American Ninja

   So in the 1980’s, Ninja were like a force of nature. They caused more mayhem and damage than any natural disaster. From over complicated plans by evil masterminds, to simple plot devices, Ninja were always there to save the entertainment industry’s day.

   This evening I pulled up American Ninja on the Plex server, and after 10 minutes Mrs. Multiverse looked at me like I had lost my mind. It’s not a good movie. Why do I have it? The answer is simple, I was 15 when this came out and just as swept up in the 80’s Ninja craze as “everybody” else. Well, not everybody, since Mrs. Multiverse was only 8 at the time.

   Having much more experience under my belt,  I can say that Michael Dudikoff is a really good Martial Artist. At this point his acting was a bit stiff, but his action was great. When the movie opens it was clear that the director was telling him to channel James Dean, and they should have gone that route for the entire film. A flick about a silent stoic hero is fine with me.

    Should you go out of your way to see this movie? No. It’s one of those things that you need to have grown up with. When I watch it, I remember my time at the drive-in with my best mate. If it’s something that you did watch back then, give it another go, there are some fun moments. Fair warning, as someone who has trained and enlisted, there are some cringe-worthy moments as well 😉