DVD Review: Ninja Assassin

Ninja Assassin

(Warner Home Entertainment, 99 minutes)

http://ninja-assassin-movie.warnerbros.com/

By Chris Zimmerman

Ninja; the word itself stirs the imagination and opens up multiple possibilities for film makers and action fans alike. Though the quality of these films are questionable, often times varying from edge of your seat excitement to mildly enjoyable to disgustingly poor, one cannot deny that they provide the audience with sufficient amount of blood and gore to appease even the most hardcore of action fans. Ninja Assassin tends to be closer to the middle, reeking of choreographed action and an insubstantial plot.

Written by Mathew Sand and rewritten by J. Michael Straczynski, this highly stylized and excessively bloody action romp centers on ninja outcast Raizo (Rain), whose quest for vengeance to avenge a fallen friend pits him against those who made him into what he is. Over the course of the film, the story is told in the present with several flashbacks blended in to show the viewers Raizo’s life as it unfolds, from child in training to becoming a killing machine with a conscious.

As his training begins taking a toll on his psyche, he finds a friend in a young girl named Kiriko (Anna Sawai), who is far too nice to be considered ninja material. As Raizo’s flashbacks carry on, it is revealed that the two developed feelings for each other, with Kiriko’s gentile persona preventing Raizo from falling into the abyss. Naturally anyone paying will see where this is going and thus, a few fights later and so begins Raizo’s journey to bring down the clan that he once called family. Think Punisher with ninjas.

Meanwhile, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomi Harris) has been examining a slew of political assassinations and discovers that those involved are actually the same group that Raizo once belonged to. Naturally this leads to the two joining forces to bring down his former ninja kin.
Those wondering just how bloody this movie is need look no further than the opening scene. As a group of Yakuza laugh off the possibility of ninjas still existing in the world, they are suddenly attacked by a figure hidden in the shadows. Arms are sliced off, heads decapitated, and blood spraying from open wounds like a hydrant. The action is nothing short of impressive as the characters continuously find new ways to severe each other’s limbs.

Unfortunately, the acting is less successful as all the actors seem off although given the script; one can’t blame the cast for under-delivering. Even Rain, whose surprisingly powerful screen presence is an added benefit to the film, seems a bit off in delivery though this does little to detract from his believability as an action star.

Ninja Assassin isn’t a movie that will leave the audience thinking afterwards nor was it ever meant to be. Ultimately, it is a well paced B-Movie that delivers on its promise of 99 minutes of blood soaked action. The fight scenes are inspired and will at the very least appeal to anyone wowed by ninja martial arts.

Ninja Assassin – B-

Those who enjoyed the movie may also be interested in the Ninja Assassin iPhone app for only $.99.