Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance

A lot of your standard ronin/revenge chambara elements… heaps of violence with insane arterial sprays, complicated backstory and confusing web of characters, sleazy exploitation (yes, it’s another Japanese movie that features rape), hero overcoming ridiculous odds.  But this one comes with a twist: the protagonist travels with his infant son.  The “cub” (and his cart) is employed in some interesting ways… I thought they’d do a little more with it, but I guess they had to save some tricks for the sequels.  It’s pretty inventive at times, and the camerawork is often quite stunning and there are several clever bits of business.  Some of it is pretty cheesy, but mostly it’s a fun movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  Rating: 8

IMDb