ENGLISH - 18SG - 26 November 2009 - Action/Martial Art
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Running Time: 97 mins.
Director: James McTeigue
Producers: Joel Silver, Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski, Grant Hill
Writers: Matthew Sand, J Michael Straczynski
Casts: Rain, Naomie Harris, Rick Yune, Ben Miles, Sho Kosugi
Plot: Raizo (Rain) is one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Taken from the streets as a child, he was transformed into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. Haunted by the execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free from them and prepares to exact his revenge. In Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) has stumbled upon a money trail linking several political murders to an underground network of untraceable assassins from the Far East. Mika digs into top-secret agency files to learn the truth behind the murders. Her investigation makes her a target, and the Ozunu Clan sends a team of killers, led by the lethal Takeshi (Rick Yune) to silence her forever. Raizo saves Mika from her attackers and must now trust each other to survive and bring down the elusive Ozunu Clan.
The Verdict:
Green Tea Bern says:
When people thought it is awesome, I lean to the opposite site. The movie, having Rain in it may have been the major factor many to swing in favour but let's face it, all the hypes and expectations were not met in a full scale. It was rather a bit of disappointment and crap. Besides, the Korean heart-throb Rain plays a lead role of a mean and murdering machine that slashes up everything in within his enemy.
Ninja Assassin is a good attempt of making one hell of action. I would think that having a ninja-based story is something pretty interesting. Remember seeing those ninja battle-fight can be very breathtaking? This makes no exception because it lives up to its promise for providing lots of action. But let's just say that this action flick does what it best for - entertaining, intensify story but yet too bloody to be seen and crappy.
Ninja Assassin provides a moderate story-telling where the ninja parts are good but when throwing in international cartel of intelligent agencies in it, this make it whole of a crap. The story of how Raizo raised up in a ninja clan training temple as well as how he ended up fighting his own "father'. Also, revenge and redemption play well for Raizo and Takeshi, the one whom he called brother since young. The complaint is of course when the agency decideed to raid the whole temple and burning it to the ground. The story of making ninja linked with series of international assassinations that worth 100 pounds of gold - it can't get anymore crappier.
Here is an opposite issue that may take a toll. Seeing decapitated limbs, bloody squashing out from the blood vessels and flesh been sliced up, may not be very appetiting for many. Gutsy and disgust, it follows "300" too much and making most of all unoriginal. Also, highlighted here, the use of digital blood, similar as the one in Blood: The Last Vampire, very "300".
Ninja Assassins filled with balance human capitalization and much background story to settle with - a perfect example of providing story and flash backs in styles. However, it pushes its way too far by been overly-serious and at times, it gets very boring. When humours in, it is not an enticing one!
Rain is a great actor. Forgave his lack of English-speaking dialogue in it because he is not yet that fluent in it. If you ignore that, he made Raizo an interesting character. A worth to mention, the legendary Sho Kosugi served an excellent leader of the clan. He is a legend if I can tell you again and again - stern, cold and visionary! The rest of the Europol, CIA and FBI bunches of peoples, they serve no purpose and getting it crappy. Note the number of "crap" I have used.
The cinematography is breathtaking. Thanks to the choreographic visualization that has made V For Vendetta once a great movie, this is none-the-less the same. Actions are coordinated well and coupled with excellent usage of graphic and visual effects, the whole experience of watching it is totally unforgettable.
In short, you may like the action flick but the story suffers a set-back. It is not the best action flick of the year but consider it having among the best in cinematographic. No wired stunts policy and it gambles its way to make it big, only to ended up been crap. Thanks for the ninjas, the movie didn't crumbled totally. Still, it's a crap!
THE RATING
STORY - 2.5 stars
CASTS - 3.0 stars
CINEMATOGRAPHY - 4.0 stars
EFFECTS - 4.0 stars
OVERALL - 3.0 stars
Green-Tea-O-Meter: 12.4