My Cultural Diet

If you’ve been reading Opus for any length of time, then you know I’m a sucker for ’80s ninja movies. I’m talking The Octagon, Enter the Ninja, Rage of Honor, and now, American Ninja. Released by Cannon Films, who played a key role in kicking off America’s “ninja craze,” I ultimately enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would. Michael Dudikoff plays an American soldier named Joe who has amnesia (because of course he does) as well as some deadly skills, which come in handy when his convoy’s attacked by ninja-backed terrorists. Does this all reveal a bigger ninja conspiracy? Does Joe win over his C.O.‘s bratty daughter? Does he unlock secret ninja skills that help him fight ninjas with laser guns? Does Steve James (The Warriors, The Brother from Another Planet) steal the show when he goes full Rambo in the final act? I think you know the answers to all of these questions, and if they have you thinking that American Ninja sounds like a good time, then you should probably just watch it.

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