Follow @screenit

"NINJA ASSASSIN" (2009) (Rain, Naomi Harris) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Extreme Extreme Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Extreme Mild Extreme Heavy Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild Mild Mild Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Action: As a Europol agent investigates the connection between a clan of ninjas and political assassinations, one of those disgraced warriors tries to protect her from the rest while dealing with his former rival and their master who want him dead. PLOT: Mika Coretti (NAOMI HARRIS) is a Europol agent in Berlin who believes she's found a link between various political assassinations and a clan of ninjas led by Lord Ozuno (SHO KOSUGI). Her boss, Ryan Maslow (BEN MILES), doesn't immediately believe the connection, mainly because it sounds decidedly old-fashioned. One person outside the clan, however, knows it's certainly true, and that's Raizo (RAIN), a former ninja trained by Lord Ozuno from the time he was a young orphan forced into such training. Once one of the clan's most promising if abused pupils, Raizo broke free when his master had fellow student Kiriko (ANNA SAWAI) killed for not following orders. Now Lord Ozuno and his followers, including Raizo's former rival, Takeshi (RICK YUNE), not only want him dead, but also Mika before her investigation reveals their secret operation. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're into martial arts and/or graphically violent action films, they might be interested. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: RAIN plays a highly trained ninja who broke free from the clan -- and thus put a price on his own head -- following Kirko's murder. With his assassination ways behind him, he must now avoid and battle other ninjas who are after him, while also trying to protect Mika from the same. NAOMI HARRIS plays a forensic researcher for Europol who wants to prove that ninjas are being used to assassinate political figures. She uses strong profanity and briefly smokes. BEN MILES plays her boss who initially doesn't believe her allegations, but then does once their lives are in danger. He uses strong profanity and briefly smokes. RICK YUNE plays Raizo's long-time rival, a deadly assassin whose goal is to kill both Raizo and Mika. SHO KOSUGI plays the master of the clan that kidnaps orphans and other kids, and isn't pleased when any of them disobey his strict and physically demanding rules and training. ANNA SAWAI plays Raizo's former fellow clan pupil whose disobedience led to her death. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated martial arts action film. Profanity consists of at least 13 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some shirtless men are seen in various scenes, a clothed woman fawns over a clothed man, and a woman is seen in the shower (head and shoulders only). Violence consists of all sorts of martial arts fighting, dismemberment, gunfire, beatings and such. Much of that has extremely bloody and gory results, and those scenes and moments of peril might be unsettling and/or suspenseful for the very young and/or squeamish. All sorts of potentially imitative behavior is present, as are all sorts of bad attitudes. There's a little bit of drinking and smoking, and some brief tense family material. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from fire flicker, and later from lightning during two thunderstorms as well as muzzle flashes from machine guns being fired. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there are varying amounts of camera movement during various martial arts battle scenes. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We briefly see miscellaneous drinking. We see liquor in a limo. BLOOD/GORE We see an older man digging into a gangster's back with a small device, presumably to create some sort of scar-based image, and that has bloody results. We see a bad looking scar on an older man's chest. A barely seen ninja attacks a group of gangsters, starting by cutting one's head in half (in a very graphic fashion). The others wildly open fire (handguns, machine guns, at least one shotgun) trying to hit the attacker, but miss. A chain then yanks another gangster up into the air and bloody body parts then fall to the floor, another is cut in half, a man's legs are cut off, and throwing stars hit and kill at least two more. The leader's hands are then cut off, followed by his head, all with extremely bloody results, including on an older man witnessing all of that. He's then killed, and his blood splatters onto the screen to create the film's title. A woman who asks for Raizo's help in folding a sheet at the Laundromat turns out to be an assassin who repeatedly tries to stab him with a knife. When the manager comes out to check on the ruckus, he hears thumping coming from a drier and then sees something bloody moving around inside there, followed by blood running out from the opening (all from Raizo having killed that woman and put her body in the dryer -- none of which is seen). In a flashback, Lord Ozuno slices his own palm (with bloody results) while talking about pain, with that wound magically and instantly healing. Young Raizo has blood on his face and hands while lying on the floor after having been beaten in training by Takeshi (not seen). Takeshi has many scars all over his body (presumably from Lord Ozuno inflicting wounds on him in the past as part of training). Lord Ozuno repeatedly whacks young Raizo on the feet, cutting him there. We then see him leaving bloody footprints while walking, and later see a close-up of those bad wounds on the bottom of his feet. We see a flashback to young Raizo and Takeshi sparring with poles, including some kicking backwards of the other. Takeshi then whacks