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. Ogami has been separated from his son Daigoro, after an extensive search for Oyuki. Daigoro crosses paths with Gunbei, a Yagyu clan member who has an ax to grind with Ogami. Gunbei faced off with Ogami a long while ago, with the winner given the position of the Shogunate’s official executioner. Of course, Ogami won the duel and since then, Gunbei has wanted vengeance. He recognizes young Daigoro and plans to kill the child, but Ogami returns just in time. A duel is soon arranged between the old rivals, but Ogami has more on his mind than a simple man to man battle. The search for martial arts mistress Oyuki continues, but Yagyu members wait around each turn. These clan members were sent to ensure Ogami fails in his hire, as well as dies in the process. When a conflict arises between the code and his emotions, which side will Ogami uphold?
It has been a long wait, but Lone Wolf and Cub have now landed on DVD, with this fourth installment, Baby Cart in Peril. 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 Peril, 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 rest of the Lone Wolf and Cub movies can’t come fast enough.
Video: How does it look?
Baby Cart in Peril 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 AnimEigo 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.
