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Rain, Naomie Harris, Ben Miles, Rick Yune, Shô Kosugi ... see more see more... , Guido Foehrweisser , Stephen Marcus , Vladimir Tarasjanz , Randall Duk Kim , Sung Kang , Jonathan Chan-Pensley , Ill-Young Kim , Yuki Iwamoto , Linh-Dan Pham , Yu Fang , Adriana Altaras , Kylie Liya Goldstein , Yoon Sungwoong , Eleonore Weisgerber , Joon Lee , Kai Fung Rieck , Anna Sawai , Thorston Manderlay , Richard van Weyden , Mina Ghousi , Hans Hohlbein , Nhi Ngoc Nguyen-Hermann , Tim Williams , David Leitch , Wolfgang Stegemann , Steffen Groth , Jens Neuhaus , Patrick Pinheiro , Matthias Schendel , Johannes Ahn , Numan Acar , Guido Föhrweißer , Togo Igawa , Kylie Goldstein

V for Vendetta director James McTeigue re-teams with that film's producers Larry and Andy Wachowski for this action-packed tale of a skilled assassin who was trained by a mythical secret society, and ... read more read more...patiently awaits the day he will avenge the death of his best friend. Swept off the streets as a young boy, Raizo (Korean pop star Rain) is transformed into an unstoppable killing machine by a secret society known as the Ozunu Clan. The Ozunu Clan is so proficient at keeping their existence a secret that most people think they are only a myth, but the moment Ozuno assassins kill Raizo's friend, their days in the shadows are numbered. In the aftermath of that killing, Raizo stages a daring escape, subsequently biding his time until the day he can take the entire Ozunu Clan down. Later, in Berlin, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) discovers a money trail connecting multiple political murders to a mysterious network of elusive assassins from the Far East. While her superior Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles) orders Mika to back down and stop asking questions, she stealthily begins searching through classified agency files on a relentless mission to discover the truth about the murders. Singled out as a target as a direct result of her investigation, Mika is marked for death by lethal Ozunu assassin Takeshi (Rick Yune). Just as Mika is about to be silenced forever, Raizo saves her from certain death. But Raizo knows that Takeshi and the rest of the Ozuno Clan won't stop until he and Mika are both dead. Now, as Raizo and Mika are hunted through the winding streets of Europe, their only hope for survival is to trust one another and stay alive long enough to bring the Ozunu empire crumbling to the ground. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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56% liked it

186,027 ratings

Critics

26% liked it

112 critics

R, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: James McTeigue

Release Date: November 25, 2009

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DVD Release Date: March 16, 2010

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Stats: 12,196 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (12,196)

  • jmanard52
    May 9, 2010
    jmanard52
    An interesting action flick with a throw back to all the ninja movies of the past. Awesome slick stylized fight scenes with lots of blood shed and tons of great ninja stuff. Automatic ninja stars for the win.
  • moonrivers
    May 16, 2012
    moonrivers
    Lots and lotsa fight scenes (with lotsa them in the dark so's you can't see nothing) and lots and lotsa blood, lots of it, buckets and buckets, body parts flooding in blood, blood, blood, blood, and some dialogue on the side. The only movie I ever saw made for vampires and not a... read morebout them (like a sort of Vampire Food Network). Of course I realize that some may find what I said to be attractive. To them I add: "You'll be sorry."
  • garyX
    September 1, 2011
    garyX
    A ninja who has turned his back on his clan fights to defend an Interpol researcher who is trying to uncover them and seek revenge upon his erstwhile master. No-one has the right to complain about the lack of depth or characterisation in this film. It's called Ninja Assassin for ... read morechrist's sake. Essentially it's a mish-mash of ideas that are just an excuse for wildly over the top action sequences in which bad guys are sliced, diced and eviscerated left, right and centre; it has the "gangsters fighting against an invisible assassin" format of the Predator films, the "come with me if you want to live" character dynamic of The Terminator and the soldiers vs afore-mentioned invisible assassins finale that's straight out of Aliens. But unlike Doomsday which managed to completely balls up this mix of "influences", Ninja Assassin sticks to what it knows and presents a non-stop frenetic gorefest that's actually a lot of fun. The result reminded me of a Wachowski-fied version of Blade that's a bit thin on plot but makes up for it with above par effects and finely executed action. In fact the bad guys are very much in the vein of The Hand from the Wolverine comics and I would have been a lot happier if the Wolverine film had been handled in a similar way. Switch brain to neutral and enjoy.
  • DreamExtractor
    August 1, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Ninja Assassin is based 100% on pure blood and gore, some people may like that, but not me. The actors were only there for the gore, the action was there only for the gore, everything is there for the gore. Its hard to believe a great movie like V for Vendetta was directed by t... read morehe same guy as this.
  • riverdale237
    June 28, 2011
    riverdale237
    You know, in all honesty, i like this movie. I like the character development, I loved the acting, I like the fight choreography, I thought it was a good movie. However, there were quite a few things that I didn't like.