Raizo repeatedly on the head, bloodying him. We see more flashback footage of the boys sparring, including one pummeling the other, with bloody results. We see that Kiriko has knocked a sparring opponent to the ground (both are bloody) and Lord Ozuno wants her to use a knife on that person, but she refuses. In turn, Lord Ozuno slices her across half her face with that, leaving a deep and bloody gash. There are some bloody results as Raizo fights another ninja, including some left on the wall. Mika slowly makes her way through her apartment at night when the power is off. Just then, a ninja tries to attack her, but Raizo intervenes and the two ninjas fight. During that, Mika wildly fires a handgun in their direction, with one kicking her back. The fight continues, with various blows delivered and blocked, while one is flipped down through a desk. Raizo then delivers a blow (with bloody results), and another to the head, killing the other ninja (with additional bloody results). Kiriko is bloody while tied to a post. We see a man's urine stream. We see a flashback to Raizo being sent on his first kill mission, and that involves a bear of a man who Raizo stabs in the neck (with bloody spurting out). The man isn't fazed and slices him back, followed by fighting where the man doesn't seem terribly affected by being stabbed in the torso, legs and arms (including with a knife through his upper arm). During this, the big man slams Raizo through various urinal dividers along the wall, while Raizo finally gets the upper hand and repeatedly smashes the man's face down onto a toilet (all of that has very bloody results, on both them as well as throughout the public bathroom). Lord Ozuno orders Raizo to kill a young female runaway from the clan. Instead, Raizo uses his chain and blade to sliced Lord Ozuno across the face (leaving a long, deep and bloody gash). Lord Ozuno then orders the other ninjas to kill Raizo and they attack, with both them and him being sliced (with bloody results). Various throwing stars then whiz by and some hit him, eventually causing Raizo to fall a long way from the top of a building, with him landing in a body of water (into which his blood flows). Many people are bloody during and after a ninja vs. armed police battle where most of the casualties are with the latter group. Ninjas infiltrate a secret police facility, with the lights going out and the police slowly walking through the place with their automatic weapons at the ready. The ninjas then attack, resulting in a prolonged battle where many police are sliced, stabbed and such (with very bloody results) while wildly firing their weapons in all directions. During that, Mika hurries to unlock Raizo so that he can not be killed (and fight back), with her succeeding at the last second. Raizo then bashes one ninja to a wall and kills him, and then kills another (with bloody results). Raizo battles many ninjas in a prolonged martial arts battle that has bloody and gory results, including him cutting one in half. Mika shoots up through her car roof and hits an attacking ninja, with bloody results. Raizo is very bloody following a fight with many ninjas, and we see a close-up view of him pulling a throwing star from his bloody torso. We later see him lying in bed shirtless, with many cuts and deep gashes all over his body, and we later see bloodstains in the bed after he's gone. We see Raizo concentrating and thus causing the large and long gash on his belly to start closing. Lord Ozuno has a bad looking, milky eye (from where Raizo sliced him in the past). Lord Ozuno pushes his hand into Raizo, causing him pain (and to spit up some blood), and then does the same later (with similar results). During a prolonged battle between ninjas and police/soldiers, many people are wounded or killed, with very bloody and sometimes gory results. Raizo and Takeshi battle, with the former eventually slicing off some of Takeshi's fingers. That's followed by wrapping his chain around Takeshi's hands and then pulling his blade back toward Takeshi's neck. The blade goes in, blood spurts out, and Takeshi dies. We see bloody footprints from Raizo walking along. Lord Ozuno slices Raizo and then hits and kicks him. We then see a silhouetted view of their sword battle, with blood spraying onto the wall after various swings of the swords. Raizo is very bloody after all of this and Lord Ozuno prepares to deliver a fatal blow, but Mika interrupts by shooting Lord Ozuno somewhere, but he flits away only to then stab her in the chest. Raizo then flits through the room, slicing Lord Ozuno with each quick pass, and then stabs down through his body, killing him (with bloody results). We see a close-up view of Mika's bloody chest wound. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE A thug has a bad attitude toward an older man (including threatening his life) who's giving him a tattoo. We hear that the Ozuno Clan steals children and then trains them to be ninja assassins, and Lord Ozuno treats those children and teens quite harshly, including beating and even killing those who disobey him. Various ninjas, including Takeshi, then carry out his murder for hire work, and they try to kill Raizo and Mika. Maslow makes a joking comment about him giving credence to Mika's theories having nothing to do with the fact that she's the most attractive researcher he's ever worked with. After Lord Ozuno slices her across the face for disobeying his order, we see that Lord Ozuno has her standing upright in a tiny bamboo box as punishment. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" and/or "Blood/Gore" may be unsettling and/or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. We see ninjas flitting through the shadows into Raizo's room, but by the time armed police arrive there, it's too late as Mika states the ninjas took Raizo away. