Shogun Assassin 3: Slashing Blades of Carnage

 

Disgraced Samurai Ogami Ito is back in another installment of the Shogun Assassin series.  This time he has been hired to kill a beautiful tattooed woman who is being hunted for deserting her clan.  But every time that the clan sends some one to execute her she sends them back dead!  So the clan hires Ogami Ito to locate and kill her.  As Ito searches her out he begins to hear her story and understand why she has chosen the path.  Also as always Ito not only has to locate his target, but along the way he must fight off the assassins that have been sent to kill him by the enemies that he has made.  

 

This is another great entry into the Shogun Assassin (originally called Lone Wolf and Cub) series.  The story follows the standard formula for the series.  Ito gets hired to kill someone, their story is told in flashbacks, they accomplish what they need to and Ito gives them a good and honorable death.  Of the Shogun Assassin movies the story of the tattooed woman has to be my favorite. and the easiest to follow.  The movie starts off with a bang and the action stops only long enough to develop a few plot lines, and then gets right back to the good stuff.  As always the actors do a great job in their roles.  At first glance it appears that this movie is all about the swordplay and acting talent isn’t required.  But if you pay attention you will see a couple of very subtle and subdued performances from the cast.  What we have here is a great story performed by a wonderful cast.  

 

Shogun Assassin 3 is a beautifully shot movie.  Not only are all of the scenes set up well, but there isn’t a wasted shot in the entire movie.  And while the action sequences are over the top and silly at times they are staged and choreographed very well.  This makes for a visually interesting and engaging movie.  There is plenty of swordplay and blood spraying to make any fan of the Samurai genre happy.  

 

This has to be one of my favorite entries into the Shogun Assassin series, as well as being one of the better films of the Samurai genre.  If you are a fan of either the series or just dig Samurai movies this one will not disappoint you.  If you are considering trying out one of these movies for the first time then I can also recommend this movie to you.  As I’ve mentioned in the past not all of these movies are accessible to a Western audience unfamiliar with the concepts of Bushido (the ethic that the Samurai lived by) which can turn a lot of people off of these movies.  Shogun Assassin 3 is a very straightforward and therefore accessible movie that you can enjoy whether or not you are into the culture.  I highly recommend this movie.

 

 

3 ½ out of 4

 

reviewed by John Shatzer

 

© Copyright 2008 John Shatzer