Movie Review Ninja Assassin

Ninja Assassin (2009) 

Directed by James McTeigue

Written by J Michael Straczynski 

Starring Rain, Naomi Harris, Rick Yune

Release Date November 25th, 2009

Published November 25th, 2009

Rain is a Korean pop star with a massive worldwide following. His bio says that he has sold out Madison Square Garden and done sold out dates in Las Vegas. In 2007 Rain was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential people in the world. And through all of Rain's accolades I have remained completely oblivious to him.

Now, Rain has what I assume is his first starring role in an American feature film. In Ninja Assassin the back up dancer turned pop star turns action hero as an unstoppable ninja out for revenge against the clan that raised him.

As a very small child Raizo (Rain) was snatched from his birth parents and taken to a remote mountainside dojo. There, he was raised by Ozunu (Sho Kusugi) to become a Ninja Assassin. For the price of 100 pounds of gold the Ninja Assassin will kill anyone and anywhere. It's not long before Raizo shows himself to be Ozunu's top student.

Cut to Berlin where the death of an ex-KGB Agent has caught the eye of an Interpol Agent named Mika (Naomie Harris). Her investigation has lead to one conclusion, he was killed while investigating Ninjas. Naturally, her boss Maslow (Ben Miles) is more than a little skeptical of her findings.

Skepticism soons turns to belief after Mika is nearly killed by Ninjas. She was saved by Raizo who, having escaped from Ozunu's clan, has vowed to destroy his former brothers and his master.

That is a great deal more plot than anyone expected from Ninja Assassin. Don't worry, the blood soaked violence is not shoved aside for a lot of talky story stuff. Flesh is torn and blood and body parts are scattered all over the place. Trust me, if you're looking for gory sword slicing ultra-violence you will be quite satisfied with Ninja Assassin.

Director James McTeigue delivers a visceral, violent low brain, low budget gore fest that brims with hardcore violence and drips fake blood all over the place. All that is missing is digital 3D just so the audience could feel as if the blood splatter were coming right at them.

Is Ninja Assassin a great work of cinema? No, but for low budget blood and guts, Ninja Assassin offers a few thrills as a passable bit of grade Z movie making.

Movie Review: Die Another Day

Die Another Day (2002) 

Directed by Lee Tamahori 

Written by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade 

Starring Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Rick Yune, Judi Dench

Release Date November 22nd, 2002 

Published November 21st, 2002 

I've wondered recently as I awaited the release of the latest in the James Bond series, whether it's the character I like or a perception of the character that I've built in my own mind. I've always thought I liked James Bond, but I don't seek out the films. In fact, I haven't seen any of the Bond movies all the way through since the last one was in theaters. I have my own preconceptions of what Bond should be based on vague memories of movies I haven't seen in years. Maybe that is why Die Another Day is so disappointing, because it doesn't match my memory. It may be quite faithful to the legend as it actually exists but for my notion of James Bond, it doesn't work.

Pierce Brosnan takes on the role of 007 for the 4th time, still in the shadow of Sean Connery and not likely to escape it being that this is likely his last go around with the character. In the opening scenes Bond surfs onto the shores of North Korea and kidnaps a diamond dealer who is on his way to sell diamonds to a corrupt North Korean General. Bond takes the dealer’s place with the intent of killing the General, however his cover is blown during the deal and Bond is captured. 

A flash forward during the credits shows us Bond being tortured for several months ‘til he is freed in a prisoner exchange with South Korea. Under normal circumstances a double 0 agent would be left to die but Bond's bosses fear he may have cracked and before he can give up any important information they trade a most dangerous prisoner, Zao played by The Fast & the Furious star Rick Yune, for Bond.

Now suspected of treachery, Bond must escape his own people and find the people who blew his cover. Along the way, Bond makes the acquaintance of an American operative named Jinx (Halle Berry). The only person who knows who set Bond up is Zao, who Bond tracks to Cuba and finally to Iceland and the part time home of a megalomaniacal diamond broker named Gustav Graves. The connection between Zao and Graves is a good one and typical of the franchise, anyone with a vague understanding of the legend will see through it immediately.

SPOILER ALERT – YOU’VE BEEN WARNED

Indeed throughout Die Another Day, Director Lee Tamohori and screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, tip their hand with a sly wink to the audience. There is not one twist or surprise in Die Another Day save for a terrific cameo by Madonna. If you have seen any of the previous Bond films then you know everything that will happen in Die Another Day, including the agent that turns on Bond, the true identity of Gustav Graves, and where Jinx's loyalty lies. Here is a hint, she is getting her own spin off film so safe to say she isn't the bad guy.

SPOILER ALERT OVER

Director Lee Tamohori is to be commended for the film’s action, which is very well staged. The special effects and stunts in Die Another Day are spectacular. If the only reason your seeing the film is for the action and special effects you will be very pleased. Die Another Day is a well-oiled machine of a movie. Think of it like a perfectly running car engine. It's quite brilliant but do you want to watch an engine run for 2 hours?

Ultimately, Die Another Day has no heart, no soul and no passion. And accuse me if you like of asking too much of a Hollywood popcorn film, I don't care. I need characters and story. Die Another Day has neither. It has paper-thin caricatures going through the motions of special effect and action. And as for Bond, the character is now skating entirely on past glory. That past is quite glorious even in my fuzzy memory but reputation can only carry you so far and Pierce Brosnan, since taking over the role, has brought nothing new to the character. 

In fact, he lacks the qualities that made Bond so glorious before him. Much like his immediate predecessor Timothy Dalton, Brosnan's Bond is wooden and charmless attempting to pass solely on looks and legend. Both Connery and Roger Moore brought unique characteristics to their Bond. Connery's Bond was charming and dangerous and just so cool. Moore's Bond lacked Connery's charisma, but he too was cool and he brought a new humor to the character that wasn't a part of Connery's Bond.

The next in the series is likely to bring a new actor to the role of Bond, and my hope is he can bring something new to the character, but he will need the help of a director with vision and a writer with the wit enough not to fall back on effects and stunts and provide real suspense and, heaven forbid, dialogue. Not too much though, I wouldn't want to take away from the effects too much. Just enough to allow an actor to act.

As a technical feat, Die Another Day is flawless. As a movie, it’s lacking.