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Machine guns/Shotguns/Rockets/Swords/Knives/Throwing stars/Blade attached to a chain/Other martial arts weapons: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. A gangster, upset with a tattoo artist doing some sort of scar-based art on his back, holds his large handgun under the older man's chin and then at his forehead. We see old surveillance footage of a former Russian soldier holding a handgun after hearing something outside. Maslow gives Mika a handgun for protection. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck you," "What the f*ck /is that supposed to mean/are you doing?" "You got f*cking stupid," "The f*ck is that?" "You old f*ck," "Wanna f*ck with me?" "F*cking unbelievable," "That's some good sh*t," "You're in the deepest sh*t," "Dumb ass," "Are you kidding me?" and "Whack jobs." Various characters have varying sorts of tattoos on various parts of their bodies. The fighting, stunts, martial arts training and such might be enticing for some kids to imitate. In a flashback, Lord Ozuno slices his own palm (with bloody results) while talking about pain, with that wound magically and instantly healing. Raizo balances himself and then does a handstand on an array of many sharp spikes. While blindfolded, Raizo practices by flinging throwing stars into pieces of wood. We see miscellaneous graffiti. JUMP SCENES We see a human head suddenly be cut in half. Maslow surprises Mika by her car. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of action-oriented and heavily dramatic music plays in the film, as do lesser amounts of suspenseful and ominous music. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) We heard what sounded like uses of the "f" and "s" word in a song, but other lyrics in that and other songs couldn't be fully heard and/or understood, thus presenting the possibility of them potentially containing something objectionable. PROFANITY At least 13 "f" words, 8 "s" words (one in German), 2 damns, 1 ass, 3 uses of "Oh God," 2 of "Jesus Christ" and 1 use each of "Christ" and "For Christ's sakes." SEX/NUDITY We see a young woman fawning over a gangster on a sofa (both clothed, she beside him). Raizo is often seen shirtless in various scenes (including as a boy and teen), while other male students of Lord Ozuno are also occasionally seen shirtless. Kiriko briefly kisses Raizo. We briefly see a head and shoulders view of Mika in the shower. SMOKING Mika and Maslow each smoke at least once, as does Raizo (although he does so simply to hide Mika's scent from those after her), while a miscellaneous man smokes a cigar. TENSE FAMILY SCENES A widow talks about her late husband. We hear that Raizo was an orphan. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Maslow makes a joking comment about him giving credence to Mika's theories having nothing to do with the fact that she's the most attractive researcher he's ever worked with. The training concept that one must hate all weakness, especially in oneself. We see Raizo concentrating and thus causing the large and long gash on his belly to start closing. Several characters stating that their hearts are on the opposite than normal sides of their chests. VIOLENCE A gangster, upset with a tattoo artist doing some sort of scar-based art on his back, holds his large handgun under the older man's chin and then at his forehead. A barely seen ninja then attacks a group of gangsters, starting by cutting one's head in half (in a very graphic fashion). The others wildly open fire (handguns, machine guns, at least one shotgun) trying to hit the attacker, but miss. A chain then yanks another gangster up into the air and bloody body parts then fall to the floor, another is cut in half, a man's legs are cut off, and throwing stars hit and kill at least two more. The leader's hands are then cut off, followed by his head, all with extremely bloody results, including on an older man witnessing all of that. He's then killed, and his blood splatters onto the screen to create the film's title. A woman who asks for Raizo's help in folding a sheet at the Laundromat turns out to be an assassin who repeatedly tries to stab him with a knife. When the manager comes out to check on the ruckus, he hears thumping coming from a drier and then sees something bloody moving around inside there, followed by blood running out from the opening (all from Raizo having killed that woman and put her body in the dryer -- none of which is seen). In a flashback, Lord Ozuno slices his own palm (with bloody results) while talking about pain, with that wound magically and instantly healing. Young Raizo has blood on his face and hands while lying on the floor after having been beaten in training by Takeshi (not seen). Lord Ozuno repeatedly whacks young Raizo on the feet, cutting him there. We then see him leaving bloody footprints while walking, and later see a close-up of those bad wounds on the bottom of his feet. We see old surveillance footage (small images) of a former Russian soldier fighting with Raizo. We see a flashback to young Raizo and Takeshi sparring with poles, including some kicking backwards of the other. Takeshi then whacks Raizo repeatedly on the head, bloodying him. To prove that's nothing when it comes to pain, Lord Ozuno seemingly inserts his hand into Raizo's torso (but no hole is left when he pulls his hand back out), leaving the boy writhing in pain. We see more flashback footage of the boys sparring, including one pummeling the other, with bloody results. We see another flashback where Raizo and Takeshi spar, with the former being blindfolded and using a chain with a blade attached to the end of that, while Takeshi has a sword. There's contact during that, including a kick backwards, while Raizo eventually gets his