6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A kung-fu champion flees a training camp for CIA operatives and is chased across Europe.
Starring: John Liu, Mirta Miller, Ho Wang, Christian Anders, José María BlancoMartial arts | 100% |
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 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
with Spanish language inserts
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
To understand what’s going on in 1981’s “Ninja in the Claws of the C.I.A.” requires a level of concentration most movies wouldn’t dare demand from viewers. It’s another offering of confusion and directorial indifference from martial arts star John Liu (“New York Ninja”), who assigns himself a James Bond-esque role in this actioner, which takes viewers around the world as the helmer madly scrambles to assemble something close to comprehensible. “Ninja in the Claws of the C.I.A.” tries to approximate the atmosphere of a superspy thriller, blending in plenty of physical fights and betrayals to keep things interesting. However, Liu can only do so much with the picture, which looks like it was stitched together from three different features, keeping up on eye-crossing moves in plot and tone to a point where nothing registers as intentional anymore. It’s a big mess, but Liu’s enthusiasm for it all is something to see.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as "newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm internegative." Source isn't in perfect shape (adding footage from the Spanish release), with some jumpy frames, scratches, and damage present. Clarity is quite good, examining skin particulars, especially facial surfaces with intense close-ups. Dimension is found with various locations, offering a look at city life and rural encounters. Interiors retain decent decoration. Costuming is fibrous. Colors are tastefully refreshed, with a full sense of primaries on clothing and locations. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is nicely resolved.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix represents an "extended version" of "Ninja in the Claws of the C.I.A." While primarily an English dub of the feature, sections from a Spanish version of the film are presented, briefly switching languages. Overall, dialogue exchanges are clear, with defined voicework. Funky scoring is also appreciable, with decent instrumentations. Sound effects are amplified, registering body blows and gunfire, and it's somewhat interesting to hear the differences in Spanish and English versions, with each offering their own sound library.
"Ninja in the Claws of the C.I.A." starts to fall apart in the second half, lost to nonsensical (even for this film) plotting that finds John heading to Mexico and then Paris, where he suddenly has two new lovers and an entirely different life (there is no time jump to explain any of this). The picture eventually settles into Barcelona for the final act, which involves the sudden mission to find classified materials he's keeping. The changes in plot and character are jarring (there's a little twin business stuffed in here as well), and Liu doesn't help matters with his lack of storytelling focus. He's relying on fast feet and hands to guide the viewing experience, and that's infinitely more inviting to watch than the vague motivations and personalities involved in the plot. "Ninja in the Claws of the C.I.A." is far from a competent production, but it does make for a strong Bad Movie Night offering, as the ridiculousness of it all is amusing when it isn't baffling. And martial arts activity is sufficiently distracting, helping to digest an endeavor that was possibly one thing, before it became another thing, eventually ending up as a whole bunch of things.
1994
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Slipcover in Original Pressing
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