The Bounty Hunter Trilogy Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 25, 2024

There's a trend in many contemporary restaurants where "fusions" of different cultures' menus are combined to offer something new and ostensibly improved. For anyone who may be under the impression that this same general "mixing" approach is something recent, The Bounty Hunter Trilogy should provide a cinematic example that "fusions" have been around for quite some time. As commentator Tom Mes kind of jokingly refers to in his track on the first film in this set, anyone looking for historical accuracy in these films had best keep searching elsewhere, especially since production design elements can often weirdly interpolate "wrong" decades (or even centuries) into the proceedings. But even that "combo platter" may not be as viscerally noticeable as the often quite interesting ping ponging in all three films between "traditional" Japanese (quasi?) samurai outings, what might be generally termed Spaghetti Western elements, and, perhaps most intriguingly (and another way these films tend to bend perceived eras or at least genres to their own uses), a kind of James Bond- esque spy film aspect. It wouldn't be until 1972, the year of this trilogy's final entry, that star Tomisaburô Wakayama would start appearing as one of two legendary titular characters in what is arguably his better remembered series, Lone Wolf and Cub. While that might kind of unavoidably seem to make The Bounty Hunter Trilogy a "test run" of sorts, it probably really isn't, as this earlier triptych has its own distinct flavor (speaking of fusion menus).

For reviews of the film in this set, please click on the following links:

Killer's Mission Blu-ray review

The Fort of Death Blu-ray review

Eight Men to Kill Blu-ray review

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Supplements on each disc are detailed in the above linked reviews. Radiance has packaged this set with Killer's Mission on its own disc, and with The Fort of Death and Eight Men to Kill sharing another disc. Both keepcases offer reversible sleeves. This limited edition also offers six postcard sized artcards and a nicely appointed insert booklet with new writing by Alain Silver along with some archival pieces. Everything is housed in a sturdy slipbox which also features Radiance's trademark Obi strip.

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Bounty Hunter Trilogy is a lot of fun, and for those who know Wakayama mostly from Lone Wolf and Cub, there should be even more appeal. Technical merits are generally solid, and Radiance also provides excellent supplements and some very handsome packaging. Recommended.