The follow up to "Enter the Ninja", sees Cannon productions this time set the action mostly in America for "Revenge of the Ninja". Quite an improvement over the original, but still a clumsy and cheap low-grade b-affair. However that doesn't knock just how much fun it is to watch. Ninjas doing their stuff are truly a sight to behold
even though the stunt work here was less than graceful. At least it did up the ante, numerous carnage and frenetic set-pieces. Shô Kosugi returns, but this time the leading man and also playing the good guy. His character Cho is forced to leave Japan with his son and mother, after his family was slaughtered by a band of ninja assassins. He flees to America with the help of a friend who becomes his business partner, but unknowingly to him he's being used with his valuable dolls being used to traffic heroine. Although his mother did warn him "I do not trust this man, my son".
The plot is rather slight, unassuming and secondary to the on-screen damage (gushing blood and ripped clothing) and dramatic ninja combat. So it delivers on what you want. Some scenes are rather humorous (unintentional of course) and random. Plenty of child beatings. Like the sequences of his young son practicing his martial arts on bullies well just say every scene where it has the kid battling on (and squealing while doing so) is quite rib-tickling. What we wait for is the ultimate battle and it is a good one too. Friend vs. friend. In costume, swords, ninja stars and wait a flame thrower. It's quite a long, legendary standoff. However we do not have wait around as it still comprises of some enjoyable exchanges where Cho goes after some thugs who steal his dolls. This makes him upset. There he battles Chief. An American Indian who bestows some tomahawks. Chief vs. Ninja. "If anyone gets in the way, scalp them." After that ordeal, he doesn't look all that great. Tattered and bruised with his clothing hanging off him, after literally going for a ride, but still better dress than the next group of thugs he takes on. Which leads to some violence in a kid's playground being condoned, where four bad-ass posers (with questionable fashion sense) hang out and get their asses whipped by Cho. It's an on-going cycle, but hard not to admire.
Everything moves by at a fast clip, even though the editing is somewhat jaunty, but the cinematography is masterfully judged, the shonky electronic score is addictive and the slow motion is beautiful. Slow-mo and violence is always a win-win. Can't go wrong with a hobo informant getting a ninja star in the face and then diving into a water fountain while being caught in slow-mo. Just beautiful. The performances are lifeless, but honestly who cares here. A serious looking Shô Kosugi equips himself well enough, Keith Vitali hones down that evil cackle and Ashley Ferrare is the eye-candy under hypnosis.
Silly, over-the-top and entertaining b-grade ninja hokum.
The plot is rather slight, unassuming and secondary to the on-screen damage (gushing blood and ripped clothing) and dramatic ninja combat. So it delivers on what you want. Some scenes are rather humorous (unintentional of course) and random. Plenty of child beatings. Like the sequences of his young son practicing his martial arts on bullies well just say every scene where it has the kid battling on (and squealing while doing so) is quite rib-tickling. What we wait for is the ultimate battle and it is a good one too. Friend vs. friend. In costume, swords, ninja stars and wait a flame thrower. It's quite a long, legendary standoff. However we do not have wait around as it still comprises of some enjoyable exchanges where Cho goes after some thugs who steal his dolls. This makes him upset. There he battles Chief. An American Indian who bestows some tomahawks. Chief vs. Ninja. "If anyone gets in the way, scalp them." After that ordeal, he doesn't look all that great. Tattered and bruised with his clothing hanging off him, after literally going for a ride, but still better dress than the next group of thugs he takes on. Which leads to some violence in a kid's playground being condoned, where four bad-ass posers (with questionable fashion sense) hang out and get their asses whipped by Cho. It's an on-going cycle, but hard not to admire.
Everything moves by at a fast clip, even though the editing is somewhat jaunty, but the cinematography is masterfully judged, the shonky electronic score is addictive and the slow motion is beautiful. Slow-mo and violence is always a win-win. Can't go wrong with a hobo informant getting a ninja star in the face and then diving into a water fountain while being caught in slow-mo. Just beautiful. The performances are lifeless, but honestly who cares here. A serious looking Shô Kosugi equips himself well enough, Keith Vitali hones down that evil cackle and Ashley Ferrare is the eye-candy under hypnosis.
Silly, over-the-top and entertaining b-grade ninja hokum.