No Firstenberg. Oh. No Dudikoff. Double oh. But wait a minute, there's the ever-cool Steve James and most notably ninjas. I guess 2 out of 4 can't be bad. Well, that was wishful thinking. Such disappointment... I had a lot fun watching the first two films of the franchise, but the low-rent clunker that is "American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt" just didn't click for me. Was it that Michael Dudikoff didn't show up... maybe so, but in all I just found it to be completely flat, unimaginatively staged and the bad guys really lacking. How can that be when the head villain is called "Cobra"!? David Bradley was the new American ninja (the courageous karate champion driven by tragedy and hunger) with only Steve James returning as Curtis Jackson. At least you can count on James (breaking bones and making quips) for some much needed spark ("Let's go kick some ass!"). Let's not forget ripping off his top for some ninja combat. It should have been James' show with Dudikoff not returning. As Bradley (doing his best to look good by sporting double denim) shows some skills, but just lacks that magnetic sense of wonder and presence Dudikoff brought to poker-face Joe.
Its comic-book style makes sure the story throws up many nonsensical twists and spontaneous turns. The plot feels like a rehash of the first-sequel "The Confrontation", only stupider. How's that possible?! Most of it is unintentionally comical with its actions (driving around in an Audi with a ninja in your passenger seat... yeah that's not suspicious) and goofy dialogues. After a while the plot became a little too convoluted and because of that; uninteresting and dumb (meditation vs. virus... you know as they say; mind and soul over the body). A wasted Marjoe Gortner (a cross between Rutger Hauser and William Katt) plays the sophisticated villain (with a lethal name Cobra, but there's no venom evident --- it's all talk) with ambitious plans for making an unstoppable weapon by injecting Bradley's character with a dangerous virus. Working for him just happens to be ninjas. Doesn't really make much sense why they are there though.
Anyhow these sloppy ninjas (where in one sequence they play stacks on) are a worthless bunch (judging by the second-rate fight choreography and their constant beatings --- although the underwater scene and James' two in-one sword fight do look good). Even one of them decides to change sides after just realizing how bad Cobra's intentions were; "I did not know. They were evil"? Come again? Didn't this guy constantly have war criminals/terrorists dropping by for tea and coffee? Not evil? And she's a ninja master?! Obviously her ninja abilities must have been clouded or she realized she was going to be on the losing side.
Lame-brain, but lackluster Cannon b-grade throw-away.
Its comic-book style makes sure the story throws up many nonsensical twists and spontaneous turns. The plot feels like a rehash of the first-sequel "The Confrontation", only stupider. How's that possible?! Most of it is unintentionally comical with its actions (driving around in an Audi with a ninja in your passenger seat... yeah that's not suspicious) and goofy dialogues. After a while the plot became a little too convoluted and because of that; uninteresting and dumb (meditation vs. virus... you know as they say; mind and soul over the body). A wasted Marjoe Gortner (a cross between Rutger Hauser and William Katt) plays the sophisticated villain (with a lethal name Cobra, but there's no venom evident --- it's all talk) with ambitious plans for making an unstoppable weapon by injecting Bradley's character with a dangerous virus. Working for him just happens to be ninjas. Doesn't really make much sense why they are there though.
Anyhow these sloppy ninjas (where in one sequence they play stacks on) are a worthless bunch (judging by the second-rate fight choreography and their constant beatings --- although the underwater scene and James' two in-one sword fight do look good). Even one of them decides to change sides after just realizing how bad Cobra's intentions were; "I did not know. They were evil"? Come again? Didn't this guy constantly have war criminals/terrorists dropping by for tea and coffee? Not evil? And she's a ninja master?! Obviously her ninja abilities must have been clouded or she realized she was going to be on the losing side.
Lame-brain, but lackluster Cannon b-grade throw-away.