    I'll start with the negative. First of all, if someone te... read morells you this movie is really bloody, they are absolutely right. I didn't like the excessive amount of blood and gore, and it remains the only movie where I almost threw up. This is the bloodiest and most disturbing movie I have seen or ever will see. Be warned that if you see this movie, you will see ripped out internal organs, bloody decapitations and God knows what else. It is absolutely NOT for everyone

    Also I felt the movie didn't give us enough background information. Even at the end, there's a lot of stuff we don't know. What was Raizo like before he was kidnapped as a child? What is Lord Ozunu's backstory? What did the remaining ninja clans do at the end? What is Aleksei Sabatin's backstory? We never get answers.

    As much negative as there is, there is also plenty of positive. First of all, the acting was amazing, some of the best I've seen from a below 50% movie. Rain, Naomi Harris and Sho Kosugi were especially good, doing a very realistic job.

    The characters are also very developed too. Raizo is a complicated character. At first glance, he seems cruel and cold, but as we know him better, we realize that he actually has a kind and sensitive side.

    The fight choreography was amazing. It looked less like it was fake and more like a real fight. It was all so fast paced and harsh. The fight scene in the apartment is one of the best sword fights I've ever seen.

    Over all, for all this movies faults I enjoyed it. It's definitley not a movie you would want to show your date, and definatley not a movie you want to show your children, but it's still alright. It's not perfect, but it's fun and well acted, all that the story demands really.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    February 21, 2011
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Good Movie. Action was superb more than I actually needed to see but well that's what the movie was about killing and betrayal. Bloody so watch out parents don't watch it with your kids.

    Raizo (Rain) is raised by the Ozunu Clan to become one of the most lethal Special Ops ninja ... read moreassassins in the world. As a child, Raizo experiences severe training under the guidance of his "father", Lord Ozunu (Sho Kosugi): he is whipped and/or cut whenever he fails and is encouraged to hurt his ninja kin for their training failures. The only kindness he ever receives is from a kunoichi (female ninja), Kiriko (Anna Sawai).

    As they grow older, Kiriko and Raizo develop a romantic bond, however Kiriko's desire to leave the Ozunu Clan for freedom is greater.

    One stormy night, Kiriko decides to escape from the clan. She encourages Raizo to join her, but he decides to stay. They kiss and she then climbs over the wall to freedom; only to be caught and brought back by her ninja kin. Branded as a traitor, Kiriko is executed (a katana through her heart) by her elder ninja brother Takeshi (Rick Yune). As a result of Kiriko's death, Raizo begins to harbor resentment and doubt towards the clan.

    After completing his first assassination, Raizo is instructed by Lord Ozunu to execute an escaped kunoichi like Kiriko. He rebels against his master by slashing his face with a kyoketsu shoge and fights against his ninja kin. Barely surviving, he escapes by falling into a nearby river. Raizo recovers and begins to intervene in Ozunu hits by foiling their attempts.

    While staying in Berlin and waiting for Ozunu's next move, Raizo rents a small apartment where he secretly continues to refine his training until it is time to act.

    Meanwhile, Europol agent Mika Coretti (Naomie Harris) has been investigating money linked to political murders and finds that it is potentially linked to the Ozunu Clan. She defies her superior, Ryan Maslow (Ben Miles), and retrieves secret agency files to find out more. The clan, finding out about the investigation, attempts to assassinate her but she is rescued by Raizo.

    Mika convinces Raizo to meet with Maslow for protection and to provide evidence against the ninja clan, but Raizo is intercepted by a task force for interrogation. Mika feels betrayed that Maslow would trick her that way, but Maslow secretly assures Mika that he is still on her side and gives her a tracking device for emergencies. While Mika warns Maslow of the dangers of keeping Raizo, the Ozunu ninja infiltrate their secret base and slaughter all the officers.

    Mika frees Raizo and he lures the ninja away as Mika tries to escape. Raizo kills and fends off as many ninja as he can while Takeshi continues to trail him. He and Mika manage to escape but Raizo suffers mortal wounds around his stomach. Resting in a private area, Mika implants the tracking device into Raizo. Unable to fend against the clan, she hides outside the hotel until special forces arrive to help her. By that time, the ninja have recovered Raizo and taken him back to their base, bringing him before Lord Ozunu for prosecution.

    While hidden inside a steel locker Raizo uses his healing techniques to heal all major injuries before being reunited with his "father." Lord Ozunu decides to have Raizo executed as an example but is infuriated by Raizo's defiance to the end; Ozunu strikes against Raizo's internal organs, causing him to spit out the tracking device.

