William D
This is an okay film not as good as the first but still worth watching.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
12/07/23
Full Review
Stephen A
Genius Meets Absurdity: 'American Ninja 2' - A Martial Arts Odyssey
In the timeless annals of cinema, where the noble craftsmanship of storytelling meets the visceral thrill of martial arts, there exists a gem that teeters precariously between genius and absolute absurdity. Behold, dear cinephiles, the symphony of madness that is "American Ninja 2 - The Confrontation."
Picture this: genetically enhanced ninja clones sprouting like mushrooms in a villain's secret garden. Yes. You heard that right: The scriptwriter seems to have stumbled upon a whimsical idea during a vivid dream and decided, "Oh, what the heck, let's roll with it!" Kudos for bravado, but the plot is as coherent as a jigsaw puzzle missing half its pieces.
However, in a delightful paradox, amidst the ludicrous premise lies a surprising oasis of decent characters and setups. It's almost commendable how the cast manages to navigate this sea of preposterousness with a straight face. One can't help but admire their commitment to the cause, even if it appears to be acing "How to Perform in a Ridiculous Martial Arts Flick 101."
The direction and pacing are standard issues. The camera work is sadly lacking in creative ambition. Sure, the fight scenes muster some adrenaline, but they woefully lack the zest that typically comes from various camera tricks. No shaky-cam chaos, though, so hurray for small mercies!
Let's talk about satisfactory performances. They're there, like the seasoning on an otherwise bland dish - Not Oscar-worthy by any stretch, but hey, it's an '80s martial arts movie! You're not watching "American Ninja" for Shakespearean soliloquies.
Now, the martial arts: They're the delicious bread and butter in Kung-Fu Flicks. But alas, they hover somewhere between "meh" and "could've been better." Choreography and filming squandered an excellent opportunity to shine fiercely, forsaking us with a middle-of-the-road spectacle of feety-cuffs.
Verdict time: "American Ninja 2" represents a movie that demands you surrender your critical faculties at the entrance. The mad movie might tickle your fancy if you're a connoisseur of so-bad-it's-good B-movies or have a penchant for the absurd. Newbies to the martial arts genre? Look to the ever-reliable Jackie Chan for your initiation.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
11/17/23
Full Review
Alain M
American Ninja 2" might not reach the same heights as its predecessor, but it brings its own brand of cheesy, ninja-filled charm. With its ninjas aplenty and the undeniable coolness of Steve James, the film delivers an entertaining watch for fans of the genre. While it might not match the engagement of the original, its watchability remains high, especially for enthusiasts who revel in martial arts action and Steve James' undeniable charisma.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/05/24
Full Review
Audience Member
US Army Rangers, Joe Armstrong (Michael Dudikoff) and Curtis Jackson (Steve James) are sent to a remote Caribbean island to aid the Marine Corps in investigating the disappearance of many of its Marines. The commanding officer, "Wild Bill" Woodward briefs them on the situation: four marines were captured, but he doesn't know who or what they are since terrorism is out of the question. A boy named Toto is the only witness when he saw two soldiers get beat up by a gang and then taken by a group of men in black suits. Both men look at each other, realizing that they have been in this situation before. Upon arriving, Charlie McDonald invites them to go water skiing. Tommy Taylor takes them on their boat to Mangrove Island, but sabotages it by unhooking the motor source. Everyone decides to swim, but Joe becomes suspicious, and wants to stay on shore. Shortly thereafter, he is attacked by ninjas but is rescued by Curtis. Their report back is discarded, nevertheless Woodward gives them a week to investigate...
In a contemporary review, Johanna Steinmetz (Chicago Tribune) stated that the film was a "shameless steal" of the film Dr. No (1962) and Star Wars (1977), such as when "Joe conjures up Shinyuki for a little moral support, much the way Luke Skywalker communed with Obiwan Kenobi". The review praised Sam Firstenberg action scenes, noting that he "lavishes such care on the shooting and editing of fight scenes ("Lethal Weapon's" Richard Donner could learn plenty by watching these)."
"American Ninja 2: The Confrontation" is not even bad-good as "American Ninja" is. This is just BAD in every way. Horrible acting, horrible action sequences, horrible storyline and horrible direction. And Steve James Rambo complex is just extremely horrible. "American Ninja 2: The Confrontation" is just painfully HORRIBLE. No need to ever see.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Director Sam Firstenberg and stars Michael Dudikoff and Steve James — that's as Sergeant Joe Armstrong and Sergeant Curtis Jackson to all of us — are back in the second of five (well, six if you count American Samurai) movies in this series.
Now US Army Rangers, our heroes are helping the Marines, led by Captain Bill "Wild Bill" Woodward (Jeff Weston, who is your trivia answer to what actor could be in an Altman movie — The Player — and a Full Moon film, of which you can choose from Puppet Master II or Demonic Toys). Their ranks have been disappearing thanks to ninjas, so they called in the right soldiers.
They're part of a plan by Leo "The Lion" Burke (Gary Conway from Land of the Giants; he also wrote this movie along with James Booth, who was in Avenging Force) who is creating super ninjas from the research of Alicia Sanborn's father. He has a cool base on Blackbeard Island, his own ninja named Tojo Ken (Mike Stone, forever providing the stunt power behind Cannon's ninja films, as he was the fight coordinator) and could have really made something of himself were it not for our heroes.
I love everything Firstenberg directed. And seeing Steve James elevated from sidekick to equal hero in this made me beyond glad. It's basically a comic book movie made with no budget and all the heart in the world.
87 people die in this movie. Ninja war is hell too.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I really love the American ninja movie
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/16/22
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