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SOURCE-MGM DVD
I was sure I saw this back after it hit home video. Nope cause I remembered nothing of it when watching it the other day. Guessing I saw part 2.
Joe Armstrong is a Army soldier. He has no memory of his life from about 10 years before now. But he is a skilled Ninja.
Start of the film a car with the General's daughter gets attacked by criminals. Oh yea this Army base is in the Philipines. The daughter is played by the brunette lady from Weird Science. Not not Kelly Lebrock this is Julie Aronson. She was in a Friday the 13th and I have noticed her popping up in lots of 80s films.
But anyways the car is attacked but thankfully Joe AMERICAN NINJA Armstrong is nearby to save her. He uses his ninja skills to dodge bullets and kick ass.
They escape and he gets her back to the base. He gets in trouble. End up fighting the kung fu guy from I'm gonna get ya Sucka. After beating him they become best friends.
This entire film is insane. Armstrong has agility above what a human could do. And it appears that some times he has Ninja Magic like this is the old Sega Shinobi arcade game.
If I had seen this when it came out as a pre teen I would have loved it. Seeing it now as a adult I love it but for totally different reasons. This feels almost like a bigger budget version of all those Godfrey Ho cut and paste Ninja movies. All Armstrong needs is a headband that says Ninja and the Garfield phone.
Not many 80s action movies can compare to the insanity and just pure,i'm betting cocaine fueled,wackiness of American Ninja. I totally see why this spawned a franchise. Rumor is Chuck Norris got offered the lead and refuses cause his face would be covered for the last third of the movie. I want to believe it was because Chuck wasn't bad ass enough to be AMERICAN NINJA!
American Ninja gets a A-
