Bullet Points: Enter the Ninja
On one hand, 1981’s Enter the Ninja is heralded as the catalyst for the ninja craze of the 1980’s.
On the other hand, 1981’s Enter the Ninja is overshadowed by the movies that followed it in Cannon’s Ninja Trilogy… 1983’s Revenge of the Ninja, a film many feel is the pinnacle of all ninja movies and 1984’s Ninja III: The Domination, a movie that I wouldn’t say is superior to Enter the Ninja, but it is so bat shit crazy, that it is unforgettable.
With this debate in mind, I decided to give Enter the Ninja a much needed rewatch and see where I fall…
- Ninja Certification: The movie begins with our hero Cole (Franco Nero, Django) completing his ninja certification… this involves running a gauntlet, slaying some of his fellow ninja students (or at least severely injuring them), avoiding everything from shuriken to brush fires, having to jump off a waterfall and decapitating his teacher, Master Komori (or in this case a somewhat reasonable facsimile of Master Komori). Last but not least, Cole has to pass an oral exam. Cole passes with flying colors and afterwards a celebration takes place, but not everyone is in a celebratory mood… and by not everyone I am referring to Hasegawa (Shô Kosugi, Pray for Death). Hasegawa does not think a guy named Cole from Texas should have the right to call himself a ninja.
- Welcome to Manila: With his ninja training in the rear view, Cole decides to leave Japan and visit his old buddy Frank Landers (Alex Courtney) in Manila. When Cole arrives at the plantation that Frank calls home, he is greeted by Frank’s shotgun toting wife Mary Ann (Susan George), getting their relationship off to an awkward start and setting the tone for the awkwardness that will follow. Frank and Cole served together in the Angolan Civil War years earlier, but had not seen each since then. Frank confides in Cole that he is having some trouble from an unknown entity that wants to buy his land, an entity that won’t take no for an answer.
- The Original Dollar Store: Cole ventures into town with Mary Ann, and it is here that Cole encounters two key characters in the movie… first there’s a local shop owner named Dollars (Will Hare, Silent Night, Deadly Night)… the unofficial minister of information around town. And a despicable character known as The Hook (for obvious reasons). The Hook is shaking down some of the other local business owners for protection money. When Cole and Mary Ann get back to the plantation… some goons are roughing up the hired hands. This gives Cole a chance to use some of his ninja training, which sends the goons packing. But after the incident most of the plantation workers decide to leave.
- Help Wanted: The next day, with a need for replacement workers, Mary Ann goes into town and sets up a one woman job fair at the local watering hole… but when The Hook shows up and starts intimidating the potential job candidates things go south quickly for Mary Ann’s plans… but things don’t turn out to well for The Hook, when Cole and Frank show up looking to wet their whistles after a jog. The mandatory bar room brawl breaks out between Cole and The Hook’s goons… and Cole eventually hangs The Hook by his hook hand on one of the load bearing support beams in the bar.
- Black Gold: We learn that The Hook works for the rich and eccentric Charles Venarius (Christopher George, The Exterminator). Venarius wants the Landers’ land so he can drill for oil and he is flabbergasted that one man is now causing him so much trouble. After several failed attempts at stopping Cole… Venarius finally comes to the conclusion that he needed his own ninja. So Venarius dispatches his right hand man Mr. Parker to Japan to get him his own ninja, because everyone knows…
- Only a Ninja Can Stop a Ninja: Late one night, Cole and Dollars sneak up to Venarius’ penthouse office to find out more about the man who is making life miserable for the Landers. They find the geological reports and some film footage of Hasegawa! Realizing that Hasegawa is now involved, Cole races back to the plantation to find that Frank has been brutally murdered and that Mary Ann is missing… no doubt to be used as a pawn in Venarius’ grand plan. And that grand plan is also going to give us what was teased in the opening of the movie… Cole vs. Hasegawa! Ninja vs. Ninja!
The more times I see the Menahem Golan directed Enter the Ninja, the more I enjoy it. And there is a lot to enjoy…
For being a last minute replacement because he happened to be in Manila, Franco Nero makes a good hero and his charisma is undeniable even though he doesn’t have his own voice. Nero not being a martial arts master is a point of contention for some, but hiding a star’s lack of martial arts ability behind a ninja suit was sort of a running theme of Cannon’s Ninja Trilogy… Arthur Roberts in Revenge of the Ninja and Lucinda Dickey in Ninja III weren’t martial arts masters either, but not nearly as many people point that fact out. Plus all three of Cannon’s Ninja movies had Shô Kosugi, who is so legit it more than made up for the others around him.
And then there is the MVP of the movie… Christopher George. Mr. Venarius is everything a movie villain should be and more. Venarius is laser focused on what he wants and he’s more than willing to compensate the Landers for their property… so he feels he is completely justified when they turn down his generous offers and he is forced to go to extremes.
Lastly, the man who may be my low key favorite character in the film… Dollars! The level of joy that Dollars seems to be experiencing sneaking around Venarius’ office is off the charts. I also love that Dollars’ mind immediately went to “blue movies” when he saw the projector set up in Venarius’ office… the craziest office that Dollars had ever seen mind you. You really can’t help but feel happy whenever Dollars is on screen.
Speaking of happiness, I am happy to share these Bonus Bullet Points with you…
- Familiar Face: One of the many goons working for Mr. Venarius was played by The Real Jim Gaines, As I have mentioned in previous reviews… if your movie is shot in the Philipines, there’s a 99.9% chance that Jim Gaines is going to have a part in it.
- Cock-a-Doodle Quote: “Do you want me to set up a cock fight for your guest?” – Pee Wee
- Employees of the Month: If Enter the Ninja can teach you anything, it is to not excel at your job… Pee Wee, Frank’s number one worker on the plantation ends up getting dragged by a truck… And then there’s poor Mr. Parker, as loyal as can be to Mr. Venarius and what happens to him? He gets shot… by Mr. Venarius!!!!
- The Hook Will Bring You Back: The comedic trumpet wah-wah sound effect when Cole rips off The Hook’s hook hand is both out of place and completely awesome all at the same time.
- You Make The Call: Did Cole violate bro code when he slept with Mary Ann? Frank did confess that he had not been able to get it up and that Mary Ann deserved better. And it was Mary Ann who initiated the encounter. What say you?
