Shogun's Ninja (1980) - A Review

 

An underrated ninja/martial arts movie from Japan.

Shogun's Ninja is a martial arts/ninja movie released in Japan in 1980, starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Sonny Chiba, Yuki Ninagawa, Etsuko Shihomi, and Isao Natsuyagi. It was directed by Norifumi Suzuki, with Sonny Chiba directing the action.

Hiroyuki Sanada as Takamaru.

In Shogun's Ninja, Hiroyuki Sanada plays Momochi Takamaru, the heir to the leadership of the Momochi clan (and possibly the leader of a united Japan) who escaped to China after his father was murdered by the Iga clan. Takamaru's mother sends her son away with a dagger (that is passed down to the heir of the Momochi clan), and ends her life so the Iga clan cannot get any information from her. Shiranui Shōgen (played by Sonny Chiba) is in search of the Momochi clan daggers because they have a map to the Momochi clan's hidden cache of gold.

Ten years later, Takamaru comes back to Japan, in search of the man who killed his father. He meets up with his surviving childhood friends, and together they plan to get revenge. The girl who saved his life in China and introduced him to Chinese martial arts, Ai-Lian (played by Etsuko Shihomi) has also arrived in Japan, looking for him. Unbeknownst to Takamaru, his childhood friend Otsu (played by Yuki Ninagawa) survived and is now living as the sister of Hattori Hanzō (played by Isao Natsuyagi). Hattori also wants the daggers. Takamaru has many people on his side, but is it enough to defeat  Shiranui Shōgen and his shogun?

Sonny Chiba as Shiranui Shōgen.

Shogun's Ninja is a Japanese martial arts movie that goes all out in in every way. There is a lot of action, lots of cool scenery, lots of memorable moments, and lots of memorable characters. Hiroyuki Sanada, in his first lead role, plays a great hero. He gets to show his martial arts skills throughout, and even his dancing prowess as well. He is likable, and Takamaru is a hero you can really root for. Sonny Chiba is more of a stoic villain in this movie. He is highly skilled and merciless. There is a scene where his character is torturing Takamaru, and it gets pretty painful (if you are a male, you will especially feel it)! It is always great to see Etsuko Shihomi kicking butt in movies, and she does a lot of that in Shogun's Ninja! She is a strong woman who wants to help Takamaru any way she can.

The plot is kind of basic (finding the twin daggers, which has a map to treasure engraved on them), but it really doesn't need a deep story when it has so much action in it. Takamaru just wants revenge, Shiranui Shōgen wants the daggers, and therefore the treasure and the power. Hattori Hanzō wants the daggers for the treasure, so he sends his sister to steal them. Since Otsu grew up with Takamaru, we are unsure of her motives throughout the movie. It's an interesting scenario. The resolution to everything is pretty fitting, I feel.

I have been looking for this movie for years! It's been decades since I last watched it on late night cable TV (TNT). These are the only things I could clearly remember about the movie: it was called "Ninja's Revenge", there were ninjas who crawled up and down trees like spiders, a female martial arts fighter ripped her pants when fighting some bad guys, the main character looked similar to Jackie Chan, and the main villain was played by Sonny Chiba. I looked everywhere for this movie, but as you can imagine, I wasn't finding anything under the "Ninja's Revenge" title. Finally, I see Shogun's Ninja on the American streaming site Tubi, I read the description, and I take a chance on it. Everything I remembered from back then happened in this movie! What a feeling it is when you find something after years of being unsuccessful looking for it. The only thing I didn't remember was the soundtrack to this movie. It has a very funky, jazzy soundtrack. The music is okay, I guess, but it is surprising for this type of movie! It was better than I remembered, that's for sure!

There is a lot of crazy ninja action in Shogun's Ninja!

