Revenge of the Ninja (1983)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Sam Firstenberg

Writer:

James R. Silke (writer)

Release Date:

16 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

400 years of training in the art of sudden death... unleashed on 20th century America.

Plot:

After his family is killed in Japan by ninjas, Cho and his son Kane come to America to start a new life...

Plot Keywords:

Doll | Ninja | Japan | Heroin | Murder Of Family

Cast

Shô Kosugi	...	Cho Osaki
Keith Vitali	...	Dave Hatcher
Virgil Frye	...	Lieutenant Dire
Arthur Roberts	...	Braden
Mario Gallo	...	Chifano
Grace Oshita	...	Grandmother
Ashley Ferrare	...	Cathy
Kane Kosugi	...	Kane Osaki
John LaMotta	...	Joe (as John La Motta)
Mel Hampton	...	Detective Rios
Oscar Rowland	...	One Eyed Informant
Professor Toru Tanaka	...	Sumo Servant (as Prof. Toru Tanaka)
Don Shanks	...	Chief
Joe Pagliuso	...	Alberto
Ladd Anderson	...	Thief #1

Also Known As:

Ninja II
Way of the Ninja (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (1983) (1984) (1988) | Australia:R | France:-12 | Norway:(Banned) (1985-2001) | Norway:18 (re-rating) (2001) | UK:18 (heavily cut) | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Company:

Cannon Films

Trivia:

Despite being the second entry in the Ninja trilogy, this film has nothing to do with the original film Enter the Ninja (1981) besides the fact it stars 'Sho Kosugi' (but playing a different character).

Goofs:

Continuity: Before the badminton court fight at the end, Cho is already cut up before the fight starts. He suffered no injuries in the building.

Quotes:

Cathy: [after betraying Braden, Cathy wakes up to find herself tied up in a hot tub of boiling water]
[shouts]
Cathy: What are you doin to me?
Braden: [shakes his head with dismay] Cathy, you're a disappointment and my trust in you is gone. You've shown too much compassion.
Cathy: [sees Kane tied up in the sauna room and gasps when she remembers that she was hypnotized into kidnapping him]
[shouts]
Cathy: Oh, my God! What have I done?
[looks at Braden with hate in her eyes]
Cathy: [shouts] What do you want with him?
Braden: He saw me, Cathy, so now he and his father must die.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Followed by Ninja III: The Domination (1984)

Revenge of the 80's: Sho Kosugi's Cannon films!

Revenge of the Ninja (1983) was the second film in the "Ninja" series. This time Sho Kosugi is the good guy (ya!) and the Caucasians are the evil villains (Ya-ya!) Sho tangles with the mob over the usual scheme (drugs what else). The mob don't take too kindly to Japanese people but they picked the wrong guy to tangle with. Sho goes into action when his family's endangered. Using his skills in the ways of a ninja, Sho grabs his sword and stars and lays waste to the local mafia.

A better film than the first one. Although Sho Kosugi acts with all the emotion of a wooden Indian, he's one bad dude and is very credible as a hero. A fun action film filled with enough cheese and sleaze to entertaining fans of this genre. Followed by the weird and strange Ninja III: The Domination starring a very hot Lucinda Dickey!!

Recommended for Sho Kosugi fans and Cannon Film buffs. A film company that's sadly missed.

B+