NINJA THE MONSTER

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wouldn’t have been too glad about the Shogun’s new law: every ninja in the realm is forced to early retirement and strictly forbidden to practice their art. The samurais are now the figures of authority and impose a reign of terror. Meanwhile, in order to prevent her people from dying of starvation, Princess Koh tries to reach her Shogun neighbor, hoping to form an alliance by marrying him. Her journey will be far from a walk in a park though, having a less than capable entourage and an undercover ninja as one of her bodyguards. But at least she gets to take a shortcut through an enchanted forest.

When director Ken Ochiai is introduced by Frank Pierson (Oscar winner for best screenplay: “Dog Day Afternoon”) as a “bold and visually inventive cineaste”, you know you’re in for a treat. With a mix of Japanese folklore and Scandinavian monster movies, “Ninja the Monster” is a thrilling spectacle with special effects worthy of James Cameron.