Wonderful character development!

Sorry, this movie sucks

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

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.

It seems that with this movie, the third out of the Kozure Ôkami-series, they picked a sort of different approach. This time the movie gets a bit more personal and dramatic, which goes at the expense of the movie its action. However once you get over this and get more into the movie itself, you'll still be grabbed and entertained by it as well.It's not even fair to say really that this movie does not have enough action in it. The movie still features quite a lot of fights and at the end Ogami Itto even takes on a whole army by himself. Still by comparison it's all a bit toned down and there is also less blood. The entire series is basically known for its fountains of blood but this movie does not provide the best example of this.It's less entertaining but its a more solidly written story than its predecessors, as it seems. The first two movies were mostly adventurous ones in which lone wolf and cub wandered the country, meeting all kinds of people and getting into all kinds of problems. This movie does more clearly follow one story-line, that from beginning to end is basically all connected, without ever wandering off with its story and follow some side plots with it. Not everybody will like this and I must admit that I wasn't too fond about the approach the movie was taking at first but as the movie progresses it becomes more solid and you can also tell what the movie was heading towards to during its first half.It seems like a weaker movie out of the series at first but once things start to take off you should be able to appreciate it different approach and see this movie as simply yet another great once within its great series.8/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

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!