Ninja Assassin
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Ninjas? The fiction loving side of your brain has all kinds of things to say about them from being able to leap half way across a city block, to healing mortal wounds, while the logical side of your brain remembers the Discovery channel special on them, making you feel informed, but sadden at the same time. Either way, one phrase still comes up: Bad ass.
The fictional abilities of a ninja has been used in almost any Kung Fu movie, anime, and especially video games. The fictional Ninja has such a draw to it, of course Hollywood and China's movie industry would be all over them. Young and old, people love seeing them do what they supposedly do best.
So here comes the brothers that made the Matrix movies, wanting to a modern style movie based around....Ninjas. Lets get right too it.
One thing to get out of the way, this movie is full of blood/gore, camera/special effects, and kung fu style choreography that rivals Jackie Chan movies.
The plot line: A rogue Ninja Assassin wants to kill the very clan that made him a walking weapon, because they killed his "girlfriend" when she tried to escape from her training. Simple, but you don't really need to worry about it, you're only watching this movie for one reason, or else you miss the point of the movie and it'll suck for you: The Ninjas.
This movie uses EVERY single fictional Ninja cliche in the book and then some. We are talking being practically invisible in shadows, instant head shots with shurikans, healing major wounds when they have five minutes to spar, instantly flashing away from sight without the use of a smoke bomb, the list goes on. But what shouldn't turn you off is that this movie actually does it in such a right way.
I will speak opinion here now: I went into this movie, knowing what was up, but still wanting to find it bad. But I was sitting there, watching the over the top fight and kill scenes, and loving every single minute of it.
Ninja Assassin is a great movie for turning off your brain and letting your love for the fictional Ninja thrive.
So there is all the good of the film, here is the bad:
1) The acting is stale and boring, just watch the fights.
2) The tension between the main character and his "girlfriend" in the flash back scenes is so thick, it could fortify a bank.
3) It does get too over the top at times.
So the final verdict is this: If you love Ninjas and movies where you just turn off your brain and enjoy a good beat down, see this movie at least once. If blood, gore, over the topness, and pointless plots are not your thing, skip it.