This film begins with the Shogun's executioner performing a disturbing killing of a small child—all to satisfy the bushido code of honor and obedience. However, when the executioner's family is murdered in a plot and he himself is ordered to commit suicide, he decides that bushido ain't all it's cracked up to be and becomes a revenge-oriented ronin (masterless samurai)—taking his very, very young son in tow.

This is the very first Lone Wolf and Cub film. It led to more films and even a TV series—so it's obvious that the series was very popular in Japan. I noticed that the film was produced by Shintaro Katsu—the same guy who starred in a very long string of wonderful Zatoichi films. And, In many ways, this film played much like a Zatoichi film…that is, if Zatoichi was completely amoral!! In fact, I am sure that many fans of the Zatoichi films would be put off my this amoral character as well as the many family unfriendly elements in the film—such as a rather graphic rape/murder! To me, this was just too much. While I probably will try watching another Lone Wolf and Cub film, if it keeps this same nasty tone I'll probably stop after that. As I see it, Zatoichi was very decent—but the ex-executioner in this Lone Wolf film was hard to like or respect—he was much more tough to like.

Having previously only seen SHOGUN ASSASSIN, I was pleased to finally get the chance to sit down and watch the entire six-film Lone Wolf & Cub series, beginning with this, the first entry. I was hoping for a treat, and with this film, I got one! It's a brilliantly conceived historical adventure film, blessed with Toho's fantastic production values and some truly lush cinematography. It follows the action template of cinema perfectly and is one of the most purely enjoyable samurai movies I've yet seen. A simple film, full of action and event, and yet at the same time it serves as a moral critique of Japan's violent and impassioned feudal era for those who like to look deeper into their films.

The revenge story is well crafted and the film packed with many larger than life characters: prostitutes, bandits, mad women, noble warriors, and frightened villagers. Towering over all these are the central twosome, with Tomisaburo Wakayama as the typically 'stony-faced' Japanese assassin and Akihiro Tomikawa as his absolutely gorgeous and lovable son. The film is dotted with superb action sequences full of the usual blood-spurting swordplay and in addition the backdrops are beautifully shot, making this a sumptuous film to watch. Along with the violence, there's plenty of female nudity and sex along the way, so exploitation fans will be in heaven. There's a slow twenty minutes or so before the climax, but aside from that it's a classic film: one that feels stylish and epic throughout, despite the adult themes. I can't wait to watch the sequel!

It's a brutal time in Japan. Executioner Ogami Itto has been set up by his rivals and his family has been massacred. He kills many of his would-be assassins and escapes with his toddler son. He roams the countryside with a pushcart, his boy, and a sign stating "Sword for Hire" and "Son for Hire". He is hired for an assassination.

This is plenty good bloody Samurai movie. It's got a good gimmick and I love the son-for-hire bit. I'm simply wondering if he should only work to seek revenge in the first movie. The movie can open with the baby in the cart as sword-for-hire. Then it needs to spend the rest of the movie as an origin story where he slice and dice the whole shogunate. Finally, the ending should be he and his son taking on their first assassination-for-hire. One expects Itto to continue his vengeance until the entire enemy clan is wiped out. Then the Shogun would surely send his army and he needs to kill them all. That should be most of the first movie. As for the violence, this has got the blood splurting craziness that one expects from a Samurai movie. It's brutal fun.