Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades (1974)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Gripping story with well-crafted characters

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Notably less bloodspray and vengeanceThe Female Boss of a brothel hires Lone Wolf to kill Sawatari , a man whom sold out the Domain to the Shogunate for personal profit and false position as new governor. Along the way he saves an innocent village girl sold into prostitution, and befriends a samurai-turned-mercenary.Final battle features Ogami vs 50 man army

The third in the excellent 'Lone Wolf & Cub' series is a lot different to its bloody predecessor as the gruesome action takes a back seat in favour of a stronger focus on plotting and characterisation. Therefore it's not quite as exciting as the first two films in the series, but it does contain some of the most powerful scenes yet, as well as featuring the most developed supporting roles. The film adopts the usual formula, with Ogami and his (now noticeably older) son travelling through a remote landscape and getting involved in local intrigues: this time, there are two main sub-plots, the first involving a similarly lawless ex-samurai and the second involving a young woman who's been sold into prostitution.I thought the plotting in this film to be particularly good, seeing as how the different sub-plots intermingle and finally join together very well at the climax. The musings between Ogami and the rival samurai on "the way of the warrior" are truly profound and among the most thought-provoking of the entire series. The acting is also focused upon here and seems particularly strong – not just from the peerless Wakayama and the increasingly interesting Tomikawa, but from Kato Go as well in particular. Mention also has to be made of Yuko Hamada, who's one of the loveliest Japanese actresses I've ever seen on film – she has a really captivating presence.Although the focus isn't on the action here, the film is still punctuated by moments of stylish carnage. Ogami is stalked by two trios of ninjas in this one, and at the climax has to tackle an entire army – which he does via some brand new technology built into that cart of his. It may not be as show-stopping as in the first two films, but the gory hijinks still identify this as a superior action-adventure flick.

Like the other Lone Wolf films, it's made by the Katsu Production Company--the same Shintaro Katsu who played Zatoichi in so many films mostly during the 1960s and 70s. This isn't so surprising when you see the movie, as there are a lot of similarities between the two series--though the Lone Wolf is much more amoral and difficult to predict. Some times, Ogami Itto is like this blind character--helping out the downtrodden. Yet, oddly, at other times he's going on killing rampages for the money. I think this occasionally confusing moral ambiguity might explain why the character was popular--though not as popular as Zatoichi.This film is much like the previous additions to the Lone Wolf series. The movie definitely is adult--with the usual rapes, extreme violence (with huge gaping wounds, severed heads and gallons and gallons of blood) and amazing sword action. Howoever, it's a tad bloodier than the the previous two films and he manages to outdo his previous amazing battles--taking on about 50 baddies at once near the end of the movie!! It's all very entertaining, but as I said, very adult--and is not a film I'd recommend to younger viewers. Overall, its a typical quality production--with an interesting story, tons of swordplay as well as good deeds and bad. While the exact story doesn't seem to matter, the film has two major plots--Itto putting his life (inexplicably) for a young prostitute and his taking a contract out on a dishonorable, greedy and backstabbing Lord and his samurai/ninja army.

Impressively violent. Lone wolf is hired to kill a minor official who murdered a madam's sister. He ends up taking on, and killing an entire army. An Incredibly high body count. Very spaghetti western in style. Good if you like lots of swordplay and rapid evisceration.