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Although I guess David Bradley is a highly skilled martial artist, I don't think he was that good in the three "American Ninja"-movies he took part in. "American Ninja 3" was OK, but the 4th and 5th installment of the series were just terrible. This movie is much better. It's an arena-fighting movie, and it's well performed. They managed to throw in a lot of different fighting styles from many places, and it was really interesting. Several of the styles were new to me. Another great thing is the introduction of Marc Dacascos into the world of martial arts movies. He's a great fighter, and here he made a convincing and extremely evil villain. The fight scenes in this movie are good, and they're also extremely brutal (even more brutal than "Shootfighter"). If you like martial arts action, you'll definitely like this movie.

Whilst I understand the lower ratings given by others, and the derogatory comments directed toward this film, I believe it's also important to point out the merits of the film. David Bradley's acting is certainly passable in this film, and his martial arts abilities are obviously very adequate for his role, with some slick fight scenes. Mark Dacascos is a stand out in a film bursting with a rich variety of contrasting fighting styles and weapons. This is "BloodSport" with weapons, and a LOT more blood!!! (it even boasts a cocky large Yankee competitor like Bloodsport!). The action is somewhat brutal, and in the original cut, very little is left to the imagination when it comes to the gory wounding and killing blows (which I feel is as it should be!). Dacascos as Kenshiro in particular brings a restraint and elegance to his role as a Yakuza swordsman, intent on perfecting his craft at the expense of his opponents (and their limbs!) in the arena - only drawing his sword upon his infliction of a lightning fast maiming or killing blow.

Yes, this film does not boast polished storytelling, or compelling characterisation, but it does provide a unique and entertaining addition to the martial arts genre and stands alone as an ultra-violent tournament-style actioner with a talented cast of martial artists.

And for this at least, we should recognise it's value!!!

This is an excellent movie in my opinion. Good plot, amazing fighting scenes, and great effects. David Bradley does a great job, and so does Mark Dacascos. However, if you really want to enjoy this movie, don't get the US VHS version, because it is heavily cut. The UK VHS, although it is PAL, has only 1 second missing, and it's a part where a man pulls out a knife in a disco. The reason they cut this out is to prevent kids from imitating this (yeah I know it sounds funny). However, EVERYTHING else has been left intact. Since it is PAL, you would have to convert it to NTSC, but it is much much better than watching the heavily edited US tape.

The French DVD titled "American Samourai" is completely uncut, and also has the one second missing from the UK tape. The bad thing is that this french DVD does not have English sound, only french.

Anyway, this movie is an excellent martial arts movie!

This movie is all about cage fighting. Cage fighting is two martial arts experts being locked in a cage and fight to one of them is dead.(sometimes they use weapons like swords,spears etc)

You dont watch a movie like this for nothing else than cool fighting scenes,because it has almost no plot and the acting sucks. But in this movie the fighting scenes is especially good,and it shows of many different fighting styles.

The movie contains some really strong scenes of violence and gore,what did you expect,it is about men who kill each other.

If you like martial arts movies for the fighting scenes,then you will love this one.

Sometimes, not often, you come across a movie where you see the good parts and you can clearly see how close they where to making a good movie and wonder why they failed. In my book, this movie is one that could so easy be a 6 or 7, or even a 8 total rating here on imdb. It would still not be a oscar movie, but i truly think that it had a ponetial at one time in production to become a unforgetable classic.

All that needed to have happend was that the story guy got some feedback and adjustments where made to the story a bit. This is a hindsight and mini reimagine view of the movie, read it after you watched the movie to put my thoughts on top of it. Maybe you agree, maybe you disagree?

So the issue i have with this movie is that the hard parts is already there. A story good enough in theory, most actors decent enough, with good enough fighting skills thrown in. And lets not forget the focus on the tradotions of a nice sword!

What they do with what they got, is in part thrown away without any cause, and shown down cheap alleys because of ... lazyness?

Now you might say that is the issue right there in the pudding, that it is in parts mostly, just good enough. But i would argue your wrong in that thinking.

All these sections are just ingredients that could have been a great cake with just a tiny little bit more writing/changes in the story arc and more focus on the characters and swords ... and the removal of one person that contributes absolutly nothing to the story but stealing time. The person not even being a particular bad actor here, is just not fitting in to the story at all exept for... mild spoiler.... being a woman wich in it self ages the movie conciderably these days.

If you just watched this movie. Think of my pictures i'm about to make up here on the spot with the production value, as a re-imagine or a view of what could have been. Do you agree or disagree.

They completly removed the female char and let that time be spent seeing the bonding and development AND separation of the two brothers with a loving father trying his best trying to teach them the values of life, tradition, honour and one of the brothers still failing beacause of .. say failiure to accept his limitations and gets blinded by obession (feel free to apply any reason, i just made one up on the spot). I belivie the focus on the brothers, meaning of the sword and bonding to be more important for the movie as a whole. Make the growing up for the brothers a story set in gorgeos scenery with nature to give it and warmth and pacing.

Also with my imaginary setup above, think of changing the dialoge between the brothers throghout the movie where the american brother keeps asking his japanese brother more through the movie of reunion, to honor there father and to be family. Let the sword be the competing reason to honor.

I belive by taking out everyday reality, to make more fiction masculinity-stero-typical and dull female chars, it lost on being humaine wich it would with its funding AND cast potentially could have pull off with spades and made a great movie.

I would like to say that if not clear, i think this movie was so close to being great, and thank you for reading.