This movie has potential, but within that potential are several flaws. Though the flaws don't make this a terrible movie, they do deter from some of the film's positive aspects.
The film tells the tale of American orphan Casey who is raised into a clan of ninjas and rivaled by an equally powerful warrior. Eventually the rival's anger gets the best of him and he is banished for breaking a ninja code of honor. He is then forced to pursue a new career in assassinations and theft for an evil organization. Casey must use what his master has taught him over the years to protect the sacred 'box' and stop his rival. Sounds promising, right? Well, it goes slightly downhill from here. Casey is accompanied by a female companion who is able to out-maneuver Casey several times, yet she manages to get herself caught and nearly killed several times. She bears a huge burden of Casey, and most of the film consists of Casey keeping her from getting hurt, saving her from getting killed, and finding her after she gets kidnapped.
Unfortunately the negatives continue. The movie tries to hard to merge East with West, and often times I find myself cringing at the Japanese actors attempting to speak coherent English, although I do admit Casey does a splendid job. Throw in some incompetent cops who can't seem to do anything right but get in the way and die, and you have yourself a crumbling premise.
Another problem is the character development. We don't really get a background check of most of the cast as to how they ended up where they did and why they are exactly there. Which brings me to my next problem, the so called evil organization. Without any intent, motive, or purpose we are introduced to this organization of wealthy leaders and street thugs. The thugs are persuaded to join this clan and they are represented with leather hoodies and a branding to the chest. How they got there, what are they doing, why are they doing it remains a mystery. It seems the film-makers just wanted to toss a group of enemies as sandbag punching fillers to get Casey's juices flowing.
Well, it worked... which brings me to my positives. This movie has a lot of action, a lot of amazing choreography, and a lot of blood. Mix it together, and you have yourself a winning combination. While the blood CG seems to be a bit off, that can be forgiven due to it's minimal budget internet release (I). The action is kept as realistic as possible, while maintaining a lot of amazing ninja skills we've grown to love from Eastern cinemas. The slow-motion and camera work is top notch, and the cinematography deserves a praise. For a (I) this movie is built and presented really well.
Another positive is the actor who plays Casey, Scott Adkins. Some viewers might recognize him as Uri Boyka from 'Undisputed II' (and soon to be III). This man is BEYOND fantastic at martial arts. He is right next to Michael Jai White as being one of the best American martial artists I've witnessed. He can very well be the Van Damme of the 21st century. He's built well, his acting is great, and his fight choreography is simply amazing. The stunts, added with the camera angles and the slow-mo make for a roller-coaster of a ride.
This movie may not be the BEST martial arts movie out there, but it is simply enjoyable to watch for any fan of martial arts. If you enjoy the brutal street brawls of 'Undisputed' and the choreographed martial arts of 'Ong Bak' then you will DEFINITELY love this movie. Just don't expect anything from the story, the extras, and rest of the actors. Go into this film with an open mind, and a thirst for bloody good violence, and I'm sure you will leave satisfied.
I gave this movie a 6/10 because even though the goods outweigh the bad, it's simply hard to ignore the fact that there still are flaws to the film. Regardless, it is a very enjoyable film, and to those who enjoy martial arts films and/or enjoy East meets West mash-ups, then you will definitely enjoy this film! Give it a try!
