Ninja: Shadow of a Tear

An even more spectacularly silly screenplay than that ofits predecessor (which is really saying something) and itsdedication to all of the compliant Thai flicks makes the second Ninja an extremely unbalanced, yetthat much more entertaining spectacle. Classic American ninja movies, bestowed on us by the Cannon Films factory of trashy dreams, offered a unique combination of straightforward clichés, ridiculously recombinant mythology and a tremendous portion of boyish naïveté, and the series from Adkins and Florentine build precisely on that mix. In the second instalment, the filmmakers, following the joint lesson in effectiveness from Undisputed 3, gave up on shooting in studio exteriors and CGI finishers evoking The Room and instead focused on the flawless depiction of fights and action sequences. The primary strength of the sequel lies in the amazing symbiosis of Adkins, the choreography and the camera work, to the point where one wishes the film had an even more basal screenplay, because every minute in which some ninja intrigues are being addressed only delays the arrival of another wonderfully conceived action sequence. (05/18/2020)

Scott Adkins returns in the sequel to Ninja, and right from the start, I have to admit that he's more believable in his role now, and I can tolerate him as an American in Japan quite well. Every time he draws his weapon and swings it, it makes a sound like it's slicing through the air, but it has the right effect. It's a shame that other clichés are confirmed as well, although sometimes even two attackers go after the main hero. Scott Adkins is slowly gaining my favor, but he hasn't won me over completely yet. But the fact is, he was helped a lot here by the fact that Japan is just magical. I have to say, I quite liked the story revolving around revenge. (02/07/2014)