By Ernie Magnotta

Due to the financial success of the highly enjoyable 1985 martial arts/actioner American Ninja, a sequel was quickly put into production which would feature the return of stars Michael Dudikoff and Steve James as well as director Sam Firstenberg.

Written by James Booth and Gary Conway (from a story by Conway), American Ninja 2: The Confrontation finds our heroes—US Army Rangers Sergeant Joe Armstrong (Dudikoff) and Sergeant Curtis Jackson (James)—travelling to the Caribbean in order to search for a group of Marines that have gone missing. Once there, they find that an evil drug lord known as the Lion (Gary Conway) has been brainwashing and genetically enhancing soldiers, transforming them into superhuman Ninja killers. Are the Ninjitsu skills of Armstrong and Jackson enough to stop the Lion from turning the missing Marines into deadly Super Ninjas?

Filmed in South Africa and released by Cannon Films on May 1, 1987, American Ninja 2: The Confrontation, while not as solid or as successful as its predecessor, is still a very fun, 80s adventure. It’s no surprise that veteran action director Firstenberg expertly handles the film’s many exciting action sequences, and the cast, led by the talented Dudikoff and James, is a joy to watch. The film clocks in at a brief 90 minutes and features familiar faces such as Conway, Jeff Weston and karate champion Mike Stone; not to mention legendary actor/stuntman Kane Hodder (Jason from the Friday the 13^th franchise) in a brief role as a thug. If, like me, you’re a fan of super fun 80s action flicks, Dudikoff, James, or all three, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here.

American Ninja 2: The Confrontation has been released on a region one Blu-ray by Kino Lorber and is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. As with the KLedition of the 1985 film, the sequel looks and sounds fantastic. The special features include two informative audio commentaries: one by director Firstenberg (moderated by filmmaker/editor Elijah Drenner) and another by Firstenberg and Stunt Coordinator BJ Davis. There is also the featurette: An American Ninja in Cape Town: The Making of American Ninja 2 as well as the original theatrical trailer. The Blu-ray also comes with an eye-catching slipcover.

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By Ernie Magnotta

The late, great Rutger Hauer was an amazingly talented actor. Named the Best Dutch Actor of the Century by the Dutch public, the Saturn Award nominated thespian had an extremely entertaining career where he memorably played both heroes and villains in classic films such as Nighthawks, The Hitcher, Blade Runner, Ladyhawke, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Just to name a few. Recently, Hauer’s wonderful turn as Nick Parker in 1990’s action-packed film Blind Fury was released to Blu-ray.

Written by Charles Robert Carner and directed by Phillip Noyce, Blind Fury deals with Nick Parker (Hauer), a soldier who was blinded in Vietnam, but developed his remaining senses and, through intense training, becoming an expert with a samurai sword before returning to the States. When Parker’s best friend and fellow soldier, Frank Deveraux (Terry O’Quinn), is kidnapped by ruthless criminals, Parker decides to take Frank’s young son, Billy, (Brandon Call) to Nevada in order to find and rescue his dad. However, the deadly thugs want Billy so that they can use him to convince Frank to make their illegal drugs. With the help of Frank’s girlfriend, Annie (Lisa Blount), Nick does everything he can to protect young Billy from the homicidal hoods and save Frank before it’s too late.

Filmed around the Midwestern United States and released by Tri-Star Pictures in March of 1990, Blind Fury, which was produced by Daniel Grodnick and actor/director Tim Matheson, is a highly enjoyable action adventure/martial arts film with well-drawn characters and just the right amount of comic relief and heart. Based on the Japanese character Zatoichi—a blind swordsman who was created by Kan Shimozawa in 1948 and appeared in 26 films—Blind Fury is basically a loving remake of the seventeenth Zatoichi film Zatoichi Challenged (1967).

Clocking in at a brief 86 minutes, Blind Fury moves along pretty quickly and not only features excellent direction by Phillip Noyce, but also a well-known, veteran cast who do a terrific job. Naturally, Rutger Hauer is excellent in the role of Nick Parker. Trained by blind judo champion and Paralympic silver medal winner Lynn Manning, Hauer has said that playing a blind swordsman was one of the most difficult jobs he’s ever had to do.

