Kozure Ōkami - Lone Wolf and Cub 01 Kozure Ōkami: Kowokashi udekashi tsukamatsuru (Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance) (1972) https://trakt.tv/movies/lone-wolf-and-cub-sword-of-vengeance-1972 02 Kozure Ōkami: Sanzu no kawa no ubaguruma (Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx) (1972) https://trakt.tv/movies/lone-wolf-and-cub-baby-cart-at-the-river-styx-1972 03 Kozure Ōkami: Shinikazeni mukau ubaguruma (Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart to Hades) (1972) https://trakt.tv/movies/lone-wolf-and-cub-baby-cart-to-hades-1972 04 Kozure Ōkami: Oya no kokoro ko no kokoro (Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril) (1972) https://trakt.tv/movies/lone-wolf-and-cub-baby-cart-in-peril-1972 05 Kozure Ōkami: Meifumado (Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons) (1973) https://trakt.tv/movies/lone-wolf-and-cub-baby-cart-in-the-land-of-demons-1973 06 Kozure Ōkami: Jigoku e ikuzo! Daigoro (Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell) (1974) https://trakt.tv/movies/lone-wolf-and-cub-white-heaven-in-hell-1974

Where the Lone Wolf and Cub adventure has been delightfully frenetic up to this point, the fifth film is a decided change of pace. Much more deliberate and pensive, Baby Cart in the Land of Demons spends an unusual amount of time in one place, toying with a more nuanced (at times even confusing) story, while also fleshing out an important supporting character. Young Daigoro, stone-faced son of the wandering master at the center of this great storm, finally gets his close-up and proves to be every bit as determined, soft-spoken and unflappable as his father. His scenes are the ones that stuck with me afterward, resonating in a way that felt fresh while also remaining loyal to the saga's identity. Daddy, meanwhile, has his hands full with a difficult five-pronged onslaught and a pair of complex, intertwined kill contracts. His actions at the film's climax once more cast the character in dark grey fabric, a recurring theme for the series, and prove that (where duty is concerned) he hasn't changed all that much from the very first time we saw him. Less visceral and rubber-tendoned than any of the earlier entries, and perhaps overly ambitious with that tangled primary storyline, it's good stuff if a touch below the standard its brethren have thus far maintained. An outlier in many ways.

Not the strongest entry in the series, but it's got a lot of cool elements, like that crazy final battle with the masked men, cub getting a chance to shine for once with his protection of a pickpocket, and the duels/tests with the 6 messengers; the one resulting in fire was especially Haunting.

Now that's what I call Wave Slicer 5! Remember: snitches get stitches and the real terror comes from beneath the waves. https://boxd.it/2IVrZB