Plenty of white stuntmen in colorful ninja uniforms get pulverized in this fourth film in the "American Ninja" franchise, THE ANNIHILATION. Michael Dudikoff returns to the franchise after skipping out in the previous entry, but David Bradley(..who was the star of "American Ninja III:Blood Hunt")also comes back providing fans of the series with two heroes to root for as they attempt to free captured Delta Force soldiers, held for ransom in the fortress of a mad sheik and sadistic colonel who plan to send a missile into New York. Sean Davidson(Bradley)and his partner, Brackston(Dwayne Alexandre), a linguist, are assigned the task of infiltrating the fortress of a cruel former British soldier Mulgrew(James Booth) and evil Arab dictator ally, featuring an army of training Ninja who obey the sheik's every command. The Arab dictator is always ranting and raving about Allah which drives Mulgrew bonkers, but that's what you put up with if you wish to be a fiendish global terrorist. Soon Sean and Brackston are temporarily rescued by a kind Peace Corps worker, Sarah(Robin Stille)who uses her morgue as a hiding place. Soon, though, despite Sean's impressive skills, the trio are taken into custody and held in a chamber, their executions, along with the remaining Delta Firce soldiers, are planned for the next day. Former agent, Joe Armstrong(Dudikoff)is called upon to rescue them all, despite the fact that he retired from duty to pursue a more peaceful lifestyle alternatively different than his days as a ninja killer. But, understanding that his best friend Sean was also kidnapped, he agrees to take the job, going into hostile territory to engage the enemy, in an attempt to subdue his foes and help his people break free from certain doom. He'll need help in this group of Mad Max rejects, desert dwellers who have formed a commune under their charismatic leader, Dr. Tamba(Ken Gampu). With Tamba's people raiding the fortress and combating the evil ninja army, Joe will use an old ammunition tunnel(..supposedly dynamited)as a method into the place.
Ludicrous action flick, easily the worst of the series. Dudikoff looks like he'd rather be elsewhere instead of in this movie. He doesn't even show up until like 50 minutes into the film;it was Bradley's show until then. The story is as ridiculous as you could possibly imagine and there are mountainous plot holes. As you often notice in movies like this, instead of killing such a threat as Bradley when you have him at your mercy, the villains allow him to live...even twenty-four hours before an execution has one scratching your head because why would such loathsome people allow him to live even minutes? Ninjas shout when they are shot, and as always in these movies, before a villain swings a weapon at our heroes he has to make a loud noise letting the opposition know he's behind him. Gosh, is Steve James' missing presence a liability..even if the plot is crap, he adds a good deal of pop to the proceedings. Robin Stille is lovely and sweet as a constant source of abuse at the hands of Mulgrew. Booth is perfectly fiendish and despicable as Mulgrew, building a bastard you can't wait to see beaten to the inch of his life. My favorite sequence, as completely silly as it is, has Joe catching an arrow in his teeth, stabbing it in the neck of a ninja! Bradley does get a chance to show of his flexible skills, but this turns into the Dudikoff show once he's imprisoned. I personally like Bradley, although his skills as an actor are limited, he has a likability to him. He's certainly more animated than Dudikoff who seems to be on life-support. The Mad Max group who assist Dudikoff are laughable and seem really out of place in this movie. It's quite clear throughout that Dudikoff's stunt double had a great deal of work in this film.
Ludicrous action flick, easily the worst of the series. Dudikoff looks like he'd rather be elsewhere instead of in this movie. He doesn't even show up until like 50 minutes into the film;it was Bradley's show until then. The story is as ridiculous as you could possibly imagine and there are mountainous plot holes. As you often notice in movies like this, instead of killing such a threat as Bradley when you have him at your mercy, the villains allow him to live...even twenty-four hours before an execution has one scratching your head because why would such loathsome people allow him to live even minutes? Ninjas shout when they are shot, and as always in these movies, before a villain swings a weapon at our heroes he has to make a loud noise letting the opposition know he's behind him. Gosh, is Steve James' missing presence a liability..even if the plot is crap, he adds a good deal of pop to the proceedings. Robin Stille is lovely and sweet as a constant source of abuse at the hands of Mulgrew. Booth is perfectly fiendish and despicable as Mulgrew, building a bastard you can't wait to see beaten to the inch of his life. My favorite sequence, as completely silly as it is, has Joe catching an arrow in his teeth, stabbing it in the neck of a ninja! Bradley does get a chance to show of his flexible skills, but this turns into the Dudikoff show once he's imprisoned. I personally like Bradley, although his skills as an actor are limited, he has a likability to him. He's certainly more animated than Dudikoff who seems to be on life-support. The Mad Max group who assist Dudikoff are laughable and seem really out of place in this movie. It's quite clear throughout that Dudikoff's stunt double had a great deal of work in this film.