Plot: What’s it about?
Ogami Itto (Wakayama Tomisaburo) lived his life by the harsh code of Bushido, as he was one of the Shogun’s most trusted warriors. He held the most grave, dark position of all for the Shogun, as he served as the official executioner. His blade was wielded with immense skill and no mercy, all those who were sentenced were executed by his hand. It could be a man, woman, or even a child, but Ogami would never hesitate to deal out swift, lethal punishment. The position was coveted by many, but not to the degree of the Yagyu clan, a group which wanted to overtake the position, not to mention ruin Ogami’s life in the process. In order to have him removed from his station, the Yagyu clan has him framed as a traitor and of course, the replacement is to come from within their ranks. But it doesn’t end there, as Ogami’s family is slaughtered, with no survivors aside from his infant son Daigoro. Ogami offers his son a choice between life and death, but like his father, his life would one on a path of damnation. Now Ogami wanders the land as a samurai for hire, while Daigoro rides in the cart and lends a hand at times. The cart is a special one too, with hidden blades and other assorted surprises. Does the future hold vengeance for these two, or will they find no solace, even on such a damned road?
It has been a long wait, but Lone Wolf and Cub have now landed on DVD, with this first installment, Sword of Vengeance. 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 of course, Sword of Vengeance is the first of the lot. This movie 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 Sword of Vengeance, 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 other Lone Wolf and Cub movies can’t come fast enough, especially if they look as good as this one does.
Video: How does it look?
Sword of Vengeance 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.
