Shogun Assassin

Just strip these movies down and have characters mention a shogun, it'll work trust me. Brutal vicious cool movie. A gateway into exploring a terrific series, this doesn't even scratch the surface of the madness to come. I'd be so on edge living in this samurai world everything is a fucking hidden knife

On one hand, it's a horrible adaptation of "Lone Wolf and Cub." On the other, it's a hilariously absurd Samurai film with laughably bad dubbing and ridiculous amounts of violence.

Feels like a bit of an appetiser to the Lone Wolf and Cub series of films; it has done a good job, because I feel compelled to watch them now. This is very entertaining, despite some terrible dubbing and tonal uncertainty. The action scenes work well, the 80s synth soundtrack is surprisingly effective, and the wee boy feels like Ingredient X here, providing a focus and interest outside the normal samurai slashfest. Good fun.

It's admittedly a "greatest hits" of the Lone Wolf and Cub series, so the flow is occasionally choppy, but it still feels coherent. The bloody, over-the-top fighting scenes are incredible to behold - it can get a bit tiresome and repetitive if you're not into it, but I was consistently amused. The film also strikes a nice balance between a more serious tone and unbelievable kitschy moments (the final death scene is wonderfully absurd).

Appreciated by some for the (frequent) battle scene choreography, the far-spurting red paint after every beheading, and perhaps primarily the camp value, this English-dubbed rehash of cheap Japanese samurai movies is nevertheless charmless to the casual viewer.

Completely insane, yet wonderful-- I mean what was that? Good time had by all. That's right Little Cub.

Theykilledhiswife+madebabychooselifeordeathlool+havetoworryaboutninjas+shogunssonchallenged-babyblinded/killedlool+lmaothebaby'ssamuraihair+babyevenkillsaladylol+babyhadtospitwaterintohismouth+dropsshoesoknowshowdeepwellis:P-1sttimehesparessomeone+savedgirl-couldkillhimbutdoesnt+killsmastersofdeath+dopecreditsbeat

A sort of "Best Bits" compilation from the Wolf and Cub series of violent samurai movies. Good stuff if you're not the kind of diehard who would buy the entire series separately.

Gore galore! Not much of a story, some terrible English dubbing, expository monologue was edited in over footage from an only semi-related movie, drags painfully whenever there isn't a fight... but, damn, has any other movie featured as many on-screen decapitations?

Great film.

Bullshit mash up of the superior first two Lone Wolf and Cub films with shitty narration and music. Still worth watching if you refuse to watch subtitled films if only for the action scenes.

The American cut doesn't make a whole lot of sense in terms of story but manages to entertain with its style and action.

Just terrible re-editing of the Lone Wolf and Cub movies. Hold out for the originals, which thankfully are now seeable in the U.S. in their real versions

Aged very well. Kung fu flicks at their finest.

watchable

I loved this film when I was kid even though it just didn't piece together. I then found out it was a bastardized / Americanized mash up of the original Baby Cart films which are much, much better. Ogami Itto's "horse slaying technique" swordplay is mesmerising and his humble cum superhero qualities will make you root for him throughout .... and he doesn't disappoint. Great film however make sure you watch the whole series. 7/10

82.750

mad one.

I've watched all the Lone Wolf & Cub films, but I had this nagging feeling that I had seen them when I was younger. Indeed, I must have seen this, as it mashes the first two movies of the Japanese series into a single movie. Not well, unfortunately -- there's really no plot, just a lot of fantastic swordfights in the usual one-guy-takes-on-the-universe style. Originals are better, but this is fine if you like your movies over-the-top.

74

79.500

Kitchy as heck, but has its own very special charm that makes me watch it over and over again.

There is no real plot, but goddamn is Shogun Assassin awesome. Just dudes getting merked left and right.

How some people can't be entertained by how absurd this is is beyond me.

Helpful hint: do not watch all of the Lone Cub films before watching this.

To bad the typical 80's soundtrack and the english voice-over ruins much of the movies best qualities. Still, it was pretty entertaining.

A series of ultra-violent scenes edited together without any real attempt at a coherent plot. Honestly, Shogun Assassin probably serves best as motivation to see the original Lone Wolf and Cub series, but it's still loads of fun and cool to look at. I AM THE SUPREME NINJA.

Very cheesy but the extreme and well shot violence makes everything worthwhile.

Was anyone else reminded of Terrence Malick with the narration?

I don't really appreciate what has been done here, unfortunately. I am a big fan of the Lone Wolf and Cub series...

Lone Wolf and Cub for dummies? Entertaining enough for all the blood spurting.

A decent condensed retelling of the Lone Wolf and Cub story, using edited footage from the first two films. Plenty of bloody action, but the story feels a little light, since most of it was excised.

The character is a pretty cool and unique one, but the highlights, the visual artistry of bloody killings and the general storyline are better seen in the originals. It's the dubbing, soundtrack and re-editing, that separate this and those are the weakest parts. The dubbing is distracting, and while the editing isn't bad I'm not sure it does much for the content beyond what was in the original. To me this is a film without a purpose when the originals exist and are available.

Finally! A samurai with the skill of ZatoIchi, has his sight, and is believable. This is pretty much a blood fest from beginning to end. Some blatant inconsistencies. Not a lot of story depth. It would have been more interesting if the supreme female ninja character had been incorporated better. I appreciated the dubbed English, but audio was poor. There were a few, possibly unintentionally, funny moments, but mostly about sword fights, killing, blood, gore and the two of them staying alive.

80 minutes of ninja massacre. Fun.

In a restored version, this goes from being a re-cut of the Lone Wolf films into its own wonderfully strange world - I over use the words 'dream' and 'dream logic', but with its dubbed voices, comic book violence and brilliant cinematography, I could have dreamt the film up rather than have seen it. The music is incredible, its dated synths the reason why it is ominous and adds an cathartic power to the work.