demons', the penultimate entry in the series, is notch below the previous installment (the splendid 'Baby Cart in Peril', with its topless, tattooed female assassin) and a bit less over-the-top than the final adventure, the frosty 'White Heaven in Hell' (with its incestuous impalement scene), but remains a watchable entry in the bloody, great series.

Kenji Misumi returns to the Lone Wolf and Cub franchise as director for the last time, and he provides the sort of competent professionalism that was missing from the previous entry, Baby Cart in Peril. Unfortunately, he brings little else, creating another rather bland entry in a franchise barely interested in any kind of cohesive storytelling, unable to quite figure out how to fill out a single story any other way than throwing in a second one to help fill the time.

The movie begins in a way that is cool in concept but begins to fall apart the second you think about it. A clan has a terrible secret where the leader is promoting his daughter as his heir, dressed as a boy, while his legitimate heir, his son, is hidden away. Why this situation exists at all is murky, but I can accept it. The near concept is that Itto Ogami must defeat five messengers/assassins out to test his ability, and each one gives him one fifth of the information he needs to take the contract as well as one fifth of his fee. Each of the five gives him the information as they are dying from mortal wounds, and each one picks up right where the last one left off even though the only person who knows where the last one left off was Ogami himself. Again, it's a neat idea, but once you think about it in the least it just leaves questions that distract. Anyway, the mission is to retrieve a letter that details all of this from a priest who is currently in transit.

Then the movie takes on another story for about half an hour where Ogami and his boy, Daigoro, stop off in a town holding a festival. The local authorities are on the lookout for a notorious female pickpocket, Oyo, and when she runs away from them after having grabbed a wallet, she hands it to Daigoro with the promise not to tell anyone. Which he doesn't do because he is a little man of his word, receiving a beating from the authorities rather than give Oyo up, even while she reveals herself and begs him to tell the truth. Daigoro is released, Itto picks him up, and they leave with Oyo never showing up again or referenced.

The final act is filled with action, heroics, and reveals. Ogami gets hired to kill the lord after he swims under the priest's boat, cuts a hole underneath the priest's seat, and kills him in the water. How all of that happens without anyone noticing is just kind of glossed over, of course. What gets me is when Ogami confronts the lord with the letter and his mission to kill the lord and the pretender, he becomes fully committed to the cause, something he's never done before. His speech of injustice seems to come from a different character, not the stoic man on the Demon Path to Hell who takes jobs because he needs the money. That's kind of the problem with having him be so stoic and lacking character for so long. I'm not even sure he's dedicated to his own vengeance anymore, and when he does take up a cause it seems to come out of nowhere.

The movie it built to be awesome with little real thought in how to actually build the awesome elements. The five assassins doling out the information one at a time as they die is a cool idea, but it's handled so lightly and without much thought that it falls apart with the least amount of thought. The killing of the priest through the floor of his boat is a cool idea, but the reality of finding the right spot, staying underwater long enough to cut the hole, and cutting the hole without getting noticed never get addressed. Ogami gives an impassioned speech, but it doesn't feel like the sort of thing that Ogami himself would do. And, you throw in the fact that there's a thirty minute segment that could get hard cut from the film and no one would notice because it's not actually part of the story.

I mean, it's thinly entertaining while it's on, and little else. This franchise felt like it had great potential, but five movies into a six movie franchise and it's largely just inelegantly fractured storytelling.

There might come a time, where some might get fed up or at least might not be as excited about something that is going on for seemingly forever. Then again, who can say no to nudity and blood mayhem all over the place? Well maybe quite a few can, but bare with me on this. Or with the movie for that matter, because that is more important of course.

Apart from the main actor, the cub might be the same one too. Since they made them back to back, it is possible. And while especially part 2 and 3 had some innovations gadget and gimmick wise, those are being now repeated or re-used I reckon. That's not overall a bad thing, but just so you know. Not sure where the anime went, but it is obvious that this had something to rely back on. Those who loved the previous entries (though you can watch them however you like almost - except from the evolution of the "weapons"), will like this too - or even love it. Dependng on your taste of course.

And so we once again have Tomisaburô Wakayama slowly wheeling the baby carriage containing his son, Akihiro Tomikawa, through Japan. No one sets out to kill him... well, there are five people, but they're testing him for a job of assassination, and as each is dispatched with dispatch, they give him one fifth of his price, and a further bit of the story as to what and who and where and how and why.

This take up almost the first full hour of this ninety-minute entry to the series. It is, of course, a set-up to the two big battles in the last half hour, with plenty of spraying blood and rolling heads, and five-year-olds being lashed. That's what the audiences want to see, and that's what they get.

Of course, the series, and the manga it is based on are praised for their accuracy to the details of life in Japan in the period the series is set in, and the beautiful camerawork modeled on half panels and splash displays. Let us, however, not fool ourselves. The real appeal of this series, and this one in particular, is sadism and gore, always at a safe distance, so the bloodthirsty audience can glory in it and take no responsibility. People who scream in agony over a paper cut love to watch someone disembowel himself. It's a movie for putzes.