This SAMURAI WOLF (1966 - Japan - Action/Adventure/Drama) is justice minded and maybe even a little sentimental

                                             

 Kiba (Isao Natsuyagi, VIOLENT CITY, THE DEVIL'S FLUTE)  is a ronin, who winds up helping a beautiful blind woman (Junko Miyazono, MANKILLER, ELEVEN SAMURAI) hold on to her waystation putpost, against the plotting of an evil competitor, who has brought in thugs and assassins to wrest it from her.

SAMURAI WOLF is bone-headedly simple in it's premise, as well as unapologetic in it's lean 73 minute delivery, but ultimately very rewarding. Released in 1966, the first SAMURAI WOLF film (of two, and boy could I have used more!) is criminally underrated and underappreciated. I rarely hear this film mentioned in film nerd conversations regarding  judegeki and chambara films, which is a real shame. Director Hideo Gosha was astoundingly prolific and adept at the genre, and for me stands as one of the top ten Japanese action directors. SAMURAI WOLF is also absolutely a prpduct of the mid 60's Japanese films that also had heavy influence from Sergio Leone and John Ford, as well as the obvious Kurosawa vibe, notable YOJIMBO, that permeates. One of the things I like so much about the film, and the character of ronin Kiba, is the lack of cynicism. Many wandering warrior films have their "hero" (or anti-hero) be consumed with the futility of life, and the pain it brings until the final rest of death. Not so with Kiba. He relishes a bowl of rice as if it were ambrosia sent from the heavens, he is kind, and honors and respects sensitivity, love, and beauty. But he also wields a bad ass sword and is not having some disabled woman victimized by a bunch of soulless, thieving, greedy thugs masquerading as businessmen.

Cue the flashing blades, war cries, and the always eventual love triangle. SAMURAI WOLF is deceptively simple, and acutely satisfying.

- 8/10