In the world ofactioncinema, and especially in the niche martial arts movie subgenre, fans will quickly identify their favorite on-screen talents. The A-listers stand tall in the minds of most fans. Maybe Donnie Yen’s decades in the field won them over. Perhaps Iko Uwais' raw talent and screen presence speak to something fundamental in the art form. Maybe Jackie Chan’s incredible stunts and sense of humor still land perfectly. There’s often not enough love for B-list martial arts icons like Scott Adkins. HisNinjafilms are a love letter to the fun and charm of classic video store martial arts material.
It’s a good moment for martial arts cinema. Nearly every action movie brings experts in the field into the fold, elevating the fight scenes across the medium. Legends like John Woo are still working, and relativenewcomers like Timo Tjahjantoare innovating in the space. The genre is alive and well, consistently throwing new talent into the mix. TheJohn Wickfranchise was a natural next step in the evolution of martial arts cinema, and the rest of the genre happily followed it.
Boaz Davidson and Michael Hurst
Scott Adkins, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Mika Hijii, and Todd Jensen
Scott Adkins, Kane Kosugi, Mika Hijii, and Shun Sugata
July 12, 2025
Jul 16, 2025
TheNinjafilms follow Scott Adkins as Casey, an American orphan who grew up under the care of a Japanese martial arts dojo. Casey studied bushido and mastered various hand-to-hand andweapons-focused combat systemsthroughout his youth, turning him into a skilled warrior by adulthood. Casey’s home dojo happens to be holding onto a treasure chest, which contains the armor and weapons of the last ninja from the Kōga tradition. In the first film, Casey makes an enemy of his dojo’s star pupil, Masazuka. Masazuka develops a grudge against Casey after the American strikes up an apparent romance with the sensei’s daughter, Namiko. Masazuka joins a comically evil megacorporation, which also shelters a cult, murders the sensei, and forces Casey and Namiko to flee to the United States with the treasure chest. Once Masazuka catches up, he kidnaps Namiko, forcing Casey to open the chest andbecome a new ninja warriorto save the day.
Ninja: Shadow of a Tearis far darker than its predecessor, sometimes literally. Casey and Namiko have tied the knot and taken over her father’s dojo. Tragically, an unseen figure murders Namiko, leaving Casey wracked with grief. While the firstNinjais a heroic quest,Shadow of a Tearisa classic revenge story. Casey leaves a trail of destruction as he travels across the world to discover who killed his wife and what he’ll have to do to stop them. The second film is willing to get a lot weirder, including a flashback to ninjas during World War II and a barbed-wire kusarigama.
Why Martial Arts fans should watch theNinjamovies
NinjaandNinja: Shadow of a Tearare not great movies. They’re silly, weirdly edited, very low-budget, and their scripts are generally awful. However, they feel perfect for the type of person who remembersrenting violent schlock from their local video store. TheNinjamovies speed through a barebones plot with archetypal characters to give Scott Adkins a chance to kick a bunch of people. Adkins is an underrated talent in the martial arts movie space. He’s worked with the greats, but he’s almost always in a distant supporting role.Ninjawas actually his first star vehicle. He worked with Keanu Reeves and Donnie YeninJohn Wick: Chapter 4afterhe’d already fought Yen inIp Man 4.Adkins was the fourth-billed name inTriple Threat, a movie that sells itself entirely on getting Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, and Tiger Chen into the same project. TheNinjamovies are a great spotlight for a frequently ignored performer. They are charming, simple, and straightforward films that highlight the stunt performers and maintain a level of enjoyable madness. It’s far from the best outing in the genre, but it is a worthy entry into the sillier side of martial arts cinema.
Where to WatchNinjaandNinja 2: Shadow of a Tear
Both of theNinjamovies are available to stream for free on:
TheNinjamovies sometimes feel like parodies of martial arts cinema. They’re silly and charming in a bargain bin way, but a lot of the physical talent on display remains impressive. Anyone with a love for theoverblown world of cinematic violencewill find a lot to love aboutNinjaand its sequel. Luckily, these ninjas are very easy to see.
