Ninja Assassin

Sometimes a ninja assassin movie is just a ninja assassin movie. This is what this movie aspires to be and it does it very well.

This doesn’t mean it’s one-dimensional by any means. While the story is fairly simple, telling of Raizo’s (Rain) training by his clan, his fall from their ranks and the fight for his life, it’s not merely a frame for a set of fight sequences. The filmmakers actually saw fit to tell this story well. While I felt there was a small drag at the beginning to set the plot up (especially after a gripping opening action sequence), the rest of the movie did a very good job of balancing action with plot. It helped give the characters depth that made the ensuing fight scenes that much more impact.

And the action really delivers. A lot of people behind the Matrix movies were involved in making this movie and that expertise shows here. The fight sequences are as engaging as anything you would expect from the producers of the Matrix movies. These are also enhanced by some very interesting digital work. Raizo’s main weapon is a chain whip dagger and using CG to show the deadly path it forges creates some very cool scenes that would have been impossible to make practically. That along with the copious amounts of blood and gore. The carnage, while plentiful, doesn’t feel gratuitous. It serves to show things like the deadly effectiveness of the ninja and the brutal nature of clan training.

Rain, known more as a singer/entertainer in South Korea, does a great job in this movie, bringing not only his physical training to the role, but also some good acting chops showing the pain and discipline this character has gone through. Also performing well in this is Naomie Harris (also known for her role as Tia Dalma in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) as government agent Mika whose investigations into ninjas get her involved.

This was fun to see in the theater and is definitely worth a purchase once it’s released to the home market. A very good action film that does just what it does and does it very well.