Underrated Ninja Movies You Need to See
There are lots and lots of ninja movies. We’ve been writing about them and other action movies for a decade and there have been at least 280 new ninja movies released since then (I’m just guessing). In an effort to not watch most of those movies, this Ninja Week I wanted to go over some of my favorite Ninja movies that weren’t directed by Sam Firstenberg or star Scott Adkins. These are just a few but I don’t want to waste your time reading when you could be training your body to be the ULTIMATE KILLING MACHINE!!!
Azumi (2003)
This entire article exists because of my love for Azumi. That isn’t just because I have a deep desire to love cuddle with Azumi star Aya Ueto, it’s also because this film has some crazy good sword battles that will leave you both puzzled and enthralled. It’s also based on an Anime if you’re into that sort of stuff.
The Hunted (1995)
Christopher Lambert is among my favorites in the world of “this guy is an action star” kind of movies. One look doesn’t tell you the full story and neither does his experiences in this film as he gets thrown into the world of the ninja after a deadly encounter with the shadow warriors. Read Chris the Brain’s review of it and then go watch some of the best sword fighting from the mid-90’s.
Ninja Assassin (2009)
Korean Pop Star does action movie. Normally I would say that is a recipe for disaster but this dude wasn’t half bad. If you can ignore the CGI blood splatter, this ninja movie has plenty to offer for fans of the deadly and mysterious spy killers.
Five Element Ninjas (1982)
It’s only underrated because most people haven’t seen it. It’s a mainstay on any list celebrating the greatest ninja films of all time (ahem) and for good reason. It features some of the wildest ninja fights and most feminine hair I’ve ever seen. That new Blu-ray is like watching a completely different movie after years of seeing bad copies.
Mortal Kombat (1995)
It’s a video game movie, of course, but it also features two of our favorite ninjas from the 90’s Sub-Zero and Scorpion. It kinda brought back that ninja goodness after a decade or two of prominence and made sure it would continue to be in the hearts and minds of young folks like myself for years to come.
Renegade Ninjas (1979)
I’ve been talking about this movie for over 30 years. That hasn’t made it any more popular but it does show that I’m as stubborn as a mule. Ninjas on a suicide mission is an outstanding concept that I could made a 24 episode series about right now off the top of my head.
The Miami Connection (1987)
Rock music ninja fighting is something I had dreams about in the late 80’s. It’s almost as if Elon Musk invented time travel, then implanted some mind reading device into my brain before escaping back to 2024 to constantly post on social media. Some might call it schlocky but I just say it’s the 80’s, baby!
