The original 'Ninja' seems to be regarded by both its star and his fans as a lesser Scott Adkins vehicle. I for one absolutely loved its uncomplicated, goon-slaying action, especially the bit where a guy gets kicked out of a train and into the path of another train. That said, the sequel - Ninja: Shadow Of A Tear - is painfully superior in almost every respect.
It's disappointing that the character Namiko, who played a major role in the first movie, gets offed within the first ten minutes, but otherwise this is a perfect genre flick. The storyline is more focused, the action scenes are better and the whole thing is nicely wrapped up in ninety minutes of efficient, throwing-star violence.
American Ninja Casey Bowman's wife is brutally murdered and the only clue is the distinctive wound on her neck. In the depths of his grief, he goes looking for her killer and winds up travelling to Myanmar to take on a fearsome drug lord.
The acting is not exactly awards-worthy, but nobody comes to a genre-piece like this expecting high thespian art. This is a film with the focus on kicking people through walls, shooting blow darts into necks and impaling henchmen on Katanas. It's fast-paced, violent, beer-swilling fun. Nothing complicated, just perfect Friday night entertainment. Order some Pad Thai from the local takeaway, kick back and watch Scott Adkins murder half the Golden Triangle.
