Alien vs Ninja is tremendous low-budget fun!

 

Times have been stressful lately. I've been having to deal with a family emergency and as such have turned to finding an outlet to help deal with the situation. To that end, I searched for a movie that would never have won any awards, but instead would deliver dumb fun. Back in 2010, director Seiji Chiba brought together a clan of ninjas and some extra-terrestrials in low-budget action comedy movie, Aliens vs Ninja. Think Predator, but replace the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led soldiers with ninjas and the Predator with a very different alien. 

After completing what was supposed to be a routine recon mission that turned into Yamata dispatching several rival ninja, the Iga clan spot something fiery falling from the sky. Following a swift debriefing, they are tasked with investigating the incident. What they find is beyond their darkest imagination. The clan is ambushed by the surviving monstrous creatures, the numbers of ninjas evaporating in an instant. Yamata and the survivors refuse to be defeated and vow to take revenge against the creatures, resulting in a fierce fight for survival. 

As mentioned at the start of this post, the budget for Alien vs Ninjas was extremely low. That becomes incredibly apparent from the very get-go. There's some extremely poor CGI at parts. However, the usage of some practical effects makes up for it as does some actually cool camera shots. Only a minute in, we get a camera shot that shows a ninja looking all badass whilst an explosion goes off behind him. He doesn't even glance back once.  

The action sequences really aren't all that bad when you take everything into consideration. Sure, there's the rule of cool having to be brought into consideration with the multi-person fight sequences involving unnecessary spinning moves that would not work out well in real life, but it's counter-balanced by some actual skill and technique that would indeed work. There's also a spin that works due to it being used as a means of fending off multiple attackers at once. The sprinkling of humour must also be mentioned as it is prevalent. There are moments of levity such as a wounded ninja attempting to throw a shuriken, only to have it casually deflected back at him, which made me chuckle. Oh and in one of the very best moments of the entire movie, the female ninja, Rin, gets into a fist-fight with one of the aliens. It becomes incredibly suggestive when she pulls guard and even the climax of the fight due to how the finishing blow is delivered. Just dumb fun. 

Be warned that there is a bit of gore. There's a ninja getting ripped in half by an alien before his head is stomped in for good measure. There's limps being cut off and scattered about as well. A very well done decapitation also takes place within the latter half of the movie. The good news is as mentioned previously, this is done with practical effects. Something which I will always champion. 

As he pretty much always is, Masanori Mimoto is a highlight of the movie. He's able to put a good shift in as the main protagonist, Yamata. As Yamata, he is the most skilled ninja of the lot and itches for a challenge. The aliens showing up provides him exactly what he has been craving. 

On that note, Mika Hiji also more than earns her spot as the heroine, Rin. She comes across as extremely competent and also very much likable. On top of that, she has some of the best scenes in the entire movie. Super necessary butt-shots included. 

Overall, I'd classify Alien vs Ninja as a silly romp. One that's incredibly entertaining and with a very short run-time, doesn't overstay its' welcome. I'd recommend it if you like action comedies that aren't to be taken super seriously. The fight scenes alone are well worth it as they get incredibly ridiculous in the best way.