Ninja: Shadow of a Tear

Don't snob the movie because of the title. While I have seen my fair share of Dudikoff starring Ninja movies, I'd rather watch something like this. Scott Adkins therefor is being called the new van Damme and not Dudikoff for a reason. And while this movie does not have any big surprises in it (you will be able to know where this is going, waiting for the next action scene to start), it is highly enjoyable.

Especially during the well choreographed fight scenes. Which sometimes are very long takes (no cutting away and therefor even more difficult to perform and get it right). There is also some trickery involved while shooting those scenes and if that was done on set and not afterward, the movie deserves even more respect than it already has gotten from me.

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.

Ninja: Shadow of a Tear is an incredible sequel to the excellent first film but this time it's drenched more in gritty realism than the comic book style of the first. There's still a retro old skool feel to this but it's faster paced & more furious this time as our hero, Casey has settled down with his pregnant wife but when she is suddenly murdered, Casey goes on an all out mission for revenge & it's a brutal quest with non-stop frantic action. Scott Adkins is Amazing again, his films are always so Awesome & so well made with so much style & this sequel has it all in spades!!! Once again directed with superb skill by Isaac Florentine who loves working with Adkins & seems to really bring out the very best of Adkins martial arts skills & his emotional performances, here Casey goes to a much darker place & becomes a more Vigilante anti-hero than he was in the first film where he was more a warrior proctor type. Adkins is the most skilled fighter I've seen in the Action genre & i grew up watching all the greats such as Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Seagal, Stallone & Snipes but Adkins seems more real & more intense than those Action Legends & it's a shame he hasn't hit the big time yet like Jason Statham has?

Ninja 2 is a more polished looking flick than the first but it's definitely less bloody & the main villain is still way better in the first flick but what we do get here is much more incredible fight sequences that are mind blowing to watch. This is the fastest I've seen Adkins move lol he's as quick as the old greats like Jackie Chan or Jet Li he's that good. I think i probably still like the first film more because i loved the old Comic book style & the very 80's Ninja flick vibe that reminds me of the Awesome Ninja Turtles flicks but obviously way more violent but, Shadow of a Tear is a fantastic sequel & this time i got vibes of old skool Charlie Bronson flicks such as Death Wish 2 (The whole mugging/wallet sequence) & i loved it as it felt like pure old skool violent action & that's what Scott Adkins does. A brutal, bone-crunching, fast & furious Revenge Action Thriller with some of the best fight sequences ever put on film & a blistering intense performance from the king of badass, low-budget Action Cinema.

Saw this early at the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas and it is quite possibly the greatest DTV action movie ever made.

Though many would not be proud of it, but I am a DTV (direct to video) expert. I subject myself to watching pretty much every DTV action movie ever made. Though most of them are just absolutely awful, it is all worth it when a Unisol Regen or Blood and Bone comes along and blows you away.

The main problems with dtv movies are: 1. Zero budget 2. Shaky cam/quick edits 3. Actors not willing to put in the work for the fight scenes to look realistic 4. Stupid plots with dumb romances

Though Ninja Shadow of a Tear is on a small budget, all of the aforementioned problems are fixed. The movie is completely without shaky cam and quick editing. The plot is very basic and there is no fat to try and make it anything other than what it is....an incredible action movie. And finally, the incredible Scott Adkins and the amazing stunt team put in some amazing fights.

One scene in particular is Scott Adkins versus 6 guys in a dojo and the entire fight is filmed in one take with zero editing...like the Alphonso Cauron of DTV shots. It was absolutely amazing.

Just an amazing fight movie that takes the best fight scenes ever and mixes it with Rambo, old Cannon movies from the 80's, and Enter the Dragon and other Asian flicks from the 70's. Just a perfect movie that looks like a big budget Hollywood flick. Not a single dollar was wasted and no goofy cgi or wires were used.

I can't recommend this movie enough. The action is incredible and everything came together to make one of the best fight films of all- time.

Hollywood, please wake up and give Adkins/Florentine a budget and I think you would be amazing at what they can do.

If you are looking to check out other great DTV movies and save yourself the trouble of all the nonsense and garbage I have seen, check out the following. But most importantly, check out Ninja Shadow of a Tear when it is released. It is a definitely blu-ray buy for me.

1. Universal Solider Regeneration 2. Ninja Shadow of a Tear 3. Blood and Bone 4. Undisputed 3 5. Wake of Death (pretty much all of the Van Dammes are watchable) 6. Undisputed 2 7. Universal Soldier Day of Reckoning (just watch the last 45 minutes)

I will start by saying, I have never reviewed a movie on IMDb before but felt compelled to do. Scott Atkins is the new van damme.

I cant say much for the plot / storyline however the acting was fine, and the action was beautifully choreographed. It looked so real. The action more than makes up for the lack of depth within the story itself. Scott for me, carries the film but he does it so well.

I hope Hollywood pays attention to this guy as he is extremely talented. As crazy as it sounds being that this was a Direct to TV movie, I was thoroughly engaged and entertained throughout the whole film. Its Fast paced almost from the get go and action packed.

I hope to see Scott in some big budget block busters next year and beyond.