Afro Ninja

I love this movie. In fact, I'm watching it for the third time.

If you are a fan of 70's Blaxploitation films, you will understand where this film originates from.

Reggie is a poor schlub living in his Aunt's garage home. He's a slob, works at a dead-end government job and clearly doesn't take care of himself. And worse, the town big wig is attempting to gentrify his community. On a fateful day (Hallowe'en) his office is robbed by a nutty crackhead with guns and explosives. BUT, he also starts to see vision of an ethereal being who gives him a set of magical nunchucks which thwarts the robbery. This is where the infamous "Afro Ninja" viral video comes from. The crackhead blows up the office, knocking Reggie unconscious. Upon recovery, strange things began to happen for Reggie.

The mystical premise and the martial arts will be very familiar to those who watch this genre cinema from the 70's and early 80's. At the core it is to save the neighborhood. The movie isn't a parody of that genre, which was done very well in a movie like "I'm Gonna Git Ya Sucka!" Which it seemed to want to go down this road. Instead, it may take itself a little too seriously.

Actor/Director Mark Hicks does an admirable job in sticking with the tropes of that era. However, it sometimes falls flat with the clunky insertion of feats of skill he eventually gets. Also, the true message of the film doesn't get revealed until the very end.

Actress Natascha Hopkins is also a sweet "sidekick" character and love interest. It's a bit uneven when it comes to her involvement in Reggie. I'm not sure it plays well when she begins to like him after he evolves to the "Afro Ninja" James Black is great. Commitment to this type of villainy is cartoonish and silly. But he makes those moments play.

Yes, the film is sloppy at parts, but the bones are there to have a cheeky nod at a bygone era of heroes sprung from mystical places. The cameos of Jim Kelly and Marla Gibbs add a sweetness to the project.

For the ones who are looking for a chop-socky rock 'em sock 'em flick, this will fall short. For those looking to be hit with nostalgia of silly fun, this does the trick.

Mark Hicks' film "Afro Ninja: Destiny" obviously came about due to the notoriety of Mr. Hicks' viral video. That being said, Hicks has put together a lighthearted action comedy. A real pleasure seeing Jim Kelly, back on screen (even if it is simply a cameo). Also catching stunt performers Michiko Nishiwaki and Ming Qiu in what are comedic roles is a very nice surprise. While the fight scenes are nothing spectacular, they are performed with the right level of tongue in cheek bravado. But what makes this film work best, are the many character moments given to the cast. This is obviously a film that was a labor of love and a good time for all involved.

Simply a fun movie, that breezes along without overstaying its welcome. It will be nice to see what Directer/ Star Mark Hicks does next.

When I found out that the dude from the failed YouTube nunchuk video had a movie I was all too excited to watch! I'm glad I did! This movie was funny, the acting was respectable, there was a good story line, and I was entertained. Definitely worth a watch. Good B-movie fun!

(2009) Afro Ninja Destiny ACTION COMEDY

Straight-to-rental and low budget starring Mark Hicks stars as Reggie Carson aiding and helping his aunt who owns a little diner from some martial art thugs after being transformed from unknowingly touching some vintage Japanese nunchucka's. Mark Hicks a one time popular "You Tube" sensation of the same name of Afro ninja after fouling up an attempt to do a basic back flip for the intentions of getting a starring lead into a movie, as he was one of the stunt men who was credited for doing some of the stunts for "Rush Hour 2", but ended up embarrassing himself instead by almost knocking himself out. And as a result of so many hits on line, producers of "Afro Ninja" the movie decided to capitalize on his success by casting him as the first star on his very own low budget movie, except that it's one of the worst movies ever made. Everything in this film looks totally fake whether it's acting, the special effects or the fights alone, the only thing the film did right was the lighting and that's basically it. As a matter of fact the most entertaining thing throughout the whole movie was some of the outtakes and the Jay Leno Of the Tonight Show episode of him mocking his fumbling his back flip, for I went back to re-watching that over and over to get through this low budget movie. Bomb.