Director Isaac Florentine’s martial arts actioner NINJA, starring Scott Adkins and Tsuyoshi Ihara, opened to theaters in Malaysia yesterday and has received a mixed response from critics so far that suggests a mediocre story with solid martial arts action. Honestly, who goes to a movie called NINJA that’s helmed by a former POWER RANGERS director to see award-winning screenwriting anyway?

In the film, rising martial arts star Scott Adkins (UNDISPUTED 2) is an orphaned Westerner named Casey who has been raised in Japan by his Japanese ninjitsu master. When rival student Masakuza (Ihara), spurred by jealousy, attacks Casey, he is booted out of the ninja school and runs off to America to steal the weapons of the last ninja in the Koga clan. Casey is tasked by his master with protecting the weapons and stopping Masakuza.

Writing for the Malay Mail, Amir Hafizi writes a tongue-in-cheek review that lightly pokes fun at the movie by pointing out that the story is “so very heterosexual” and likens the plot to reading a STREET FIGHTER video game character biography.

Another reviewer on Yahoo! Malaysia Movies writes, “The story focuses more on the ninjutsu’s skills rather than building up a decent character foundation . The actors are having fun with each other but looks like they left us out of it!”

The writer goes on to point out where the film succeeds. “While this lack of engagement in terms of character appeal is acutely sore, thank goodness the action still excites people. Perhaps the selling point here (Scott Adkins aside) is the non-stop fighting between Asian and Western forces.”

Hafizi also has a favorable impression of the film’s fight work. “… the action sequences were pretty okay. Not mindblowing, but if you watch it after a hard day’s work, and feel like beating people up, NINJA can certainly deliver.”

NINJA is coming to DVD in the U.K. on March 29, 2010 courtesy of Lionsgate. As for the U.S., First Look International has distribution rights but no date has been announced yet. First Look previously released Steven Seagal actioner KILL SWITCH and come November 3 will be releasing Dolph Lundgren’s COMMAND PERFORMANCE and a two-movie set featuring Florentine’s martial arts-filled actioner U.S. SEALS II.

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