    Europol Special Forces Counter-Terrorism tactical teams lead by Maslow storm the hidden Ozunu base and kill most of the ninja in the court yard. Takeshi and Raizo face each other in the burning Ozunu training hall. Raizo slays Takeshi and confronts Lord Ozunu in a sword duel. While Ozuno initially has the upper hand, Mika, fearing for Raizo's life, distracts and shoots Ozunu with her pistol.

    Before Raizo can recover, Lord Ozunu stabs Mika in the heart. Emotionally ravaged, Raizo uses the 'shadow blending' technique for the first time and finishes off Ozunu. Mika, seemingly fatally wounded, is in fact saved by a quirk of birth: her heart is on the opposite side of her chest. Mika and Europol leave the destroyed Ozunu compound while Raizo stays behind. Symbolically, he climbs the same wall Kiriko did all those years ago and looks out at the surrounding countryside. Recognizing his freedom for the first time in years, Raizo smiles, ending the film.
  • CreedsDelight
    February 4, 2011
    CreedsDelight
    Not good, the action sequences are entertaining, sure. But this is just a terrible movie.

    Grade: D-
  • Deano78
    December 31, 2010
    Deano78
    An all out exercise for the eye-balls! This is a very violent, extremely bloody/gory martial arts film. I think they must use the same techniques used by Asian cinema with almost fountains of blood with every slice and dice of a Ninja sword. Revenge is the plot, of course....way ... read moreover the top, humanely impossible action scenes, some cool effects and some great fights. It makes Kill Bill look tame in comparison.
  • superclerk25
    November 8, 2010
    superclerk25
    While this is a pretty over the top movie in regards to the action it's still really entertaining and has a surprisingly good story hidden inside all the CGI blood.
    It unfolds as you would expect but I was still having fun watching it. They did a good job not taking themselves t... read moreoo seriously with the content and it works.
    I would easily watch a sequel to this flick.
  • itsjustme2004
    October 14, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    HOLY CRAP!!! This was friggin awesome!! I am going to have to add this to my top ten all time favorite action flics. The camera work was amazing! The action scenes were even more amazing! This Rain guy just blew me away! Loved it!!

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Critic Reviews

A.O. Scott
November 30, 2009
A.O. Scott, At the Movies

The problem is that the fight sequences -- the only reason anyone sees a movie like this in the first place -- are muddy, chaotic and boring. Even diehard fans of this genre would be well advised to s... Full Review

Jeannette Catsoulis
November 25, 2009
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

This saga, set in Berlin, is more committed to its bloodletting than to any of its characters. Full Review

Dan Kois
November 25, 2009
Dan Kois, Washington Post

A movie that provides plenty of jolts but precious little pleasure. Full Review

Kyle Smith
November 25, 2009
Kyle Smith, New York Post

This movie knows exactly what it is: Gonzo silliness about bodies turned into human salsa. Full Review

Brian Miller
November 25, 2009
Brian Miller, Village Voice

Shouldn't throwing stars be silent? If they're gonna sound like gunshots, why not just use guns? Full Review

Mick LaSalle
November 25, 2009
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It's a gorefest, a borefest and a snorefest. Full Review

Jason Anderson
November 25, 2009
Jason Anderson, Toronto Star

Thanks to the movie's dire script, flat performances and excessively slick, tricked-out fight scenes, it gets increasingly hard to care about anything that goes on here, even when it happens to be vis... Full Review

Stephen Cole
November 25, 2009
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail

This one is simply a diverting, uncommonly violent action flick. No need for an extended critical postmortem. Except to say the Wachowski brothers' trademark seems to have turned into a designer brand... Full Review

Tom Long
November 25, 2009
Tom Long, Detroit News

Rain is a very talented slaughterer. He could kill you with a pair of tweezers, a hair dryer, two bananas, whatever. Be glad he's a good ninja. Full Review

J. R. Jones
November 25, 2009
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

When a movie's first scene shows one thug getting the top of his head sliced off and another being chopped diagonally in half, you know you're not in for much of a dramatic crescendo. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Lord Ozunu: Wherever you are, wherever you may go, you must never forget who you are. You are part of me, as I am part of you. This is the truth of your lives, and it will remain true after death.
    • Raizo: The breath I take after I kill you will be the first breath of my life.
    • Mika: I took a Tae Bo class once, but that is the extent of my kung-fu abilities.
    • Lord Ozunu: Most children are disappointments. Not worth the effort to raise.
    • Kingpin: Its going to take more than a knitting needle to fuck me up boy!
    • Maslow: I've investigated World Bank organizations, drug cartels, arms dealers, I've never faced this kind of thing! For Ninjas its fucking unbelievable!
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