American Ninja (1985)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Sam Firstenberg

Writers:

Gideon Amir (story)
Paul De Mielche (writer)

Release Date:

30 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sport

Tagline:

The Orient created the world's deadliest art.Now there's an American master!

Plot:

American soldier, obviously very skilled in martial arts, single-handedly takes on mercenaries in the Philippines.

Plot Keywords:

Martial Arts | Training | Ninja | Ninja Magic | Punched In The Face

Cast

Michael Dudikoff	...	Pvt. Joe Armstrong
Steve James	...	Cpl. Curtis Jackson
Judie Aronson	...	Patricia Hickock
Guich Koock	...	Col. William T. Hickock
John Fujioka	...	Shinyuki
Don Stewart	...	Victor Ortega
John LaMotta	...	MSgt. Rinaldo (as John La Motta)
Tadashi Yamashita	...	Black Star ninja
Phil Brock	...	Pvt. Charley Madison
Tony Carreon	...	Older Colombian
Roi Vinzon	...	Younger Colombian
Manolet Escudero	...	Bodyguard
Gregg Rogero	...	Bodyguard
Berto Spoor	...	Bodyguard
Michael Hackbart	...	Bodyguard

Also Known As:

American Warrior (USA) (trailer title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:18 (re-release) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (original rating) (cut) | Australia:M | USA:R (Certificate #27866) | Finland:K-16 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Philippines

Company:

Cannon Group

Trivia:

Director Sam Firstenberg has stated in an interview that American Ninja (along with Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)) is one of the two favorite films he directed. He says American Ninja "has a special quality of innocent, true friendship, love and youthful idealism."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Joe and Patricia jump from the helicopter and land on the roof, you can see that they are landing on an orange mat.

Quotes:

Ortega: You stay here!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Robbing Peter (2004)

A ninja today, keeps the doctor away.

A new army recruit proves to have Ninja skills which he then uses to fight hi-jackers and ninjas. Nobody seems to be impressed that the soldier saved the equipment and saved the colonel's daughter, just upset he got people killed. However this is because high officials in the army are in on the scam. Also the black-star ninja looks to do in our hero. American Ninja is one of those movies they just don't make anymore. The action sequences are well staged (Although edited poorly) and there are enough cheesy moments to make American Ninja just lovable. For example the part where the black star ninja pushes over a palm tree which then falls near Dudikoff's love interest. Also the climax has so much goofy action and ponderous zen philosophy (I dare anyone not to smile when Dudikoff says "Then he must die!") that the movie is even more fun now than it was in 1985.

* *1/2 out of 4-(Pretty good)