Ninja III: The Domination 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Ninja III: The Domination 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 20, 2025

Sam Firstenberg's "Ninja III: The Domination" (1984) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include archival audio commentary by Sam Firstenberg and stunt coordinator Steve Lambert; archival program with actress Lucinda Dickey; archival program with actor Jordan Bennett; vintage trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Only a ninja can kill a ninja!

Sam Firstenberg’s best work is in Ninja III: The Domination. However, as odd as it may sound, virtually all of it is genuinely bad work, practically identical to the one that makes Tobe Hooper’s crippled masterpiece Lifeforce an enormously entertaining film. Unsurprisingly, Ninja III: The Domination is packed with ‘80s kitsch of the most intense varieties.

The narrative is a mish-mash of wild, mostly incompatible ideas that instantly begin stretching Ninja III: The Domination in opposite directions. In Arizona, a deranged ninja pops up at a fancy golf course, slaughters a hotshot and his bodyguards, and then engages a small platoon of bemused local cops. Before he is gunned down, the deranged ninja makes contact with Christie (Lucinda Dickey), a sexy employee of the local phone company, and hands her an ancient Japanese sword. Soon after, at her favorite gym, Christie begins a casual relationship with Billy (Jordan Bennett), a bachelor cop, and, without realizing it, frequently allows the dead ninja’s spirit to borrow her body. Perplexed and concerned about her mental condition, Christie agrees to follow Billy to the fancy studio of a popular Asian exorcist (James Hong), who, after getting seriously spooked, declares that she is possessed by evil from a different era. Meanwhile, a famous Japanese warrior named Yamada (Sho Kosugi) lands in Phoenix, determined to reclaim Christie’s ancient Japanese sword and defeat its original owner.

Ninja III: The Domination is a prime example of a genre film so bad it is actually great, which is a distinction implying that it has certain qualities only certain viewers can appreciate. For example, some of the bad, which is plenty, is clearly scripted, but then there is a lot that is not, and, as in Lifeforce, the two begin merging in unpredictable ways that produce a lot of bizarre material. If a viewer is in the mood for such material, which also happens to have a distinct ‘80s quality, the whole thing could look brilliant. However, if a viewer only registers the bad that constantly sticks out, the viewing experience could easily evolve into an unforgettable endurance test.

One huge advantage Ninja III: The Domination has over Lifeforce is its unmissable sense of humor. It is the crucial glue that holds all of its ridiculous material together and makes it possible for the viewer to excuse the constant efforts to expand it. Without this sense of humor, Ninja III: The Domination would have been an irredeemable bomb.

The best of the ridiculous material produces a first-class V8 Juice commercial and visual evidence that a ninja’s body is more efficient than a bulletproof vest. Also, it provides historical evidence that a long time ago, a goofy, very hairy single guy could go to his local gym, embarrass himself, and walk out of it without being called a creep.

Firstenberg teamed up with cinematographer Hanania Baer, whose panoramic footage from several outdoor locations is unexpectedly gorgeous. A year later, the two reunited on the equally campy, now considered cult classic, American Ninja.

Ninja III: The Domination 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kino Lorber's release of Ninja III: The Domination is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-28 are taken from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #30-39 are taken from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release introduces a new 4K restoration of Ninja III: The Domination, sourced from the original camera negative. In native 4K, the 4K restoration can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I used the HDR grade and spent time with its 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

I think that I spent equal amounts of time with the native 4K and 1080p presentations, mainly because I wanted to be very comfortable with the information I am posting below. This film has already received a very nice Blu-ray release from Shout Factory, and some collectors might be on the fence about upgrading it.

