5/10
Japanese Chop-Socky expert Kosugi is forced into action when his son is kidnapped
9 February 2009
This classic Ninja about practitioners of an ancient Oriental art of killing named Ninjitsu , wearing in black , using martial arts and diverse weapons , as Katana , deadly star (Ninkaisen), explosive balls...The exciting movie deals about Cho (Shô Kosugi , he personally crafted many of the weapons in the film) , when his family is murdered , he goes to America along with his son (Kane Kosugi) . There he puts a dolls-store , but his friend (Arthur Roberts) deceits him by means of drugs smuggling into the dolls . Then , a Ninja dedicates to human chase disguised in silvered mask . The Japanese Ninja , helped by a cop (Frye) , confronts enemies , mob , hoodlums (Professor Tanaka) and metes out his own justice when his son is abducted . The Ninjitsu fighter is possessed by the spirit of vengeance-seeking Ninja and only Sho Kosugi wipes out a passel of heinous villains and brings his bloody rampage to a moving final .

This a violent and gripping story with plenty of noisy action and struggles in a comic-book style . It's a mindless but enjoyable for martial arts aficionados of the old style because the new technical are made by means of wires , cables and computer generator . The violence was dramatically cut for its original theatrical release which still garnered '18' certificates around the world . The unrated version of the film features an infamous blood splatter , one of the major reasons this version of the film is more popular . Shô Kosugi was adamant that Keith Vitali's character be killed to heighten the drama , director Sam Firstenberg agreed but nixed the idea that the character's hand be cut off during his dying scene . The film highlights are the fighting between the little boy named Kane against a group of children and a gorgeous woman ; the combat between the grandmother and a killer and Sho Kosugi fighting and wielding a fan , among them . The fights , thrills and lots of action and even some moments of unintentional humor make this movie worth seeing .

The previous movie was ¨Enter the Ninja¨ (81) by Menahem Golan with Franco Nero , Menahem Golan was director of the first film , and was to direct this one also , but shortly before production was to start he decided to turn over directing chores to Sam Firstenberg . Golan did remain as producer , however and he came up with the films' opening prologue that adds more depth to the story . It was followed by ¨Ninja III , the domination¨ with Lucinda Dickey and again Sho Kosugi . The picture was well produced by Cannon -Golan and Globus- and rightly directed by Sam Firstenberg , being first "Ninja" film directed by Sam Firstenberg for Golan-Globus' . Sam's a low-grade expert on karate genre and Ninja sub-genre , such as he proved in ¨American Ninja¨ and sequels , and ¨Forced vengeance (82)¨ and ¨Avening force (1986)¨ with his usual actor Michael Dudikoff . Martial-art and Ninja films aficionados should enjoy it , because this Ninja entry is good of its type .
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