Shogun Assassin 5

Shogun Assassin 5: Cold Road to Hell

Ogami Itto is back in yet another installment of the Shogun Assassin series. For those who aren’t familiar with the series it tells the story of Ogami Itto, former Shogunate executioner. When others become jealous of his power and standing they try to have him killed. They only succeed in killing Itto’s beloved wife, leaving him alone with his young son. With the boy in tow Itto goes off in search of vengeance against the clan that tried to kill him, the Yagyu. While roaming the land Itto becomes an assassin for money, all while the Yagyu clan sends one member of the clan after another to kill Itto. They do this to keep things quiet, which in turn protects the honor of the clan. In this installment the last of the children of the Yagyu clan are sent after Itto. Once dispatched the leader of the clan, no longer worried about the families honor, comes after them with a small army! Not only that but they end up fighting it out on the slopes of a mountain during winter. Samurai on skis!

From the opening credits (killer music!) on this is a great movie. The story is easy to follow, even if you haven’t watched the earlier films. There is never a slow moment in the movie, with the action moving along briskly. Unlike the earlier installments this movie adds in some supernatural undead killers that are very brutal, but effective in their “technique” to isolate Itto and his son. I was a little unhappy with the ending of the film, which I thought was going to finish off the story. But with the escape of the “villain” the story isn’t over. This comes off a bit forced and left me disappointed. The actors that portray Itto and his son are just as good as ever in their familiar roles. But to be fair this movie isn’t really about acting, it is more about the swordplay and blood, which it delivers.

The Shogun Assassin series of movies has always had great swordplay and fight choreography, but the 5th movie really kicks this up a few notches. There is an extended fight sequence with Ogami Itto fighting a large group of soldiers in the snow. This is complete with Samurai on skis, rapid-fire machine guns, and about as close as you can get to a car chase in a film set in feudal Japan! This is without a doubt one of the most unique things I’ve ever seen in a Samurai movie, and I loved it. But then you also get the other villains of the piece, who all have their own unique fighting styles, all of which are cool. Trust me if you dig this sort of movie you are going to love Shogun Assassin 5.

This is another great entry in the series and I highly recommend that you check it out. My only complaint is that they didn’t take the opportunity to finish off the Yagyu clan when given the chance. So go out now and purchase or rent this movie it is definitely worth your time.

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer