American Ninja (1985)

(On Cable TV, December 2022) Not all movies are meant to be good—sometimes, they stick close to genre formula that don’t rise above fan expectations, sometimes they’re hampered by built-in budgetary constraints, sometimes the producers have a very specific (and mercenary) intent that runs orthogonal to quality. And yet, from time to time, the result of those quality-optional film productions is surprisingly enjoyable. American Ninja’s action takes place in the Philippines, where a young American soldier is also (mysteriously) a gifted martial artist, and gets a few reasons to go after the local crime lord and ninja master. The film is ludicrous from beginning to end—the plot is bare-bones simple, the staging is rough, the editing is approximate, and lead actor Michael Dudikoff is not particularly gifted—and even if he was, director Sam Firstenberg wouldn’t let him be subtle. The film is a Globus/Golan production, which means everything to those 1980s movie buffs who can recognize the unmistakable whiff of deliberate cheese in their signature. So, no, American Ninja is not good. But it’s hypnotically compelling as a sub-Rambo martial arts thriller that often falls into camp comedy. The earnest lack of self-irony is almost refreshing—most movies in that segment, made today, would be self-deprecating to the point of distraction. But American Ninja is from a blunter time, when producers could serve this stuff up and still have audiences lap it up. It still works today, albeit differently—but make no mistake, there are a lot of 1980s low-rent action movies almost like American Ninja and very few of them are as entertaining even in their limitations.