Today’s quick review: Ninja Assassin. Interpol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) becomes the target of a deadly cover-up when she uncovers evidence that the Nine Clans, an ancient order of ninjas, are still conducting assassinations from the shadows. The only thing standing between her and a gory end is Raizo (Rain), a ninja who turned his back on the Nine Clans. With Mika’s help, Raizo uses his training to hunt down his former brothers-in-arms.
Ninja Assassin is a violent action movie that pits ninja against ninja. Ninja Assassin features stylish action, lots of gore, and a bare minimum of plot. The story follows Raizo through his training as a ninja, his departure from the clan, and his impromptu alliance with Mika. Touches of CGI and light fantasy elements round out the action. However, the one-note nature of the film limits its potential.
Ninja Assassin’s main draw is its gory action. Raizo dances his way through dozens of ninjas, using knives, swords, and shuriken to dispatch them in short order. The fights are more about flash than technique. The choreography shows off plenty of martial arts prowess, but the focus remains on spinning blades, spurts of blood, and dismemberment. The result is a consistent but grotesque stream of action that serves as the backbone of the movie.
Ninja Assassin does run into a few issues. Its story has only three major components: Raizo’s origin, Mika’s investigation, and their team-up to fight the assassins. There are few real surprises, and while the film puts some effort into world-building, it’s mostly to build up the ninjas as an indomitable foe. Ninja Assassin also suffers from mild pacing issues; Raizo’s backstory slows down the main plot before it can get going.
Give Ninja Assassin a shot when you’re in the mood for no-frills violence. There’s enough action and enough style to make for a satisfying popcorn watch, but the story misses the chance to make the film into something more. Skip it if you’re at all averse to blood or gore. For a violent action movie with more flair, check out Kill Bill. For a grittier take on violent martial arts action, check out The Raid.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for solid action but little depth.