Fight everyone and trust no one its the code of survival practiced by martial-arts master Casey Bowman after his life of domestic bliss is shattered by a savage act of violence. Vowing revenge the fearless American stealthily tracks the killer from Osaka to Bangkok to Rangoon with the help of a wise and crafty sensei. His only clues a series of victims whose necks bear the distinctive mark of strangulation by barbed wire. Fighting to avenge as well as to survive Casey must sharpen his razor-like responses and take his battle skills to the next level even using deep meditation to fake his own death. His target the sinister drug lord Goro who is flooding the streets with deadly meth cooked at his remote jungle factory. To prepare for his ultimate confrontation Casey must finally become an invisible warrior worthy of the name Ninja. But just when his prey is cornered an unexpected twist shows Casey that his battle is only beginning he truly can trust no one.
Review
Saw this early at the Fantastic Fest in Austin Texas and it is quite possibly the greatest DTV action movie ever made.
Though many would not be proud of it but I am a DTV (direct to video) expert. I subject myself to watching pretty much every DTV action movie ever made. Though most of them are just absolutely awful it is all worth it when a Unisol Regen or Blood and Bone comes along and blows you away.
The main problems with dtv movies are 1. Zero budget 2. Shaky camquick edits 3. Actors not willing to put in the work for the fight scenes to look realistic 4. Stupid plots with dumb romances
Though Ninja Shadow of a Tear is on a small budget all of the aforementioned problems are fixed. The movie is completely without shaky cam and quick editing. The plot is very basic and there is no fat to try and make it anything other than what it is....an incredible action movie. And finally the incredible Scott Adkins and the amazing stunt team put in some amazing fights.
One scene in particular is Scott Adkins versus 6 guys in a dojo and the entire fight is filmed in one take with zero editing...like the Alphonso Cauron of DTV shots. It was absolutely amazing.
Just an amazing fight movie that takes the best fight scenes ever and mixes it with Rambo old Cannon movies from the 80's and Enter the Dragon and other Asian flicks from the 70's. Just a perfect movie that looks like a big budget Hollywood flick. Not a single dollar was wasted and no goofy cgi or wires were used.
I can't recommend this movie enough. The action is incredible and everything came together to make one of the best fight films of all time.
Hollywood please wake up and give AdkinsFlorentine a budget and I think you would be amazing at what they can do.
If you are looking to check out other great DTV movies and save yourself the trouble of all the nonsense and garbage I have seen check out the following. But most importantly check out Ninja Shadow of a Tear when it is released. It is a definitely bluray buy for me.
1. Universal Solider Regeneration 2. Ninja Shadow of a Tear 3. Blood and Bone 4. Undisputed 3 5. Wake of Death (pretty much all of the Van Dammes are watchable) 6. Undisputed 2 7. Universal Soldier Day of Reckoning (just watch the last 45 minutes)