Scott LeBrun Martial arts icon Sho Kosugi plays Cho Osaki, a Japanese man whose family is brutally obliterated by a troupe of evil ninjas. Realizing that a fresh start may be good for him, he accepts the offer from associate Braden (Arthur Roberts) to come and live in America and be Bradens' business partner. Braden, however, turns out to be a drug smuggling, evil son of a bitch who is also schooled in the ways of the ninja. Refusing to cooperate with local police (for whatever reason), Cho must soon come to the rescue of his son Kane (played by Kosugis' real-life son Kane) when the child is witness to a killing.Director Sam Firstenberg began his career in action films with this agreeable bit of action packed nonsense. He may have been a newcomer to the action genre at the time, but was wise to surround himself with people who knew what they were doing; in addition to star and fight choreographer Kosugi, notable crew include stunt coordinator Steve Lambert (who shows up on screen as the cowboy goon). Competently executed (if not particularly well written), "Revenge of the Ninja" benefits from a very tongue in cheek approach. There are some pretty dopey moments throughout, especially when Chos' friend Cathy (sexy blonde Ashley Ferrare) actually goes to battle with young Kane! There are some delightfully gory (and hilarious) gags here and there when various morons fall victim to ninja weapons. Firstenberg, Kosugi, Lambert and company get down to business very quickly, with their first major set piece taking place just minutes into the movie.The acting, for the most part, could charitably be described as not so hot, but that doesn't mean that the characters aren't engaging or entertaining in their own way. Kosugi is a stubborn hero, Roberts an amusing bad guy. Familiar faces in small roles include John LaMotta, Professor Toru Tanaka, and Don Shanks.The undeniable highlight is the final, extended rooftop battle between Osaki and Braden. Our villain sure shows some real ingenuity at times!Seven out of 10.

videorama-759-859391 Although it doesn't have as much action, as say for Pray For Death, where there's a similar premise, this one comes off a not a bad rate movie, where Sho is battling a more deadlier enemy of his own stature. The cover of this movie is fantastic, all the way down to it's impactful title'd font, with those deadly little spikes, that shoot out different colored smoke. An impressive fountain scene, involving them, I liked. Again, we're not asking for Oscar calibre actors, but we just surrender to the thrilling action, punctuated between not so happening but involving moments, one chase scene, that might leave your knees a bit raw and grazed. Like I said earlier, there are a few familiarities here that are akin to Pray For Death, even in it's opening. Even that flashback in PFD is similar to a scene here. Check out the start of the other I've mentioned, and you'll know what I mean. Sho and son, Kane, have come to America for a better life, but there's a deadly enemy stalking Sho and son, where unbeknown to Sho, used as a patsy, the inside of his dolls is housing cocaine. ROTN is a real kind of 80's film making I liked. It's a real quality movie of a different and more spectacular action. The couple killed screwing in a hot tub, and can't be pulled apart give a new meaning to the term, inseparable. Pity too, though like in Ninja 3, that incidentally came out only months later, as a double feature with Swordkill, we have to put up with that awful music. A small price to pay for exciting action like this. Just don't expect constant action, as for some Ninja fans, this could prove a bit of a down sight. The climax is engagingly intense. Good stuff.

FlashCallahan After his family is killed in Japan by ninjas, Cho and his son Kane come to America to start a new life. He opens a doll shop but is unwittingly importing heroin in the dolls. When he finds out that his friend has betrayed him, Cho must prepare for the ultimate battle he has ever been involved in....To the movie snob, you know those people who think they know everything about film because they own The 400 Blows, will laugh this movie out of the shop.But while the film offers nothing new, it has a wealth of great stuff going for it, and its one of the better Ninja movies of the eighties. Ninja movies in the eighties were as common as Vampire movies today.Its unintentionally hilarious, and its all the better for it. From a back flipping Granny, to the best thing in the film, a fight in the park with the Village People, which lasts nearly as long as the fist fight in They Live, the film is never boring.I does have many flaws though. The bad up wears a mask whenever he is fighting, because they probably couldn't find a stunt double that looked like him, and Kosugi isn't the best actor in the world (although he has great hair).But for all its flaws, it has really good set pieces, and stunts. The final siege is pretty remarkable stuff, and the sub plot involving the mafia and strangely, a Red Indian, is hilarious.So all in all, its not for everyone, but if you are a fan of the eighties, and especially Cannon movies, you will lap this up.Plus, its the best movie ever made where a chap dressed up as a cowboy is getting beat up in a park, and his false moustache keeps coming loose.

Innoculo I can't say I remember too much about the film except it has all the normal ninja stereotypes in it with lots of blood. If that is what you want that is what you'll get. Don't get me wrong, when I watch a ninja movie I'm not looking for Shakespeare. I'm looking for sword slashing, shrunken throwing and bear claws to the face fun. And maybe a few heads getting lopped off. It is what it is. The cool thing is how movies can bring back memories and I remember going to the movies with my mom and older brother and somehow convincing her that this particular movie was the one we were going to see. I'm not sure why she agreed to it and I'm sure she regretted it afterward as she is a conservative Christian woman. I was only 10 at the time and whining like crazy for us to see it. LOL I guess she thought, "It's about ninjas, how bad could it be!?" WRONG! This was the first rated R movie I saw in fact. All I have to say this movie is part of my life narrative now. Thanks Mom. I still remember the ending, but I won't spoil it for you.I'm probably one of the few people who actually saw this in a theater.