The 4K restoration is outstanding, and the quality of its presentations on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray is as good as I hoped it could be. On my system, the vibrancy and lushness of the visuals were frequently borderline overwhelming, and I thought that the entire film looked simply incredible. This is how I remember a lot of films from the '80s looking at the theater -- very rich, like grand neon-esque pictures, constantly playing with different colors and surprising in new ways. Delineation, clarity, and depth are enormously impressive, and yes, also better than those of the older presentation of the film on the previous Blu-ray release, linked above. This superiority is easy to appreciate in native 4K and 1080p, so keep this in mind if you can only play Blu-rays on your system. The HDR grade is effective, but I think that without it, the 4K restoration looks equally great. Darker sequences, like the one where Christie and Billy visit the exorcist's studio, look lovely. I did not see any flattening or crushing. There are no traces of problematic degraining corrections. A few density fluctuations are rather prominent, but they are all inherited. Finally, I noticed a few nicks, but there are no large and distracting cuts, marks, debris, warped or torn frames to report in our review. My score is 4.75/5.00.

Ninja III: The Domination 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Shout Factory's previous Blu-ray release of Ninja III: The Domination had only a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, so I chose to revisit the film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

I had to turn up the volume of my system slightly more than usual, and this convinced me to switch to the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track several times to test it as well. I still think that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is very good, helping the busy action material and different effects make an even bigger impression. However, perhaps in some areas balance could have been handled a little bit better. I think that select spikes in dynamic activity could be slightly exaggerated, though I did turn up the volume of my system a bit more than usual. The dialog was clear and easy to follow.

Ninja III: The Domination 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Sam Firstenberg and stunt coordinator Steve Lambert, and is moderated by critic Robert Galluzzo. The commentators reveal that Ninja III: The Domination was influenced a great deal by Toby Hooper's Poltergeist and a lot of the exotic material was conceived to replicate familiar themes from it. The commentators also confirm that the action sequences were intentionally made longer, as this is what audiences demanded at the time, and the excess material was carefully managed. Later, there are interesting comments about the casting of Lucinda Dickey and some key locations in Arizona, where the film was shot.

• Commentary Two - presented here are isolated score selections and audio interviews with composer Misha Segal and production designer Elliot Ellentuck.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Sam Firstenberg and stunt coordinator Steve Lambert, and is moderated by critic Robert Galluzzo. The commentators reveal that Ninja III: The Domination was influenced a great deal by Toby Hooper's Poltergeist and a lot of the exotic material was conceived to replicate familiar themes from it. The commentators also confirm that the action sequences were intentionally made longer, as this is what audiences demanded at the time, and the excess material was carefully managed. Later, there are interesting comments about the casting of Lucinda Dickey and some key locations in Arizona, where the film was shot.

• Commentary Two - presented here are isolated score selections and audio interviews with composer Misha Segal and production designer Elliot Ellentuck.

• Dancing with Death - in this archival program, actress Lucinda Dickey recalls how she landed her part in Ninja III: The Domination and discusses the production process, which instantly appeared to be "behind schedule". Dickey also comments on her interactions with Sam Firstenberg and Jordan Bennett, as well as the filming of the action material/stunts, which involved certain risks. In English, not subtitled. (19 min).

• Secord's Struggle - in this archival program, actor Jordan Bennett discusses the early stages of his acting career and involvement with Ninja III: The Domination. Bennett also comments on Sam Firstenberg's working methods and a fascinating tour of Phoenix he was given by real cops right before production of the film was initiated. In English, not subtitled. (11 min).

• Birth of the Ninja - in this archival program, producer and stuntman Alan Amiel discusses his difficult childhood and fascination with ninja, and his professional relationship with Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, as well as the arrival of Sho Kosugi. Amiel also comments on the action material in Ninja III: The Domination. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Ninja III: The Domination. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Ninja III: The Domination 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Several people, including Sam Firstenberg, confirm Ninja III: The Domination was expected to emulate material that made Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist a huge box office hit. Ninja III: The Domination borrows from all kinds of different places and then mixes everything into a big '80s cocktail that hits the rational mind a lot like Hooper's crippled masterpiece Lifeforce does. However, the cocktail is delivered with an unmissable sense of humor, which is why the odd and ridiculous in it entertain better. Kino Lorber's combo pack brings a stunning, definitive 4K restoration of Ninja III: The Domination, which looks incredible on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.