Here it is, once again, one of Cannon's final triumphs, and the end of their popular American Ninja franchise! This family friendly ninja flick was made in 1993 but did not come out in North America until 1995, making it one of their last released movies. Though this was technically not related to the other 4 entries in the fan favorite American Ninja franchise (though let's be fair, 3 was only related because of the presence of Steve James) it also has a reputation as being one of the worst films Cannon put out.
This might surprise you, but we at Cannon Cruisers emphatically disagree with this assertion. In fact, not only did we enjoy this movie a good deal, we also thought it was the best movie in the franchise since the second entry. No, we are not being ironic or contrarians. Check this episode for the unfortunately maligned entry as we struggle to understand why this movie is as hated as it was when David Bradley himself and the story itself improved leaps and bounds over where he was in the last two. We just had a blast watching it.
Not to say American Ninja V is perfect. It still can't top the first two films for sheer entertainment value, but it does come close to their level, making up for the weak third entry and the confused, but ultimately fun, fourth one. Honestly, more people should see this one or re-watch it today. It deserves reassessment. American Ninja V is much better than its overly harsh reputation will have you believe it is. Why it is so hated, even a quarter of a century after its release, is anyone's guess. We definitely do not fall into this camp and recommend watching.
Randy's Score: 3/5
JD's Score: 3/5
Up Next: Chain of Command!
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