Watching B-movies so you don’t have to!
Ninja Wars (aka Iga ninpocho) is an odd movie. It’s not odd in the fact that it’s a ninja movie, it’s odd in the fact that despite being superficially a ninja movie, it’s really not a ninja movie at all. Despite the title, Ninja Wars is in fact a love story. While their may be some wars, bloody fight scenes, and a few ninjas hopping around, it’s almost not even a martial arts movie… That is, if you watch the subtitled version.
Ever since I saw Jackie Chan’s first American hit Rumble in the Bronx I have been a huge fan. I’ve seen almost every one of his movie that has come out in theaters since then. But it wasn’t until recently that I found out that some of his earlier work which wasn’t released in the U.S. was some of his best. Included in that is the action/comedy Wheels on Meals. A lot of Jackie’s work before he was a major Hollywood star was done with 2 of his best friends. You may remember a TV show in the late 1990s called Martial Law. This show starred Sammo Hung as a kung-fu detective working in L.A. Jackie’s other friend, Yuen Biao , you probably remember from… well nothing because he never made it to American cinema which is a shame. Many people regard Yuen as the most talented of the 3. They all attended the same Chinese Opera school together and have been making films ever since.
Cho Osaki (Shô Kosugi) moves to America with his son Kane (Kane Kosugi) after his family is killed in Japan by ninjas. He opens a doll shop with his friend Braden (Arthur Roberts), who uses Cho’s shop as a front to import heroin in the dolls. Braden is double crossed by his Italian buyer and he shows them why you do not fuck with Japanese drug lords. Cho prepares for the ultimate ninja duel to the death when he finds out that his friend has betrayed him. Written by James R. Silke and directed by Sam Firstenberg.
When you think of a Street Fighter movie, do you think of that shittastic Jean-Claude VanDamme film from the mid-80’s? If you do, clear that preconceived notion of garbage out of your head, because for our movie to kick off our July Ninja/Martial Arts theme week, we’re talking about the 1974 Sonny Chiba fightfest THE STREET FIGHTER (aka Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken)! The one question you need to ask yourself before watching this is… Are you ready to get your guts kicked out?
Recent Comments