There is a lot of action in Shogun's Ninja!  Hiroyuki Sanada gets to strut his stuff throughout the movie. His first fight in the movie is a good display of his hand to hand combat skills. He fights off a group of thugs with ease, and he does some sweet kicks and acrobatics in the process. In later fights, he mainly uses his dagger(s), which he is very proficient at. Sonny Chiba's character is a ruthless fighter, and one of his special moves is forming a human tower with twin fighters. It's very cool to see it in action! Etsuko Shihomi is great in this, and mainly uses nunchakus against her enemies. There are ninja battles high in the trees, with ninjas falling to their deaths. Lots of bloody action as well, with limbs flying and blood spurting. The action is very good in Shogun's Ninja!

If you like ninja action, swordplay, and historical Japanese stories, I think you would enjoy Shogun's Ninja. I think it is a very entertaining and enjoyable movie. This may not be considered one of Sonny Chiba's or Hiroyuki Sanada's best movies, but they are great in it. What a lead role debut for Hiroyuki Sanada in Shogun's Ninja. He really gets to show his physical talents in this, and it is like a preview of the greatness he would later achieve in movies like Ninja In The Dragon's Den (1982) and Royal Warriors (1986). Check out Shogun's Ninja, it's a wild ride!

Reviewed by David Williams

Raging Fire (2021) - A Review

Raging Fire was director Benny Chan's final film. He left us a good one!

Raging Fire is a martial arts/action movie released in China and Hong Kong in 2021, starring Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Ray Lui Leung-Wai, Ben Lam Kwok-Bun, Ken Lo Wai-Kwong, and Yu Kang. It was directed by Benny Chan (in his final film), with action directed by Donnie Yen.

Donnie Yen as Bong Cheung. He always does the right thing.

In Raging Fire, Donnie Yen plays Bong Cheung, an unwavering righteous cop who refuses to deal with the shady parts of being in the Hong Kong police force. After refusing to work with some powerful (and shady) businessmen, Bong and his team are left out of a drug bust, where all of the police officers involved get killed by a crew of masked men. The men who killed these police officers are experts in their field of robbery and assassination. These masked men have a past with Bong Cheung.

Yau Kong-ngo (played by Nicholas Tse) is the leader of these masked thieves, and he has little patience for mistakes. We find out through flashbacks how Yau and Bong know each other, and why Yau and his crew are killing certain people in brutal fashion. Bong and his team have to find out who is killing these people, and stop them before they kill their next victim. As you can imagine, the conflict becomes personal between Bong Cheung and Yau Kong-ngo, and it becomes inevitable that they will have to face each other one last time...

Nicholas Tse as Ngo. He is one cool, calculated, and vicious villain.

Raging Fire is really good! It has great action, complex characters, and an interesting (if a bit basic) story. Donnie Yen plays the stoic, righteous cop who loves his wife. His character is put in tough situations, morally and physically. You really root for his character to overcome the odds that are stacked against him. Nicholas  Tse plays the morally corrupt villain who will do anything to get what he wants. He is cool, calm (for the most part), collected... and also vicious. Through flashbacks we find out how he became this way, which is pretty tragic. He is a ruthless criminal, though, so my empathy for him was limited. You can tell Bong and Yau respect each other, but their difference in morality will keep them at odds. Great performances from Donnie and Nicholas.

One thing I really liked about this movie was the scene where it shows Bong's battered and bruised body after a fight, and his wife's reaction to it, and his response to her reaction. It's something that's not regularly shown in action movies, and it really brings home the consequences of being in a fight. I also liked the flashbacks; they give the backstory of all the characters, and where their motivations come from. I can't believe some reviews complaining about the amount of flashbacks. I had no problem with them (everyone is different, though). Also, there are some parts of this movie that remind me of Jackie Chan's New Police Story (2004), which was also directed by Benny Chan.

The action in Raging Fire is top notch!

