NINJA ASSASSIN

US, 2009, 99 minutes, Colour.
Rain, Naomie Harris, Ben Miles.
Directed by James Mc Teigue.

A blogger wrote that a lot of the audience walked out of Ninja Assassin during the first fifteen minutes (though one would guess that they went during the first seven) and then remarked, quite rightly, that if they had thought about the title of the film, they would never have walked in. This is definitely a niche film, target audience mostly male, fans of martial arts and action shows of the graphic novel variety. There is not all that much more one can say about it except to admire the skilful direction of James Mc Teigue (the intriguing V for Vendetta and assistant to the Wachowskis on the Matrix films and Speed Racer). Also for admiration is the intricate choreography for the Ninja fights (and one can see why Tarantino admires this kind of thing and includes it as a feature of Kill Bill). It is the editing that should receive high admiration. The pacing, cuts, angles all make for a, to use a cliché, kaleidoscope of ninja action.

The plot is basic: little orphan is abducted to be trained as a ruthless, feelingless, warrior assassin by a master who is the equivalent of a sect leader in his body and mind control and in his vanity in exercise of power as well as the vicious and sadistic punishment meted out for alleged mistakes – he would be quickly arrested these days for gross physical abuse of children. Warrior grows up and, with the execution of the girl who had pity on him as a child, he rebels against the master, goes to Berlin where he teams up with a Europol researcher (Naomie Harris) and there are fights in Berlin as well as in the school where he is taken once again. In the vein of Indiana Jones shooting a sabre wielding opponent, it is clear that guns, especially automatic machine guns are far more deadly than all the Ninja training and lethal expertise

The hero is played by Korean pop star, Rain. Rain trained as a dancer and this is evident in the athleticism and poise of his acrobatic fighting. And, that's it.

1.The target audience? Martial arts, action films, graphic novel readers? Male audience?

2.The title, expectations – fulfilled?

3.The background of ninja legends, the taking of the children, their training, no feelings, skills, martial arts, ability to kill? The master, the training, sadistic treatment of the children? The effect? The stealth of their appearances? Deadly?

4.The opening, Osaka, the Yakuza, the tattoo, the tattooist and his story, the slicing and dicing, the blood? Setting the tone of the film?

5.The school setting, the contrast with Berlin and its apartments, the offices of Europol? The ordinary locations? The places for the fights, in the traffic? The musical score?

6.The direction and flair, the choreography of the fights, editing and pace and the effect?

7.The school, the training, and the sadism of the exercises, the beatings, the abuse of the children, the result?

8.Mika and her investigation, her relationship with her boss and persuading him of the truth of the information, the money accounts and the transfers? The discussions? The files on the assassins, the documents? The murdered diplomat from Russia, the interview with his wife? The visualising of his death?

9.Raizo as an adult, in the laundromat, the clash with the woman?

10.Raizo in himself, as an orphan, child, the training, the torture, his being helped by the little girl, fighting his rival, his growing up? The continued domination of the master? The girl, her escape, her death?

11.Raizo in Berlin, Mika finding him, his mission, change of heart, his desire for freedom?

12.The impact of the ninja fights, the skills, athletic, the various rooms, on the roof, climbing, falls, the traffic?

13.Raizo as human, even superhuman, yet taking the beatings, needing the police to come, Mika shooting?

14.Raizo and his being captured, taken to the school? The master and his taunts, feeling betrayed? The parade before the ninja trainees? The torture? The hand in his abdomen and the excruciating pain, his ability to heal? The inner healing?

15.The homing device, the troops coming, guns versus martial arts?

16.Mika shot, her healing, the place of her heart?

17.Raizo, his future – a sequel?