Plot: What’s it about?
He once held a position of immense power, but now Ogami Itto (Wakayama Tomisburo) walks the path of a shunned soul. His wife was murdered and he was accused of disgracing his order, so he was ordered to take his own life. Instead, he took his young son and set out on a dark path, one as a hired assassin. Now he is consumed by wrath and is determined to exact his revenge on the Yagyu clan, the ones who shattered his life. His sword is lethal in his hands and his price is five hundred pieces of gold, but the purchase is just of his blade. The Kuroda clan is in a dire position, as the current leader, Lord Kuroda, is about to step down and his son Lord Matsumaru is the next in the line of power. But Kuroda is smitten with his mistress and as a result, he decides to allow her young daughter to take control of the clan. So he has his own son locked up and raises the daughter as if she were a son. A document that details Kuroda’s plans exists, but is held within close ranks, though Jikei, a high priest, has access to the document. Jikei happens to be a traitor also, with plans to turn over Kuroda’s plan to Lord Yagyu. This act would allow Yagyu’s clan to seize power over the Kuroda, with little trouble. Now Ogami is the sole chance for the Kuroda clan, though much blood will be shed if he is to succeed.
It has been a long wait, but Lone Wolf and Cub have now landed on DVD, with this fifth installment, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons. As fans of Asian cinema should know, the Lone Wolf and Cub series is a classic one. A line of six films makes up the series and AnimEigo plans to release the complete series. The series has a very cool premise, two wicked lead characters, and above all else, tons of blood and gore. When Ogami starts to spin his sword, limbs get shorn, blood sprays, and all hell breaks loose. So if you’re squeamish at the sight of blood, this one will send you off the deep end, as it is soaked in the red stuff. The violence comes in bursts, as the fights explode and flare up, then burn out in quick fashion. The battles are wild and varied, with different numbers of enemies, styles of combat, and weapons of destruction. So while the violence is frequent, it never becomes tiresome in the least. That is also due to the visuals, which are well crafted here and add a lot to the experience. So it all looks good and since the action is so over the top, its hard to be upset by the all the carnage. I had a blast with Baby Cart in the Land of Demons, as the movie is tremendous and AnimEigo’s new transfer is superb. So if you’re at all interested, be sure to check out this release and of course, the final volume of the Lone Wolf and Cub series can’t come fast enough.
Video: How does it look?
Baby Cart in the Land of Demons is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. A lot of work has been done to enhance the visuals here, but some flaws remain. I wouldn’t complain too much though, as only minor pops and marks can be seen, as well as a natural level of grain. So the print has some worn spots, but AnimiEgo has overhauled the elements to provide a cleaned up, more refined visual presentation. The colors have been tweaked, so the hues have a bright, even vivid presence, while flesh tones are warm also. No troubles with contrast either, as black levels look deep and rich, much better than in previous editions. All in all, this is a great looking effort from AnimEigo, who deserves some serious praise for this excellent treatment.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Japanese language track is preserved here, via a stable, more than acceptable soundtrack. The audio is always solid in this release, but it never moves beyond the basics, so don’t expect much. The atmosphere is thin, which is a shame, as some scenes offer great potential, but that’s the shakes. This movie is over three decades old, so even with a new full on surround mix, I doubt it would sound that dynamic. The music is clean and sound effects are reasonable, with no real signs of age related defects I could detect. I found dialogue to be clean, with no errors of any kind to mention here. This disc also includes optional English subtitles, just in case you’re not up to speed on your Japanese.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
