Enter the Ninja (1981)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The film begins with a very impressive display of weaponry skills by none other than Sho Kosugi in full Ninja uniform, including sai, shinobi-gatana, tonfa, nunchaku, manriki {bola}, blowgun, shiroken, bow & arrow, and spear-staff. Blend into white ninja {color indicative of novice/apprentice} amidst the wilderness undergoing his final "law of the jungle" test until recognized as full Ninja calibre; he is attacked by several red ninjas on his way back to the dojo, expertly defending himself until facing the Shidoshi himself, shockingly beheading him before entering in for judgment."Enter The Ninja" was released during the latter part of the martial arts pop-fascination of the 70's and early 80's, and distinguished itself by presenting Ninpo principles such as the afore-mentioned Kuji-Kiri, indigenous weaponry and some techniques, all under the expert supervision of Sho Kosugi, an actual Ninpo practitioner, who along with Frank Dux, earned some ire from traditionalists in the old country, but did manage to add an enhanced perspective on this enigmatic historical character known as Ninja. Although, the film is long in the tooth and features way too much plot, but the film does deliver a decent amount of butt-kicking and several cheesy moments that will get giggles of joy from bad movie fans. The last half is far more interesting than the first; the action scenes are competently done, though it's obvious Golan was not the action director Firstenberg was.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

ENTER THE NINJA is a film that has a lot to answer for. It remains the most popular ninja film of the '80s as well as being one of the first western films to tackle the subject (preceded only by THE OCTAGON, with Chuck Norris) and therefore is responsible in part for all the hundreds of no-budget ninja films that followed in its wake, usually made by the dreaded Gordon Ho/Joseph Lai/Tomas Tang tag team and starring Richard Harrison - who come to think of it was made to look a lot like Franco Nero in this film, right down to the age and bushy moustache, and who also happened to be a big star in Italy since the '60s. However, ENTER THE NINJA is a lot slicker and bigger-budgeted than the cheap rip-offs that followed in its wake and more a straightforward thriller, with no fantastic flying or special moves silliness that later plagued the genre. Imagine the endless Chuck Norris films that Golan and Globus forever churned out during the '80s, replace Chuck with a ninja but keep the same basic plot, and you have this film.The plot isn't much, bear in mind. It revolves around that old "rich and corrupt businessman tries to buy land from family who won't sell" cliché which in turn became even more clichéd during the '80s and '90s, a plot recycled over and over again ad infinitum. One change here is that the location is the sweaty Philippines, Manilla to be precise, where the film got an exotic foreign-made look but was still relatively cheap to produce, especially as Golan got to hire lots of cheap crew and cast members for minor jobs. The film begins with Franco Nero - dressed up as a white ninja - easily dispatching a gang of red and black ninjas in a huge fight in the woods. He wins, and goes to meet an old Vietnam buddy in the Philippines.Said buddy has now turned into a hopeless drunk, who is powerless against the thugs that an evil corporate man (Christopher George) sends out to beat him over regularly when he refuses to sell his land. Farm workers are terrorised and move away and there's a nasty sleaze ball with a hook for a hand and hired muscle to help him out. Of course it's not long before Franco Nero enters the run-down bars and beats up loads of bad guys in easy non-ninja martial arts action. Of course, Nero was never a martial arts hero, but as all of his opponents are weedy Filipino guys with no training, he looks good as he kicks and pummels them to the ground. Things gradually escalate with more and more hired bad guys being killed and beaten before the sneaky Christopher George sends his henchman to Japan to hire a rival ninja to beat Nero.The man is Sho Kosugi, a huge Japanese star of the 1980s, who starred in a further two sequels to this film - as the good guy no less - and lots of other martial arts films during the period. Things culminate in a final battle in an arena between Nero and Kosugi which is well-choreographed throughout. Like most films from Cannon, the production values are just about passable with able camera-work and soundtrack. Nero is noticeably dubbed into becoming yet another American hero but other than that, nothing rings false.The cast is a good one, with the slimy villains headed by Christopher George as the overacting baddie for a change, making a good job of it. The hook-handed guy is the butt of some cruel humour as he gets his arm torn off and repeatedly humiliated. Nero is experienced and deals well with his heroic leading part, and his martial arts stuff requires him to wear a face mask so the change to stunt double is natural and mostly unnoticeable. Sho Kogusi is excellent as the evil but still honourable ninja, even if he occupies minimal screen time, whilst Susan George just stands around being sexy and sassy in equal measures, and unsurprisingly ends up in bed with our moustachioed hero. Although no classic, ENTER THE NINJA is a fun, pretty violent martial arts outing with a fast pacing and plenty of action and cheesy comedy to counter the bone-breaking acts of violence.

