Commando Ninja

Director - Benjamin Combes (The Last Human in the Milky Way, Hopkins)

Starring - Eric Carlesi (Spotter's Rift, Wendigo), Philippe Allier (Exodust: Sick World as Legacy, PTOLOMEA), and Stephane Asensio 

Release Date - 2018

Genre - Action/Comedy/Sci-Fi

Tagline - "More destructive than a commando, more deadly than a ninja, he is the...commando ninja"

Format- Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I can already hear the keyboard warriors crying over this not being a horror flick but after a month long horror binge for Halloween I'm feeling a little burned out.  After spinning he Peekarama Fantasm double feature I decided to keep the non-horror going.  This time I turned my focus on a Vinegar Syndrome partner label release with Commando Ninja from ETR Media.  This looked like the perfect cheesy action flick that I needed right now.

     The film follows Vietnam veteran John (Carlesi) who lives a reclusive life of peace and tranquility.  That is until his ex-wife is murdered and his daughter is taken by ninjas who are controlled by a crime lord who is using time travel to build an army to take over the world.  Now John, who vowed to never kill again, goes on a murder rampage through space and time to retrieve his daughter from the evil crime lord and his ninja henchmen.

     I was extremely excited to check this one out and it was a lot of fun.  However, it wasn't as wild as I was hoping.  I laughed and enjoyed myself but I can point you in the direction of several more films that do what Commando Ninja does but better.  The acting in this one is campy and extremely cheesy but it's fun.  The cast knows the films that this film is parodying or paying homage to and fully dives into all the cliches and stereotypes that makes those 80s action flicks so much fun.  It does kind of wear thin as the film moves on but I wouldn't call it bad.  The story for this one is pure nostalgia where we get 80s pop culture, gaming, music, and fashion mixed in with action, war, and post-apocalyptic films which is a lot of fun.  With that being said, some of the scenes are painfully drawn out and dull.  I enjoy the great lengths the film goes to deliver on that wild and over the top story that made director to video late 80s and early 90s action films were but the long scenes were difficult to follow.  Also, I feel as if this one stretches a fun idea a little too long.  Kung Fury, a short that is very similar to this one, knows that it didn't have enough material to run the length of a feature length film and Commando Ninja should have followed their example.  Finally, the film has plenty of effects.  We get some blood, solid visuals, not so solid visuals, and so much fucking gore especially in the later portion of the film.  Those of you with an eye for the red stuff will really enjoy the last 15 or 20 minutes of the film.  Overall, Commando Ninja is a lot of fun and a movie I would highly recommend pairing with Kung Fury and Manborg.  It's a lot of fun but I feel as if it was a little overdone especially by this point.  Regardless, it's well worth a watch.  Check it out.