Ninja Assassin is a bloodbath of a movie. Almost from the very beginning there is bloodshed and it does not stop. This movie does exactly what it promises. It delivers violence for entertainment and fighting scenes that are quick and exciting. There is no complex plot or character development in this one, folks. This movie is absolutely for the people who love action movies and can never get enough.
Starting at a very young age, Raizo (Rain) has been trained to be a ninja assassin by a secret clan known as the Ozunu. However, after one of his friends (could have been a girlfriend) is killed and he is asked to kill a woman himself, he refuses and escapes.
Then, there is Mika Coretti (Naomi Harris), who is an agent that has found a money trail linking the Ozunu to murders. Mika gets too close and the Ozunu clan try to take her out, but Raizo saves her from his former family of assassins. This leads to Raizo and Mika teaming up to take down the Ozunu clan and Raizo is out for revenge.
The character of Raizo is the most detailed character of the whole movie. We know his past and see the circumstances he grew up in and the methods he was taught. So I guess there is some character development when it comes to Raizo. And you know why he is so good at what he does. He is quick and fierce, and blood will pour. I promise you that.
The rest of the characters are there, but have no emotional impact. As far as the story itself goes, director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) uses a common formula that a lot of action movies have. A character is a part of a group that is doing bad things. An event happens that changes everything, and that character goes looking for redemption. We have seen it before and it was probably in a Steven Seagal movie.
Ninja Assassin does not have an amazing story or any amazing performances. However, it does have amazing action sequences and fight scenes. It is a fast-paced movie that is not afraid to show people having their arms or heads cut off, or being split right in two. It is that kind of movie.
The only thing that may be disappointing, even for the gung-ho action fans, is not the buckets of blood involved, but how fake it looks. It could not be more clear that the blood has been digitalized. But then again, Ninja Assassin is over-the-top anyway, so why can’t the blood be as well?
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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