Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Justice Ninja Style Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 27, 2023

The ancient art of ninjitsu comes to rural Missouri in 1985’s “Justice Ninja Style.” It’s a shot-on-video endeavor from director Parvin Tramel and star Ron D. White, with the latter hoping to demonstrate his love of martial arts and ninja mystery with the production, which pits a figure of the shadows on the case of a wrongly accused man desperate for a protector. It’s the stuff of network television (reminiscent of “The Master” with Lee Van Cleef), but it remains B-movie entertainment, with White aiming to showcase his physical skills while the story deals with corrupt cops and a man on the run. It’s not high art, but the production is attentive to pace and action, going beyond typical SOV lethargy to deliver something exciting to help distract from obvious technical and thespian limitations.

Moving from the big city to the small town of DeSoto, Missouri, Brad (Brent Bell) is eager to open his own karate school, ready to share his love of the martial arts with others. While out on a walk, Brad is pulled aside by George (Rick Rykart), a local cop who’s recently murdered Shelly (Linda Garrison), a motorist he tried to sexually assault in front of his partner, Grady (William R. Johnson). George is looking to frame Brad for the crime, putting the man’s fingerprints on a weapon and locking him behind bars. Left without a chance to prove his innocence, Brad tries to keep his mind clear, and help soon arrives in the form of The Ninja (Ron D. White), a masked man who emerges from the shadows to right wrongs in town. Freed from his cage, Brad searches for a safe place, finding help from Cobra Karate School owner Dan (White) and Carol (Victoria Mann), Shelly’s best friend and daughter of the town council president. The plan is to reach the Chief of Police and expose corruption in DeSoto, but George isn’t going down easily, launching a hunt for Brad, who’s repeatedly protected by The Ninja and his mastery of martial arts and weapons.

“Justice Ninja Style” opens with a “Star Wars”-style scroll explaining the history of ninjitsu, with some out there in the wild still practicing the art. In this case, it’s a man in black in De Soto, who retains the ways of stealth, observing injustice from afar. For Brad, an innocent walk in the morning air turns into a nightmare, suddenly confronted by George and his villainous ways, trying to cover up his violence by blaming the murder of Shelly on the new resident. The writing isn’t too attentive to the ways of law, but it does put Brad in jail, with the innocent man left with no options as George works to pin the death on him. As malevolence goes, the dirty cop is a passable antagonist for “Justice Ninja Style,” acting as a bully to those who oppose him, including Grady, who wrestles with his guilty conscience throughout the film.

The Ninja arrives to break Brad out of jail, and he returns periodically throughout the picture, often using throwing stars to disarm troublemakers. This includes a collection of Missouri boobs looking to pound on Brad, becoming the first of a few fight sequences in “Justice Ninja Style.” Choreography isn’t tight, but Tramel has the right idea, keeping pressure on Brad as he tries to find some help in town with limited hiding spots. Aid emerges in the form of Carol and Dan, who weirdly looks to protect a guy coming into town to open a rival karate school, but pals is pals, giving the targeted man some help along the way, including shelter while the trio figures out a way to contact a true authority in the Chief of Police – a connection George will stop at nothing to prevent.

Justice Ninja Style Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Justice Ninja Style" is inherently restrained in the visual department, with the shot-on- video production doing what it can with a low-res viewing experience. A basic appreciation for frame elements is available, with a soft look at characters and small-town events. Color is also aged and limited, capturing some sense of greenery and primaries on clothing and cars. Skin tones are also passable for this type of endeavor. A few points of damage are detected.

Justice Ninja Style Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA track also deals with production limitations. Unlike a lot of these SOV endeavors, "Justice Ninja Style" puts a little more care into sound recording, delivering clearer dialogue exchanges from amateur actors. Scoring retains an appreciable synth presence, supporting suspense needs. Sound effects are cartoonish, but register as intended.

Justice Ninja Style Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1

• Commentary #1 features fans Cody Terry and Steven Francis.

• "The Ninja Speaks" (58:31, HD) is an interview with actor Ron D. White, visiting the martial artist in his home, where his explores his professional fighting history, sharing anecdotes about his experiences. The conversation eventually turns to "Justice Ninja Style," with De Soto, Missouri welcoming the production with open arms, helping White and director Parvin Tramel stay within their $20,000 budget. White also examines casting, shooting, and the eventual transformation of "Justice Ninja Style" to the "Ninja: The Ultimate Warrior" re-cut.

• "Locations: Then and Now" (10:14, HD) pays a visit to De Soto, Missouri with actor Ron D. White, who highlights the many areas where "Justice Ninja Style" was brought to life.

• "Ninja: The Ultimate Warrior" (86:14, SD) is an alternate cut of "Justice Ninja Style," with additional footage captured four years after the original shoot.

• And Trailers for "Justice Ninja Style" (1:41, SD) and "Ninja: The Ultimate Warrior" (9:20, SD) are included.

Disc 2

• "How to Become a Ninja" (60:43, SD) is an instructional video starring Ron D. White, looking to teach viewers the finer points of self-defense, weapons training, and the art of invisibility.

• Local News Coverage (1:44, SD) is a clip from a Missouri T.V. station covering the making of "Justice Ninja Style."

• Raw Footage (37:08, SD) offers a look at the 1989 shoot for "Ninja: The Ultimate Warrior," highlighting the creation of takes and BTS camaraderie.

• "Six Flags Ninja Media Day" (42:44, SD) brings viewers back to 1989, with the theme park hiring Ron D. White to make a personal appearance to help celebrate the opening of their "Ninja" roller coaster. Comments are shared and a martial arts demonstration is offered.

• "A Really Good Rocker: The Making of a Music Video" (29:34, SD) stars "Justice Ninja Style" actor Rick Rykart, and Ron D. White provides fight choreography.

• Image Gallery (17:21) collects BTS snaps, premiere photos, newspaper articles, and various promotional appearances.

Justice Ninja Style Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Justice Ninja Style" graduates to a slightly larger scope in the finale, with an angry mob coming after Brad, who tries to avoid a beating and deliver some ninja history during downtime. Again, the feature isn't stunning, but it offers a slightly more polished take on a backyard production, and SOV elements aren't too harsh. There's fun to be had for viewers willing to go along with the dopey material and stiff performances, and White takes his movie debut seriously, trying to share his passion for ninjitsu while enjoying his time as an Action Man of the 1980s.