5.8 | / 10 |
Users | 2.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 2.6 |
The absorbing martial arts film that exposes Ninjutsu, the lethal, little-known "Art of Invisibility"... which includes the use of hypnotism, explosives and super-human fighting skills.
Starring: Franco Nero, Susan George, Shô Kosugi, Christopher George, Will HareMartial arts | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
“Enter the Ninja” is widely credited as one of the first wave of martial art movies in the 1980s to bring the deadly world of ninjutsu to the screen. Igniting an exploitation cinema craze, producer/director Menahem Golan and his Cannon Films would go on to stoke the fire with sequels and spin-offs, but 1981’s “Enter the Ninja” was their first born, and it’s easy to see why the production was so eager to keep up with the secret society of cloaked warriors. Certainly rough around the edges, the picture is wise to commit to the plot with a relatively straight face. Delivering acceptable action and encouraging acts of intimidation, the feature largely succeeds as a sufficiently violent and masculine study of the ninja way, from a decidedly Western perspective. It’s goofy at times, yet, in the heat in the moment, “Enter the Ninja” achieves an atmosphere of bottom shelf escapism that’s hard to resist.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation admittedly doesn't have much to work with, finding the limited budget and low-wattage cinematography pinning "Enter the Ninja" down from the start. Clarity fights through the softness, with a passable amount of screen detail, best with aggressive close-ups and Manila locations, allowing for a sense of distance during exterior adventures. Colors are secure, with natural skintones and flavorful hues with ninja costuming. Greenery is also preserved. Evening activities offer adequate delineation, but some contrast issues tend to turn blacks reddish at times. Grain is raw but filmic. The print shows signs of damage, with bursts of speckling and scratches periodically popping up.
With the entire movie dubbed, clarity isn't a problem for the "Enter the Ninja" listening experience. The 2.0 DTS-HD is very defined but reveals its low-budget origin, with thick dialogue exchanges that keep performances available no matter the environment. The track isn't about subtlety, but blunt force emotion and action, only reaching a few crispy highs during the presentation. Sound effects are pronounced, with whooshing throwing stars and blunt kicks and punches. Scoring is loud but welcomingly so, giving the mix some spirit that never intrudes on the performances. There's no nuance here, but the track captures the feature's exploitation interests.
A Theatrical Trailer (2:53, HD) is included.
"Enter the Ninja" works its way to a major showdown between Cole and the forces of evil, returning to white-robed, stealthy activities once pressure applied by Venarius turn personal. Golan doesn't let viewers down, staging a blow-out between sides that leads to a cockfighting arena, successfully returning a little ninjutsu honor to the proceedings. "Enter the Ninja" isn't intelligent entertainment, but it does what it does with confidence, hitting all the stoicism and strangeness required when dealing with a Cannon Films release that features a middle-aged man as a feudal Japan-inspired master of combat. It would come to be the first shot fired in the ninja subgenre, followed by "Revenge of the Ninja," "Ninja III: The Domination" and "American Ninja," but the original is generally quite good with introductions, giving cult cinema something to chew on with this idiosyncratic actioner.
Special Edition
1983
Collector's Edition
1984
Special Edition
1985
1985
1987
Special Edition
1987
Special Edition
1982
1989
1990
1985
2021
2K Restoration
1980
1994
Killers Die Hard
1978
Tian can di que / 天殘地缺
1979
Special Edition
1986
Special Collector's Edition
1988
1977
1979
Special Edition
1993