The action starts straight away, with students training outdoors in martial arts at a ninja school in Japan.
Among them, there is a student who is different, since he is the only one who is not Japanese; he is American.
He was an orphan, when he was taken to the ninja school, where the master undertook to raise him.
Now, he is a young man in his twenties, and he is among the best students of the school.
He has made an enemy though, who is another elite student of the ninja school.
They both stand a strong chance of being nominated as the next master of the school, and that is when their fierce rivalry begins.
The other student, who is Japanese, challenges and questions whether a foreigner deserves this right and honor.
After showing an extremely violent and aggressive behavior, the Japanese student, Masazuka, is expelled from the school by the master, who demands that he never comes back.
He returns, however, to cause more trouble, kill people like an assassin, and claim the Yoroi Bitsu, which is the sacred chest that contains the most valuable and symbolical objects in ninja tradition.
Casey, the American student, is assigned by the master the task to protect Yoroi Bitsu, and do this by even risking his life.
The plot then moves to the US, where it thickens through the involvement of a ring of criminals, with much more martial arts action taking place.
In the end, Casey is left with no other choice than to behead Masazuka, and does that by using his ninja sword.
What I liked about the movie
This is a movie that the fans of ninja martial arts will love.
It takes old-school Japanese fighting and training techniques and methods to a modern context, in an effort to mix two different worlds, and add a fresh appeal to old traditions.
Another point to be stressed is the master’s mercy and generosity to an orphan that was taken to his school, which shows the positive side of the Japanese philosophy of life, as it is incorporated in martial arts and ninja training, resulting in an ageless code of honor.
What I didn’t like about the movie
A thing that I found funny in this movie is the fact that a ninja warrior uses a night vision camera fitted to a modern helmet.
I believe that this has little to do with the genuine ninja tradition, unless we assume that the end justifies the means, so everything is accepted in a fight situation.
Besides, I would like some compromise and negotiations to be embedded into the script, because not everything in life is either black or white.
Sources and further reading:
Ninja (film)
