Mr. McTeigue's first, and last, film was 2005's "V for Vendetta", the servicable adaptation of Alan Moore's groundbreaking graphic novel. You may remember a few sequences in that film which, at the time, seemed very Matrix-esque. Daggers flew threw the air in slow-motion; Hugo Weaving's V fought a team of baddies (also in slow-motion). But very little in "Vendetta" would herald this work in "Ninja Assassin".
The film's opening sequence sets the tone immediately with a bloody close-up of a tattoo being administered. The recipient and his gang are soon visited by a horde of the titular killers, who dole out brutal justice in swift, gory strokes. Be prepared to see people chopped in half, limbs flying off, and buckets and buckets of too-red blood. It's all done with such a gleeful tongue-in-cheek style that it's hard not to laugh as you're simultaneously wincing. Yes, these assassins are silent but deadly.
The writers, newcomer Matthew Sand and comic veteran J. Michael Strczynski, pay homage to as many martial arts tropes as possible over the film's lean running time. They're also sure to honor the genre from which they pilfer. Perhaps the best example may be the casting of legendary ninja-movie star Shô Kosugi as the mysterious Lord Ozunu.
The plot itself is virtually incomprehensible. In Berlin, two Europol agents (Naomie Harris and Ben Miles) determine that a series of murders are linked to a mythical underground network of assassins and quickly become targets themselves. Our hero, Raizo, is a renegade ninja with a bad case of the flashbacks (we learn how he was orphaned, trained as an assassin, and deserted his clan). Somehow, Raizo ends up protecting the two agents. But none of it holds together or, honestly, matters worth a damn. It's all just filler in an action sandwich.
And the action is top notch. Borrowing techniques from Japanese, Chinese and Thai martial arts - as well as Parkour and anything else they could get their hands on - Mr. McTeigue and his team of fight choreographers do not disappoint. The ninja in this film are a force to be reckoned with. True to the myth, they move silently in the shadows. They can also be found clinging to the ceiling like something out of "Aliens". And once they arrive, no one is safe.
The filmmakers have said that they wanted to update the ninja movie for the 21st century, and there they succeed. While the film is ostensibly a star vehicle for Korean pop-star, Rain, the actors have little to do but try to keep up. "Ninja Assassin" is a non-stop feast for fans of the genre, or those simply looking for a bloody good time.
| Movie title | Ninja Assassin |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2009 |
| MPAA Rating | R |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | Gleefully bloody martial arts tribute - about a renegade ninja hunted by his clan - makes "Kill Bill" look like an episode of "7th Heaven". |
