American Ninja

R

Released Aug 30, 1985

1 hr. 35 min.

Adventure

Action

Romance

List

0%

9 Reviews

Tomatometer

47%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A GI (Michael Dudikoff) rescues a colonel's daughter (Judie Aronson) and fights an arms dealer's ninjas in the Philippines.

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Kevin T

So much cheese it's good.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/10/24

Full Review

Mela F

Great 80's movie. Good action movie that I don't get tired of watching.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/28/24

Full Review

William D

I love this movie. It is one of my favorite 80's B movies. If you are a fan of B movies you should watch this.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/07/23

Full Review

Andrej D

This film is a cherished memory from my childhood, and I must admit that my rating is influenced by a sense of nostalgia. Nonetheless, there is an undeniable charm in the movie that reminds me of simpler times. The combination of a tropical setting, popcorn storytelling, martial arts, cheesy music, and prominent sound effects made this a captivating watch for my younger self. The straightforward narrative closely resembles the plot of the 90s SEGA video game 'Die Hard Arcade' - 'Save the president's daughter' - only here, the president is replaced by a colonial figure, and there is a twist that prompts the protagonist, 'Joe,' to go AWOL and embark on a killing spree. The action is nothing short of awesome and the set pieces are great. Joe's character is quiet, to the point where I struggle to recall him uttering more than a few words. However what he lacked in the communication department was more than made up for in the kick ass department. The classic 'save the girl' storyline, exotic locations, relentless bulldozer execution, and recognisable stereotypes come together like a finely blended £5 wine to create an entertaining adventure that demands minimal thought. Although it is unmistakably a product of its era, it shares a treasured spot in my heart alongside iconic films like 'Bloodsport,' 'Weird Science,' and 'Flight of the Navigator.' Going against the general consensus here, I'd go as far as to say this is an all time classic!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/08/23

Full Review

Paw P

This is one of my favourite martial arts movies. Excellent fighting chorography.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/15/23

Full Review

Dappa D

Should be a cultural touchstone but is as actually absolute dog-water

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/30/23

Full Review

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Sam Firstenberg

Director

Michael Dudikoff

Pvt. Joe T. Armstrong

Steve James

Cpl. Curtis Jackson

Judie Aronson

Patricia Hickock

Guich Koock

Col. William T. Hickock

John Fujioka

Shinyuki

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James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

it has persisted because it so perfectly encapsulates in a single film the beloved cheesiness of a bygone era, when low-budget action fare still had a theatrical presence and ninjas still had an air of mystery

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 2, 2023

Full Review

Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Hilarious, if true, that Chuck Norris balked at what amounts to maybe 10 minutes of director Sam Firstenberg’s 1985 film — C-grade Cannon fodder if there ever was, which is saying something.

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 30, 2023

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...the arms-length atmosphere [is] compounded by seriously low-rent visuals and Dudikoff's wooden (and far from athletic) turn as the bland central character.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 27, 2020

Full Review

Tom Long

Santa Cruz Sentinel

American Ninja was still a compltely awful movie. But educational in its own awful way. Now when I see my next ninja movie I'll have something to compare it to.

Jan 30, 2019

Full Review

Michael Szymanski

Zap2it.com

Rated: 0/5

Sep 23, 2005

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Sep 4, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

A GI (Michael Dudikoff) rescues a colonel's daughter (Judie Aronson) and fights an arms dealer's ninjas in the Philippines.

Director: Sam Firstenberg
Screenwriter: Paul De Mielche
Production Co: Cannon Group, Golan-Globus Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Adventure, Action, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 30, 1985, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $9.7M

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