chain around Takeshi's foot and flings him through the air. We see that Kiriko has knocked a sparring opponent to the ground (both are bloody) and Lord Ozuno wants her to use a knife on that person, but she refuses. In turn, Lord Ozuno slices her across half her face with that, leaving a deep and bloody gash. There are some bloody results as Raizo fights another ninja, including some left on the wall. Mika slowly makes her way through her apartment at night when the power is off. Just then, a ninja tries to attack her, but Raizo intervenes and the two ninjas fight. During that, Mika wildly fires a handgun in their direction, with one kicking her back. The fight continues, with various blows delivered and blocked, while one is flipped down through a desk. Raizo then delivers a blow (with bloody results), and another to the head, killing the other ninja (with additional bloody results). We see ninjas chasing after Kiriko in the woods and then dragging her back after she takes a swipe at one. We then see her tied to a post, with Lord Ozuno ordering Takeshi to kill her, so he does by driving a sword back into her (we hear, but don't see the impact). We see a flashback to Raizo being sent on his first kill mission, and that involves a bear of a man who Raizo stabs in the neck (with bloody spurting out). The man isn't fazed and slices him back, followed by fighting where the man doesn't seem terribly affected by being stabbed in the torso, legs and arms (including with a knife through his upper arm). During this, the big man slams Raizo through various urinal dividers along the wall, while Raizo finally gets the upper hand and repeatedly smashes the man's face down onto a toilet (all of that has very bloody results, on both them as well as throughout the public bathroom). Lord Ozuno orders Raizo to kill a young female runaway from the clan. Instead, Raizo uses his chain and blade to sliced Lord Ozuno across the face (leaving a long, deep and bloody gash). Lord Ozuno then orders the other ninjas to kill Raizo and they attack, with both them and him being sliced (with bloody results). Various throwing stars then whiz by and some hit him, eventually causing Raizo to fall a long way from the top of a building, with him landing in a body of water (into which his blood flows). Maslow sets up a trap for Raizo, with the latter being repeatedly zapped and then a snare is placed around his neck. Many people are bloody during and after a ninja vs. armed police battle where most of the casualties are with the latter group. Ninjas infiltrate a secret police facility, with the lights going out and the police slowly walking through the place with their automatic weapons at the ready. The ninjas then attack, resulting in a prolonged battle where many police are sliced, stabbed and such (with very bloody results) while wildly firing their weapons in all directions. During that, Mika hurries to unlock Raizo so that he can fight back, with her succeeding at the last second. Raizo then bashes one ninja to a wall and kills him, and then kills another (with bloody results). Raizo battles many ninjas in a prolonged martial arts battle, first using his chain and attached blade and then a sword to wound and/or kill the assailants. During this, he cuts one in half, while throwing stars are hurled at him. One ninja ends up falling a long way and bounces off scaffolding, while Raizo purposefully jumps into the same to escape from his attackers and he lands hard. The blade of a sword repeatedly slices through Mika's car, nearly hitting her, and she takes off with the attacking ninja on her roof. She then shoots up through that and hits him, with the ninja falling off while she crashes into various things during her escape. Throwing stars impale her car and she crashes hard into another, but keeps going. Raizo jumps and breaks through a large glass window, landing hard on a truck. That's followed by a chase and fight in the middle of traffic, with one vehicle slamming into another. Raizo then ends up fighting Takeshi, with the latter slicing the former's belly before a vehicle hits both of them. Takeshi then prepares to kill Raizo, but Mika slides her car hard into Takeshi, sending him flying. Raizo is bound on the floor and another man kicks him. Lord Ozuno pushes his hand into Raizo, causing him pain (and to spit up some blood), and then does the same (with similar results). The police and/or military raid Lord Ozuno's training hideout, beginning with a large explosion and leading to a prolonged battle. Armed men then shoot many ninjas, although some of the latter, such as Takeshi, manage to kill a number of police/soldiers. A few shoulder-launched rockets are fired and cause explosions, while Raizo battles many ninjas, including severing a limb while stabbing a sword down through another, and then into another's head. Raizo and Takeshi battle, with the former eventually slicing off some of Takeshi's fingers. That's followed by wrapping his chain around Takeshi's hands and then pulling his blade back toward Takeshi's neck. The blade goes in, blood spurts out, and Takeshi dies. Lord Ozuno slices Raizo and then hits and kicks him. We then see a silhouetted view of their sword battle, with blood spraying onto the wall after various swings of the swords. Raizo is very bloody after all of this and Lord Ozuno prepares to deliver a fatal blow, but Mika interrupts by shooting Lord Ozuno somewhere, but he flits away only to then stab her in the chest. Raizo then flits through the room, slicing Lord Ozuno with each quick pass, and then stabs down through his body, killing him (with bloody results). Reviewed November 4, 2009 / Posted November 25, 2009

Other new and recent reviews include:

Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

All Rights Reserved,
©1996-2016 Screen It, Inc.