Plain and simple: The action in Raging Fire rocks! There are two main fight scenes and one shoot out, and as you can imagine, they are hard-hitting and intense. The first fight scene involves Bong being surrounded and majorly outnumbered! Bong has to fight his way out to safety, and he does not hold back against his numerous opponents. In the shoot out, it's Bong's squad against Yau's crew, and there's bullets and explosions galore. The shoot out is intense, and there aren't many that are left unscathed. The final fight between Bong and Yau is awesome. There are hard-hitting strikes, grappling, and weapons involved. There is even a little callback to SPL (2005) when Bong reveals his weapon of choice. This fight is brutal, actually and worth the price of admission. Really great stuff in this fight. There is more action in Raging Fire, I just highlighted the major scenes.

As you can guess, I highly recommend Raging Fire! It is the epitome of modern Hong Kong action. Interesting plot, complex characters, and incredible action. What more could you want? Benny Chan's last movie is one he can be proud of. Raging Fire also shows how always doing the right thing is actually very difficult. You have to deal with the consequences, and deal with those who prefer to take the easy way out. Nonetheless, Raging Fire is just great entertainment!

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] Ryōseibai (Both Sides Are at Fault) I ゲスの極み乙女。- ロマンスがありあまる

 This week's Fight Scene Friday™ scene is from the Lazy Brown Productions crew! This short film has a who's who in martial arts actors/actresses on the indie film scene! This also has some sweet music as well! As you can imagine, the choreography is excellent, since Emmanuel Manzanares is at the helm. Check it out!

 

Last Resort (2022) - Official Trailer

 Check out the trailer for Last Resort, an action movie starring John Foo! Here is the synopsis:

A former special forces soldier becomes a one-man-army when his wife and daughter are taken hostage during a bank robbery. As he brutally neutralizes the gang of thieves, the lives of millions hang in the balance when a highly lethal toxin is stolen from the vault. The Last Resort is an intense action thriller powered by breathtaking fight choreography.

Jean-Marc Minéo wrote and directed Last Resort, and it stars Foo, Alex Santi, Clayton Norcross, Julaluck Ismalone, and Angelina Ismalone. It comes out in select theaters on January 6, 2023 and comes out on demand on January 10, 2023. This movie looks pretty intriguing, I must admit. I hope the action is as good as it seems to be in the trailer!

 

Arahan (2004) - A Review

 

This Korean comedy kicks butt!

Arahan is a martial arts/fantasy/comedy movie released in South Korea in 2004 and stars Ryoo Seung-bum, Yoon So-yi, Ahn Sung-ki, Jung Doo-hong, Yoon Joo-sang, Kim Ji-young, and Ahn Gil-kang. Arahan was directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, with fight choreography by Jung Doo-hong.

Ryoo Seung-bum as Sang-hwan (in the middle). He is such a dork in this!

In Arahan, Ryoo Seung-bum plays Sang-hwan, a dorky, less than graceful rookie police officer who wants to do the right thing in his job. One day, he chases after a robber escaping on a motorcycle, but gets injured by Wi-jin (played by Yoon So-yi), a skilled martial artist, after she throws an errant Palm Blast at him. She takes Sang-hwan to her house, where her father Ja-woon (played by Ahn Sung-ki), a Tao master and the other masters use acupuncture needles to revive him and release his chi. After he recovers, he immediately shows signs that he could be the person the Tao masters are looking for to be the inspiration for martial artists around the world and become the Maruchi. The Tao masters and Wi-jin begin training him in martial arts.

Meanwhile, an old man is found meditating behind a subway wall. He escapes, and starts taking out the Tao masters who are helping Sang-hwan. This old master, Heug-woon (played by Jung Doo-hong), is looking for the key, which he suspects the Tao masters are hiding. He wants the key to restore order in the world. Sang-hwan and Wi-jin are the only ones who can stand up to him, but they are not on the same page, and Sang-hwan may not even be emotionally or mentally ready for this battle...

Yoon So-yi as Wi-jin (left) and Sang-hwan.They have great, awkward chemistry together.

