Mindless ninja action, James McTeigue, and liberal use of CGI; two of those three should have ensured "Ninja Assassin" would please B-movie fans. The latter more than likely killed the hype of many. 2009 was a noteworthy year for ninja fans, the straight-to-DVD "Ninja" was set for eventual release, Wachowski Brothers protégé, James McTeigue would helm his second feature (his previous was the incredibly stylish, mildly faithful adaptation of "V for Vendetta") "Ninja Assassin," and two pop-culture, ninja icons, Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow would square off for the first time in "GI Joe: Rise of Cobra." Having viewed all three films, I'm declaring "Ninja Assassin" the winner of the ninja standoff, one more than one level.

McTeigue wastes no time in setting the tone for the 99-minutes to follow, as a nameless group of cocky young Yakuza, quickly get a lesson in the art of ninjitsu. With heavy melodrama, provided by the lone survivor of a ninja assassination attempt decades earlier, the ninjas in "Ninja Assassin" are quickly painted into a portrait of superhuman ability, split-second lethality, and unflinching remorse. Right on cue, once the wise old man finishes his tale and the young gangsters laugh at the absurdity of it, a head is severed in two, flies across the room and lands for a grisly close-up on camera. "Ninja Assassin's" ninjas live up to their myth and also make no attempt to hide the fact they rely on CGI. The CGI aspect of the film was my biggest fear, Isaac Florentine's "Ninja" utilizes it less often than this film, but it is sloppy and ultimately distracting. McTeigue's usage of CGI, falls somewhere between the realms of allowing the characters to pull of impossible moves and making the bloodshed a little more artful (think Takeshi Kitano's "Zatoichi").

The plot is nearly evenly split for the first two acts between the present day investigation by Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris), trying to track down the source of the mythical Ozunu Clan, responsible for multiple high-profile assassinations for centuries, and that of Raizo (Rain), our hero. As Raizo's path hurtles towards Mika's, we learn, piecewise through flashbacks, just what the Ozunu Clan is all about and how Raizo became the man he is. B-movie fans will surely be grinning from ear to ear when they see the head of the Ozunu Clan, Lord Ozunu is the godfather of 80s ninja movies himself, Sho Kosugi. What wasn't expected was how dark in tone these flashbacks were. "Ninja Assassin" is a hard-R film and it's just not for the terabytes of CGI blood spilled. The plot is very light and airy, but one of its strong points is the sympathy viewers gradually acquire for Raizo. He and the other children forced to become ninjas suffered physical abuse and constant browbeating from Lord Ozunu, and when the final act coasts into town, the ensuing Raizo vs. Ozunu Clan showdown is eagerly anticipated.

In the acting department, most parties don't have to do much to be successful. Naomie Harris plays her role a little too earnestly, especially when placed next to the very subdued, Rain. Rain, surprises yet again, with his powerful screen presence, proving his memorable supporting role in "Speed Racer" was no fluke. Sho Kosugi steals almost every scene, despite being stereotypically gruff and eventually, almost comically evil. As expected though, the performances are merely thin, but sturdy thread to advance the film from action sequence to action sequence, all of which deliver the goods.

With the notable exception of one, very darkly shot siege, "Nina Assassin's" set pieces never feel like video game cutscenes, but on the same page, the ninjas definitely come off as physically superior to the modern, special-forces soldiers they face. CGI is used to enhance movements sparingly and wisely in the shadows. The only time where the touch of a computer becomes apparent is when Raizo wields his trademark weapon, the kusarigama (think of a short sickle on a chain). Obviously for the moves he most pull off, physical effects would be impossible, but there are more than a few shots of the blade coming straight at the screen that reveal the limitations of the effects. Impalements deserve some of their own praise, due to a distinct lack of "sword wobble" that I've seen plague other films. What's most important, is save for the previously mentioned right-at-you shots, your eye is going to be drawn towards the actions of the characters.

"Ninja Assassin" isn't a smart movie, but it doesn't try to be. It's a well-paced film that does what it sets out to do: show ninjas fighting ninjas. If there's one thing that keeps it from being the ultimate B-movie, it's the rapid appearance of supernatural powers in the forms of teleportation in the final duel (the use of shadows aren't good enough here) and some magic healing that would make Wolverine nod approvingly. Strangely, the latter is given a more earthly explanation in the form a deleted scene, but alas, the scene remains deleted, and this pivotal plot point will induce eye rolling. "Ninja Assassin" easily takes the role of spiritual successor to the films of Sho Kosugi, who nicely passes the torch to Rain, who I wouldn't mind seeing in another ninja themed movie in the future. Best of all, "Ninja Assassin" is a much more solidly put together movie than both "Ninja" and "GI Joe," despite the latter's extremely solid, but sparse ninja action.

The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer sports some heavy digital noise in the first few minutes of the film. For reasons unknown, this become much less apparent as the film progresses, perhaps due to some minor digital noise reduction that saps a portion of the transfer's detail. Contrast is strong, perhaps too much, when some shadowed action scenes come close to rivaling the darkness of "Alien vs. Predator: Requiem." Color levels are strong and most brilliant during the flashbacks set in the mountain compound. Earth tones feel tranquil and inviting, despite the tense tone of the story being told there. Some very minor edge enhancement shows up as the only other notable defect.

The Audio

The English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track fortunately shows some strong dynamic range, especially when shadows and ninjas are involved. From the opening assassination, to the attempt on Mika's life, all the way to the final one-on-one duel, the surrounds are a major player in setting the atmosphere of the movie. Whispers of ninjas hop from speaker to speaker, in circular patterns as well as diagonal, creating a very disorienting feeling for the characters on screen and the viewer. Dialogue is clearly mixed amidst the action and serviceable score. The low ends show their face in the form of direct physical conflict, gunfire, explosions, and general atmosphere at the mountain fortress. All in all, it's a very solid audio track, nothing groundbreaking, but nothing held back. French and Spanish 5.1 tracks are included as well as English, French, and Spanish subtitles.


The Extras

The only extras are a seven-minute reel of deleted scenes, which a few, honestly should have been left in the final cut. They include a much more logical explanation for the "magic" healing ability of the ninjas, a few extensions to dialogue that explain just how Mika got assigned to tracking the Ozunu clan down, as well as a few more flashback to Raizo's training. Warner, instead saves the behind the scenes stuff for Blu-Ray, yet again.

Final Thoughts

"Ninja Assassin" is a solid addition to the library of any ninja fan. James McTeigue has now solidly established he has a keen eye for stylish action and can have fun with a film at the same time. The movie doesn't rewrite the ninja mythos, it merely takes what works, accentuates its strengths and downplays its weaknesses. While I would have loved a CGI free movie, I know that I wouldn't have gotten the same level of action, without a much higher budget. My only disappointment lies on Warner's nearly barebones DVD and the ham-fisted inclusion of the supernatural at the eleventh hour. Recommended.