Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013) - Scott Adkins and Kane Kosugi

[Lionclaw]

Well I bought this on bluray day one like I said. This movie has a surprisingly beautiful transfer and I'm glad it came with a slip cover. Can't wait till more of the recent martial arts movies come out in the US. My collection has been lacking in that department lately.

[Casshern]

Kane Kosugi is a very good looking guy for sure and with awesome martial arts skills, but he lacks charisma and acting chops. Hiro Sanada is one in a million, a very rare case of a guy that was a sex symbol in his prime, a great actor and an amazing martial artist.

[udar55]

Watched this last night and I thought it was incredible. Tim Man did an amazing job choreographing the fights (naturally, his fight vs. Adkins is the standout). Yes, it has nearly every martial arts cliche in the story, but it is still a great film. This is what I was hoping Florentine would make when the first NINJA was announced.

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

Ninja II is on netflix instant!!!!

[massa_yoda]

Ninja II is on netflix instant!!!!

YES! I'm watching this tonight!

[ToryK]

Bought it (I gotta support these guys) and watched it on Tuesday...fantastic movie. I don't think it has too much action. Not every fight is a major one and they're spread out evenly, so no harm there. Starts out with some minor skirmishes, then the fights gain speed and complexity, with a bar brawl, a dojo fight, and an escape scene being the standouts. Then the boys let lose - Scott, Tim, and Kane - all of them get to show off. Awesome bootwork from Tim and then Scott and Kane go at it (GO-AT-IT). Probably the best through-and-through martial arts movie of 2013, and on the last day, no less. It's kind of in the same spirit of stuff like In the Line of Duty 4 and Tiger Cage 2; made with the same heart guys like Jackie, Sammo, and Master Yuen put into their work back in the day.

Imagine you're going to a party, you ring the doorbell and two men open the door to greet you. You reach out to shake the hand of the man on the left and you realize it's Scott Adkins. He gives you a firm, friendly handshake and an earnest smile, then his eyes give off a crazy-dude vibe and he says, "WE WANT TO ENTERTAIN YOU." The man to your right - Why, that's Isaac Florentine! - says the same thing: "WE WANT TO ENTERTAIN YOU." And they sincerely mean it. They don't wanna hurt you or, like, do other stuff to you, they just really wanna entertain you. Well, that's this movie.

[gorhama]

Imagine you're going to a party, you ring the doorbell and two men open the door to greet you. You reach out to shake the hand of the man on the left and you realize it's Scott Adkins. He gives you a firm, friendly handshake and an earnest smile, then his eyes give off a crazy-dude vibe and he says, "WE WANT TO ENTERTAIN YOU." The man to your right - Why, that's Isaac Florentine! - says the same thing: "WE WANT TO ENTERTAIN YOU." And they sincerely mean it. They don't wanna hurt you or, like, do other stuff to you, they just really wanna entertain you. Well, that's this movie.

First of I totally agree with your review ToryK just an awesome martial arts movie and a true showcase. The way the fights build on each other is tremendous.

Second.....I want to be invited to the imaginary parties you go with with Scott Adkins and Issac Florentine there telling us they want to ENTERTAIN us!! I can't think of a better party to show up to.

[The Dragon]

Watched this last night... Wow, what a display of physical genius! Scott Adkins is one fine Martial Artist!

WB, screwed up big time, not making him the new Batman!

[David Rees]

Agree, great film, fantastic action choreography with long takes. Adkins should definately break into the big time if there is any justice.

[udar55]

Here's my review of NINJA II if anyone wants to check it out:

http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-gweilo-dojo-ninja-shadow-of-tear.html

[Misanthrope]

Saw this on Netflix two nights ago.

Thoroughly enjoyable with fantastic fight choreography and good pacing. Acting left a bit to be desired, but overall this is one of the best direct-to-video action flicks I've seen in quite some time.

Looking later today to see if the local Best Buy or FYE stores carry this.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Walmart has it in stock. Blu-ray ($15) and Dvd ($12).

[Chinatown Kid]

Got my copy this week and loved it Adkins and Kosugi showing how skilled and seasoned martial artist do it! Awesome end fight. Someone give Kane some more starring roles cause he deserves it! Sanada has never looked as good IMO. Tim Man is a great kicker too.

[popsjnr]

I couldn't believe how awesome the action is in the flik, Tim Man's choreography is some of the finest modern day fighting I've seen since the golden age of HK modern action of the 80's and performed supremely by undoubtedly THE finest screen fighter of the millenium...and Kane is no slouch either..

....yeah some of the acting is a bit HMMM!! but who watches action fliks for acting??

never thought Scott would surpass the mindblowing Undisputed 3....but he did it!!

[blue_skies]

You know what I find interesting is that there is such a big deal about buying a legitimate copy, yet there isn't even a listing for the UK release. Has anywhere outside of the US/Canada even got a release yet?

Edit: I just thought I would check out Amazon UK for Undisputed 3 and is it any wonder it hasn't sold enough to get the sequel, when it isn't even available after all these years in the UK. Arguably Adkins best film isn't available in the country of his birth.

[Gwai LO]

I've been waiting for green street 3 to be released in he states for weeks. It's only available in the UK

[Drunken Monk]

I've been waiting for green street 3 to be released in he states for weeks. It's only available in the UK

It needs to stay there. It's a terrible film.

[Tex Killer]

Has anywhere outside of the US/Canada even got a release yet?

Nope, in scandinavia release date February 26th. Will be long wait after reading feedback in this thread about how great movie is:cry:.

[OpiumKungFuCracker]

It needs to stay there. It's a terrible film.

Hhahaha. I've only seen the first one with Elijah Wood and loved that one. Is the sequel any good?

[Gwai LO]

I didn't think it was to bad. A LOT of slow motion killed it to be honest.

[Secret Executioner]

Nope, in scandinavia release date February 26th. Will be long wait after reading feedback in this thread about how great movie is:cry:.

According to amazon.fr, this one will be out over here on February 19.

[kami]

I didn't think it was to bad. A LOT of slow motion killed it to be honest.

There was much less slo mo than in WRATH OF VAJRA that you liked. I liked the NINJA 2-action, although the film looks a little bit cheap. I don't know what cameras they used but the first NINJA had a much more cinematic look. Great fun, though.

[Gwai LO]

No way. I thought the wrath of vajra used the slow motion very well, the slow motion was only used a few times and mainly on finishing blows. The last fight is the only one that used it to much, but with the giants fight and crazy monkey uaed it perfect. Green street uses way more slow mo

[kami]

No way. I thought the wrath of vajra used the slow motion very well, the slow motion was only used a few times and mainly on finishing blows. The last fight is the only one that used it to much, but with the giants fight and crazy monkey uaed it perfect. Green street uses way more slow mo

Oh, I misunderstood, thought you were talking about NINJA 2. Yeah, THE GSH3-fights were less exciting than those in VAJRA.

[rdenn]

good to see the majority of people here like ninja 2, isaac and scott bringing the action back to basic, and wrath might look more expensive and more glossey but in my opinion the final outcome is not satfisying, best action i have seen this year is not even from a movie but a tv series called New Thief Hero nothing else touches it.