Runtime: 99 minutes
Directed by: Menahem Golan
Starring: Franco Nero, Christopher George, Alex Courtney, Susan George, Sho Kosugi
From: Cannon
This sure was a Golan-Globus production. For ages I’ve known of the trilogy of ninja movies that Cannon did in the 80’s, and how this first entry started a ninja craze in the United States for a time. While the movie is utter B-movie nonsense and you can unleash an onslaught of nitpicks if you’re so inclined, such as believing Franco Nero as a ninja master who lays waste to the enemies while he spends time in the Philippines (where this was set and filmed) w/ old war buddy Frank Landers and the buddy’s wife Susan George. The enemy is Christopher George, no relation to Susan. He was appropriately over-the-top as the heel.
I mostly won’t nitpick, although the fact that the hero’s friend engages in cockfighting is regrettable. Yes, I realize that sport has been around for ancient times and is still popular in the Philippines; it’s just be a lot less awkward for most American viewers, that’s all. Otherwise, while of course the action isn’t as stellar as what you’d find in the Pacific Rim region of Asia at the time, that is more my complimenting how great those choreographers were—what’s here was still fine.
Christopher George wants the land of Nero’s buddy as it contains oil; they refuse to sell and from there, the stakes escalated. The plot needn’t be more complicated than that when there were wacky characters present such as Hook, a small fat dude w/ a second-rate German accent who has a hook for a left hand. I was also amused by Dollars, the money-hungry business owner that assisted the heroes and was portrayed by Will Hare, best known for his brief appearance in Back to the Future and the old grandpa in Silent Night, Deadly Night. He was a real hoot and played a larger role than expected.
For those that want a competent B-movie w/ some money behind it which featured nice Filipino scenery, a rad percussive score featuring plenty of synth from W. Michael Lewis and Laurin Rinder, some bloody moments, and a general absurd quality—you may have fun like I did. While not the largest role, it’s always nice seeing Sho Kosugi.
The highlight was a moment completely out of nowhere: the war buddy tells Nero that his wife Susan wants sexual relations constantly, but he… well, would use Viagra if it existed in 1981! If that wasn’t enough humiliation, soon thereafter Nero and this poor sap’s wife have sex while he’s oblivious to it! No word on why Frank Landers was so emasculated.