Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
The other night, someone texted me that they saw a TV spot for NINJA ASSASSIN that featured quotes from me, which I'm delighted to hear because when I saw this film at Fantastic Fest in September, it stomped and sliced my ass so hard I still have bruises and scars. From director James McTeigue (who directed V FOR VENDETTA and did second-unit stuff galore for all three MATRIX films and SPEED RACER) comes this magnificent celebration of violence and gore. It also features a star-making turn by South Korean sensation Rain, who could absolutely be the next huge action star in this and all nations. NINJA ASSASSIN commits early to saturating the screen and your brain with blood and never lets up. You have to admire that.
The story is about a young boy named Raizo, who has been trained by the Ozunu Clan since youth to endure unspeakable pain and groomed to be the ultimate ninja assassin. The assassin clan is so secret that most believe it is an urban legend meant to keep people in line. When his closest friend is killed by the clan, Raizo leaves them and goes into hiding. But years later, the merciless clan surfaces and begins a killing spree for reasons that are unclear to those investigating the excessively bloody murders, including Interpol agents Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris from 28 DAYS LATER and the second and third PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films) and her boss Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles). One of the more interesting aspect to NINJA ASSASSIN is the way it pits old world ninja techniques against modern-day crime-fighting technology. Have you every wondered how the ninja ability to hide in the shadows would match up against an enemy with night-vision goggles? We sure do find out.
The plot of NINJA ASSASSIN is perhaps unnecessarily complex, as we get bits of information about money trails and ties between big business, world governments, and this deadly assassin ring. But all that really matters is that ninjas can hurl dozens of throwing stars at once and shred a man's body completely; they can even total his car using the same method. Despite McTeigue being the director and the Wachowski Brothers being the film's producers, this isn't a movie that I could easily identify as being from the people who brought us THE MATRIX movies. This is a rough exercise in brutality--ripping and cutting of skin, body parts flying, eye-popping martial arts that seem based on reality even when they are being assisted by special effects. And make no mistake, there is certainly some CGI going on here, but most often it is cleverly and subtly used. And when it's not so subtle, it's usually because there is so much gore that sprinklers couldn't pump it out fast enough.
What I liked most about NINJA ASSASSIN is its wild abandon. Gone are the stiff philosophy-based plot lines of THE MATRIX movies and anarchy-charged atmosphere of V FOR VENDETTA. This movie is about kicking maximum ass with the maximum number of gouges, slices, dismemberments and other traumatic events that the body can suffer. And it seems utterly clear to me that McTeigue is enjoying himself immensely. When the film gets around to pairing Harris and Rain to do battle with the assassin clan, NINJA ASSASSIN launches into a symphony of blood the likes of which I've never seen in a modern-day studio work. It's exquisite and made me hungry for more. This film would be so easy to sequel-ize, and I hope that happens immediately. I really had a lot of wicked fun with NINJA ASSASSIN.
-- Capone
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