Enter The Ninja came out on the now famous Cannon label. It was the start of Cannon's legendary action movies and also Enter The Ninja is the godfather of the American ninja flicks. It started the craziness of ninja flicks in the eighties. So it took me exactly 30 years to discover this flick due that I'm collecting VHS and came across many Cannon flicks. This one is luckily available on DVD but so many Cannon's aren't. Don't expect to have a real gem hear. The actors weren't that good and it's more about the fighting scene's that you watch it. The effects used were the real stuff, CGI wasn't available back then for a flick that only costs a million and half dollars to make. But it is a classic and also a Franco Nero classic. Many do find the fight scene's laughable and stupid but again, this was made by a label known for low budget flicks, exploitation and horror (Lifeforce "Tobe Hooper" was their first outcome). Just watch it for fun.

This is one of those movies that is so bad it is awesome!!! It has everything an early eighties movie needs: Flared pants, Big Moustaches, Chicks with Farrah Hair, and most importantly, NINJAS!!!! I have a few choice moments to recant for you. Cole's army buddy has a strange monkey-like face and always seems to speak without moving his jaw. He gets his ass handed to him about every other scene by the thugs wanting his land so he gets drunk through the entire film. At one point his farm workers finally return after being run off by the gangster guy's hired goons and Frank, I think his name is Frank, is so moved he shouts to the whole group "Lets Have A Cock Fight!!" and they all gleefully move to the cock fighting area of the farm to begin the festivities. This is funny on every level possible. Whether you take it dirty or literally it still warms my heart. Another funny thing is Sho Kosugi's little grunts and over animated ninja style movements. I remember this dude from when I was a kid and he used to say he was the world's only real ninja (he had ads in martial arts magazines) if I remember correctly. My friends and I were a little ninja crazy during the time this movie came out and I can recall seeing it in the local theater many times. I was wondering as I watched this on Starz last night why every sleazy American gangster type always has a stronghold in the Phillipines and wears a white Steve Martin suit. As a matter of fact this guy goes way beyond that in requiring all of his thugs to wear white Steve Martin suits. There is a scene where it looks like 20 Steve Martin impersonators are attacking a 1970's Sears underwear model (Cole). As we wind up for the final battle Cole very clumsily breaks into the bad guy's headquarters and is immediately spotted by a secretary who in turn alerts a guard who fires off a round from his pump action shotgun not 30 feet from the bad guys and no one seems to notice or care. Cole, Wearing a completely white ninja outfit, proceeds to sneakily ascend a staircase then does a flip right into the area where all the bad guys are. The second in charge tells him he didn't need to kill everybody as they were expecting him, then gives him a ride to the bad guys huge Cock Fighting arena. Don't ask me why Cock Fighting is a huge part of this movie but it is. When they arrive Cole is still wearing his ninja mask even though everyone involved knows what he looks like without it. The final battle is approaching as Cole has killed everybody and now Sho, as I like to call him, reveals himself to have kidnapped Cole's lady aka Frank's wife, and they meet in the snazziest cockfighting arena you ever saw. Sho then, very politely I might add, releases said lady and the battle is about to start. They do their bowing and start circling each other, both masked by the way. When they join in battle it appears Cole becomes someone else intermittently ala "Finishing The Game" a funny spoof on completing Bruce Lee's "Game of Death". Cole eventually comes out on top, Kills Sho, who dies with honor by being decapitated and all is well. Next we see Cole, after ruining everyone's life is about to split town again but not before foreshadowing the brutal death of a fat guy with a hook hand and then he inexplicably winks at the camera, freeze frame, credits, done.