Arahan is another movie I heard about in the early 2000s, and I always looked for it in my local video store but could never find it. I forgot about it eventually, but I found it on a streaming site recently, and the name came back to me. So, did Arahan live up to the hype? I would say, definitely! This movie is very enjoyable with awesome action. It is mainly a comedy, very similar to Stephen Chow's Shaolin Soccer or Kung Fu Hustle. It also reminded me of the classic 80s Hong Kong martial arts comedies. As you can imagine, I enjoyed the comedy very much (though, comedy is subjective, so you may not find it funny). The comedy is very silly, and I appreciated the references to Power Rangers, My Lucky Stars, and Dragon Ball. Was not expecting those getting shout outs! Though there is a lot of comedy in Arahan, it does get serious towards the end, when our heroes face their biggest challenge. The back story is very interesting and gives a reason for the conflict.

Ryoo Seung-bum is hilarious as Sang-hwan. He plays the well-meaning dork so effectively. Even though he seems weak and useless, he is a good guy. He gets beat up and humiliated for doing his job dealing with a gang. He goes through some harsh training, which he does not seem to be benefiting from (until he does). Sang-hwan is very easy to root for. Yoon So-yi as Wi-jin is great as well. She is a very strong and determined young woman woman, and she is very skilled in the martial arts. She has no time for Sang-hwan's foolishness. She understands the danger the world is in when Heug-woon returns, and is hard on Sang-hwan for not taking it seriously. Sang-hwan and Wi-jin are great in their scenes together. Finally, Jung Doo-hong as Heug-woon is one menacing villain. He doesn't say much, but he doesn't have to when he's defeating the Tao masters like they're nothing. You may feel a little sympathy for his character...but not much.

The action in Arahan is really good!

There are two main fight scenes in Arahan, and they are really good! The first fight scene is when we finally see how good Sang-hwan has become. The fight is fast and hard-hitting. It is very much influenced by the Hong Kong fight scenes of the 80s. Ryoo Seung-bum seems to be an actual martial artist, and he really gets to show his stuff in that fight scene. The end fight is more of an epic battle, with a lot of wire-work and special effects. It's a hard-hitting fight that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Jung Doo-hong is unstoppable in this fight! The other action in this movie are in short little bursts, and in the training sequences. Though there are only two fights, they are worth waiting for.

When I watched Arahan, I did not know what to expect. What I ended up watching was a hilarious martial arts action movie that I recommend to anyone that loves comedy, martial arts, or Asian cinema. Though this movie was released in 2004, it seems very modern. The CGI is actually pretty good, too. The plot is interesting, the comedy is funny, and the action is fun. What's not to like? Check out Arahan, it's a jolly good time!

Reviewed by David Williams

[Fight Scene Friday] Battle Of Brothers (2020) - Shaw Brothers Martial Arts Action Short Film

 This week's Fight Scene Friday™ scene is a tribute to the classic Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest movies of the 70s and 80s. It is a story based on the legendary Wong Fei-hung, and a battle to see who is the best at Hung Ga kung fu. You see a lot of the classic/legendary moves (including a certain kick) Wong Fei-hung is known for in this short film. David Vuong directed, with Andy Trieu and David Vuong starring in it! Check it out! This is really good!

 

HYDRA (2021) - Movie Trailer

 Check out the trailer for HYDRA, an action/crime/thriller film released in Japan in 2021. Here is the synopsis:

After retiring as an assassin, Takashi leads a quiet life as a chef at a sushi bar, where he secretly watches over the daughter of a former associate. His peace is short-lived: soon, he is recruited for a final job that he simply can’t refuse.

HYDRA stars Masanori Mimoto, Miu, Tasuku Nagase, Takaya Aoyagi, and Takashi Nishina; and was directed by Kensuke Sonomura. It is available to watch in America on Digital (streaming), Blu-ray and DVD right now! This looks really good! The action looks like it's going to rock! I have to get this on Blu-Ray!