American Ninja
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Movie Reviews of American Ninja
Movie Review: G.I. Joe packs a punch and a smile!
Summary: 3 Stars
American Ninja is basically a star vehicle for Canon films hot young property Michael Dudikoff. While he is no Chuck Norris he has some cool moves and a warm smile. He rescues his Colonels pretty daughter from an ambush of ninja warriors. They escape by jumping in a river. Of course, they both are soaked to the skin but they dry off together in the woods before returning to civilization! Using his own martial arts skills he learned as a child from his foster father, a ninja warrior, he foils dastardly plots that are brewing and gets the girl.While that sums up the plot, Michael Dudikoff, ably assisted by another rising star Steve James, makes this action movie work well enough to spawn a series of sequals. While no nominations are in order, the movie certainly is more entertaining then many higher budget action films are today. The DVD is in Widescreen with an aspect ratio of about 1:85:1. It includes a trailer sporting a pre-release working title for the film. The VHS editon enhances action in the center of the screen which has its advantages as well. Both releases are Closed Captioned. So make a bowl of popcorn and enjoy the show. Best Wishes, CAL
Movie Review: Good for Martial Arts
Summary: 3 Stars
Good martial arts movie. Better than today's versions that are all special effects. Decent storyline but the action was greatMovie Review: So, you think you're a good fighter, huh?
Summary: 2 Stars
Being a fan of those poverty row exploitation films that The Cannon Group used to churn out in the 80s (Death Wish 3 & 4, Delta Force 1 & 2, etc), this guilty pleasure of a movie is probably worth 90 minutes of your life. That is, if you like your action dumb and your acting basic. Cannon Group regular Michael Dudikoff essays the role of Joe, a GI who leads his life as a loner and makes enemies fast. He also knows how to break peoples arms, bust them up and generally do harm to anyone who looks at him the wrong way. Flanking the hero is the late great Steve James as his fast talking and equally fast fighting partner. Together, they fight corruption (and an army of ninja!) in their own ranks of the army. The film is filled with great 80s action, the kind only The Cannon Group knew how to serve up. Dudikoff equips himself well with the fighting and propels the slow-moving screenplay along. However, the real star of the show is the excellent Steve James who wisecracks his way through the movie, stealing every scene he is in. (If you have time, take a look at him in American Ninja 2: The Confrontation. He shines yet again, with his final fight at the finale being a genuine classic of the genre). Director Sam Firstenberg does a good job at arranging the carnage to its fullest extent, and one wonders what this guy could do with a real script in his hands. (Last time I looked, he was directing SPIDERS 2. Hmmm, good move.) All in all, the movie is one of those shallow male bonding flicks where two men will fight their way through 90 minutes of non-stop action just to find out that they don't actually mind the company of each other. Now that's what I call value for money!This film was apparently so successful, it has spawned no less than 4 (count 'em) sequels, with Dudikoff returning for 2 and 4, James turning up in 2 & 3, and new guy David Bradley taking up the lead role of Aerican Ninja in parts' 3, 4 and 5. They too aren't very good either, but equally worth your time if you're in the mood for violence of the 1980s kind. The disc sports the movie and trailer.
Movie Review: Disappointment
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought the movie with great curiosity as it was one of the most popular martial-arts movies of my childhood. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the story, direction, and acting. Martial-arts scenes are definitely unsuccessful in terms of choreography and editing. Moreover, I watched much better martial artists than Michael Dudikoff. Probably, he was chosen for this role not because he was good at ninjutsu ( Actually, he doesn't seem to be an expert ) but because he was a handsome guy.
I do not recommend this movie.
Movie Review: something of a classic (?) !!!!
Summary: 1 Stars
Please, for the love of god, what is it with this movie. I am a huge martial arts film fan, to say Ive seen them all, isn't that far from the truth. I love this genre, no I mean I LOVE this genre. But like any genre, it must be good at what it sets out to do, if a comedy isn't funny, it dosen't pass mustard. AMERICAN NINJA is bad in every way, including most importanly in it's martial arts. Yet, somehow this movie won over legions of fans and has become something of a classic.
Why? The eighties were the first full decade of martial arts mania in America, but it took sometime for these flicks to start to fully develope as well made pieces of entertainment. 1985 was in that inbetween peroid, we had Chuck Norris, but not Seagal or Van Damme, this was just before things got really good. Golan-Globus produced AMERICAN NINJA in hopes of capitolizing on the ninja craze it largely helped to make with there superior (to this film anyway) Sho Kosugi vehicles. So they cast gwallio Michael Dudikoff as an American with amensia, actually I think he didn't know anything to forget, I'm not kidding, the only thing he learned as a kid was ninjitsu, and that's all he remembers. Anyway, where the hell was I, I think I was gonna tear Dudikoff down a peg or two, the guy can't act and he is no martial artist.
The martial arts in this movie suck, the acting sucks, the story sucks. In 1985 we were also given the wonderfully fun GYMKATA, Berry Gordy's THE LAST DRAGON, the grimest Jackie Chan movie ever THE PROTECTOR. Why, even bother with this dreak, and yet it was popular and spawned four better (and some much better) sequels.
I do have to say, I love Steve James, and I am sorry he was in this, and this is the movie he is best remembered for. The next year Steve and Dudikoff reteamed for their best movie AVENGING FORCE, now that one you should check out.