Movie Review: 9 Deaths of the Ninja

9 Deaths of the Ninja a.k.a Nine Deaths of the Ninja a.k.a Deadly Warrior a.k.a American Ninja 

Crown International Pictures, USA, Philippines, 1985. 

1. Ninjas are agile and move at night & cats are agile and move at night. => Ninjas are cats.
2. Cats have nine lives => Cats die nine times.
Conclusion: Ninjas die nine times... Nine Deaths of the Ninja! 

Somewhere in the desert two American ninjas destroy a terrorist outpost. But it was just a drill to demonstrate DART teams strength. DART team are Spike Shinobi (Shô Kosugi), Steve Gordon (Brent Huff) and communications officer Jennifer Barnes (Emilia Lesniak). 

Spike Shinobi

Steve Gordon and Jennifer Barnes

In Philippines terrorists butch Honey Hump (Regina Richardson), questionable surgeon Dr. Wolf (Bruce Fanger) and nazi Alby 'The Cruel' Brant (Blackie Dammett)  kidnap bus full of tourists. Their intention is to free their always happy leader Mohammed Rahji (Sonny Erang) and drive away anti-drug operatives. Albert is like parody version of Dr. Strangelove. 

Alby 'The Cruel' Brant

Honey Hump

Mohammed Rahji

DART team investigates who leaked list of DEA agents to the terrorists. While investigating clues they meet midget assassins. Wut? Also one thug falls about 9 feet and dies. I guess he wasn't a cat. Meanwhile the terrorists have a polka party (!)

Kung fu midgets

Polka party!

Jennifer Barnes and Major Quirino (Vic Ordonez)

This a weird ninja film. Opening titles are a mix of James Bond- style titles mixed with martial arts film opening where a ninja practises his skills. Kosugi does the ninja stuff, fighting against some randomly appearing ninjas while Huff does the shooting. The characters and events are too absurd to this be taken as a serious action film. Impossible to know if this was supposed to be an action comedy imitating Roger Moore's Bond-films or did the absurdity just make it more comical than intended. On second thought they can not have been serious. Well it does not really matter. With bad acting, silly villains, wacky disguises and ninja gadgets this is hysterically entertaining bad film.

Also Shô Kosugi's sons Kane & Shane offer some backup to the heroes.

Shane & Kane Kosugi

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#8. Movie that has a cover you can use as a mask or "movieface")

Rating: So bad it is good

Starring: Shô Kosugi, Brent Huff, Emilia Crow (as Emilia Lesniak), Blackie Dammett, Regina Richardson, Vijay Amritraj, Lisa Friedman, Kane Kosugi, Shane Kosugi, Bruce Fanger, Sonny Erang, Aiko Cownden, Jennifer Crumrine, Helen McNeely, Protacio Dee, Judy Wilson, Joji Nagai, Ken Watanabe, Vic Ordonez, Lea Navarro, Ric Segreto, Ron Milhench, Jacques Gervais, Warren McLean, Susan Meyer, Sam Lombardo, Nancy Keaton, James Crumrine, Emebet Aigaz, Des Ayallew, Cynthia Villa-Abrille, Henry Strzalkowski, Ann Milhench, Chantal Manz, Marina Miatke, Allen Beatson, Mike Alejandrino, Timoteo Bismark, Kess Burias, Carissa Carlos, Imelda Dominguez, Gina Valenciano, Mabeth Webb, Lani Fernando, David Brass, John Ladalski, Louie Senn 

Director: Emmett Alston