Besides the super talented Call, O’Quinn and Blount, the exciting film also features wonderful performances from Noble Willingham, Nick Cassavetes, former pro boxer Randall “Tex” Cobb, comedian Rick Overton, the immortal Sho Kosugi, the lovely Meg Foster, former professional wrestler Tiger Chung Lee and former pro football player Jay Pennison.

Blind Fury has been released on a region one, two and three Blu-ray, and is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The entertaining film looks excellent and sounds just as great. Special features include a very informative audio commentary by screenwriter Charles Robert Carner (moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale) as well as the original theatrical trailer. The Blu-ray also comes with a slipcover which contains some fun-looking artwork of Nick Parker in action. If you’re a fan of old school action/martial arts cinema; Rutger Hauer; samurai films or all of the above, then definitely check this one out.

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By Ernie Magnotta

The 1980s were chock full of amazing action franchises and action stars. The stars were legendary: Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, etc. The franchises were just as legendary: Death Wish, Dirty Harry, Rambo, Terminator, Missing in Action, Lethal Weapon, etc. Not to mention the beloved James Bond series which produced five blockbuster movies throughout the 80s, three starring Roger Moore and two starring Timothy Dalton. Then, there were the great one-shot action films of which there are way too many to list here. Of course, martial arts/action; especially those featuring ninjas, were just as popular with cinemagoers. Yes, it was an exciting decade.

In 1985, Cannon Films, led by immortal producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, decided to start a new action movie/martial arts franchise titled American Ninja. Cannon, who were responsible for the popular Missing in Action and Death Wish series of films as well as several well-loved ninja movies which starred the fantastic Sho Kosugi and partly started the ninja craze, wanted Chuck Norris to play the lead role of Private Joe Armstrong. However, Norris declined. Cannon then went on a worldwide search and, after auditioning over 400 candidates, they chose up and coming actor Michael Dudikoff. The well-made movie would go on to spawn four sequels, two of which (parts 2 and 4) would see Dudikoff return as the silent, but deadly Armstrong. Thanks to our friends at Kino Lorber, the original film has now been released on Blu-ray.

Written by Paul De Mielche (from a story by Gideon Amir and Avi Kleinberger) and directed by action veteran Sam Firstenberg, American Ninja tells the story of Joe Armstrong (Dudikoff), a US Army private who uses his Ninjitsu skills when a supply convoy is ambushed by rebels led by a Black Ninja Warrior (Tadashi Yamashita). Now marked for revenge by the Black Star Ninjas, Joe, with the help of his friend, Corporal Curtis Jackson (played by the late, great Steve James), must do everything in his power to rescue the kidnapped Patricia Hickock (Judie Aronson)—daughter of Joe’s commanding officer—and take down the Black Star Ninjas for good.

Made for one million dollars, American Ninja (aka American Warrior and American Fighter) is a solid and entertaining 80s action film with an engrossing enough story, a terrific cast, and exciting action sequences which are more than competently handled by director Firstenberg (who already had some Ninja experience directing the Sho Kosugi martial arts/action classics Return of the Ninja and Ninja III: The Domination for Cannon). The fun, 95-minute movie also features John Fujioka, Don Stewart and Richard Norton.

Trained by 10^th degree black belt and martial arts champion Mike Stone, American Ninja instantly made Michael Dudikoff an action movie star. Over the next two decades, Dudikoff would appear in a plethora of action films. He would also reunite with Steve James two more times in American Ninja 2: The Confrontation and Avenging Force; both directed by Firstenberg. James, who I believe would have become a major action star if not for his untimely death, went on to reprise his role as Curtis Jackson a third time in American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt.

American Ninja has been released on a region one Blu-ray. It is presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and the film looks and sounds incredible. The special features include an informative audio commentary by director Sam Firstenberg (moderated by filmmaker/editor Elijah Drenner) as well as a second commentary with Firstenberg and Stunt Coordinator Steven Lambert. We are also treated to Rumble in the Jungle: The Making of American Ninja, the original theatrical trailer and TV spot, and a very cool-looking slipcover. This is pure 80s goodness. Don’t miss it.

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