The Wachowki Brothers, the minds behind "The Matrix" and "V for Vendetta," have brought a creative twist to a familiar tale once again with their newest project "Ninja Assassin." Acting as producers on the film, the Wachowskis ordered an impromptu script rewrite just days before filming began.
This rewrite has produced a marriage of a classic kung-fu plotline and comic book style action sequences. This is not your father's kung-fu.
"Ninja Assassin" is kung-fu for a new generation, and apparently that generation has an insatiable hunger for gore.
From the onset of this ominous flick, one thing becomes overwhelmingly prevalent -- viewers are going to be exposed to ample action and gratuitous violence. Pixilated blood spouts from hacked limbs like geysers in a familiar fashion that is reminiscent of box-office juggernauts "300" and "SinCity." A tactic that is initially shocking, this comic-esque blood spurt becomes desensitizing as the film runs on.
The classic orphan-turned-soldier story provides a recognizable backdrop to a symphony of chaotic fight sequences. A young boy adopted into The Clan of Black Sand learns to face pain and control his emotions. Brainwashed by a ruthless patriarch, the most heartless of the group of abducted children, Raizo, played by Korean pop star Rain, becomes his master's star pupil. An emotionless pawn, Raizo rethinks his merciless outlook on life after a girl named Kiriko shows him how to listen to his heart. As cheesy as this structure may seem, it works quite well for its purposes.
The first half of this film is laden with flashbacks that help to keep this otherwise disjointed plot in motion. Director James McTeigue's ability to rein in the supernatural nature of the typical ninja is refreshing.
Albeit a few uninspired kata montages, "Ninja Assassin" is extremely entertaining. An intricate ballet of violence mixed with a well-known backstory fuels a kung-fu flick that is as enjoyable as it is chaotic.
'Ninja Assassin'
CAST: Rain, Naomie Harris, Ben Miles
DIRECTOR: James McTeigue
RATED: R for strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and language.
3 stars out of 5
