American Ninja 3:Blood Hunt was made in 1989, I mean that's what the box tells me and IMDb backs this fact up. However given the sub-porn production values, the incompetently staged fight sequences and the horrific acting of the entire cast, one would be hard pressed to believe that this wasn't made in the 60s.

While it is hard to describe what is the most awful thing about this sequel, there is an interesting story that coincides with this. (Well interesting if you like B.movies) Seems Michael Dudikoff turned down the chance of reprising his role because he wanted to perfect his acting craft. (In other words this meant that B.movie fans would have to suffer through his dramatic stage that gave us Platoon Leader and River Of Death, saw em both and they sucked) So they needed someone American to take over the part, well somewhere somehow somebody thought that David Bradley would be a great choice for the heir to this series. Completely unaware that this talentless muscle man may have had some martial arts experience but so little charisma (and even less acting credibility) that he made Michael Dudikoff seem like the pinnacle of acting talent.

Somehow Steve James returned and this time went on to fight ninjas with our new American Ninja. By the way, i'm not sure when Steve James was diagnosed with cancer (As Steve James passed away in 1993) but Steve James looks noticably weaker and indeed doesn't appear to even be having any fun with the role something completely drastic from his look in American Ninja 2. He still manages to give the best performance because I mean seriously the talent in this movie would pale in comparison to actors who don't pass muster in the adult industry. The first two American Ninja movies were reasonably well made for the budget (and time) it was made, the action sequences were entertaining (If not outstanding) and there was a watchable edge that made these movies enjoyable for the B.movie lover in me. They were bad but they were entertainingly bad. Unfortunately American Ninja 3 is neither entertaining, campy or for that matter watchable.

The story itself is lame (As expected) as we are given a half assed orgin story of how the new American Ninja became well, a ninja. Apparently the new American Ninja had a karate expert father who was killed in a hold up (Seriously a robbery during a martial arts tournament?) and so the father's best friend teaches the boy the ways of the ninja. The boy ninja becomes a man ninja and he decides to compete in a tournament which is apparently a cover for 'The Cobra' (Marjoe Gortner, yes the televangelist!) who is looking for the strongest man to use a deadly virus on. So of course Ninjas fall out of the woodwork trying to kidnap David Bradley, only to have their asses kicked by David Bradley and Steve James. (As well as some annoying sidekick type who reminded me of Rob Scheneider)

These fight sequences are choreographed with all the intensity of a chess match. There literally is no suspense or sense of energy that would hope to find for a martial arts movie. Also the camera angles shoots such scenes with such an irritatingly detached angle that any glimmer of potentional (not that there is much in this boring choreography) is lost on the audience. Apparently David Bradley is more trained in the martial arts field and yet he still is far duller to watch in action then Michael Dudikoff or anyone else for that matter. Bradley just hangs back does incredibly simple and lame moves and the fight is over after a couple seconds.

Of course anything else outside of the fight arena, are somehow even duller to watch. It's just disposable garbage, the type of movie you watch only for the fights that somehow disappoints you in its hopeless awfulness. This failure in the fight arena basically renders this particular sequel as utterly useless.

Hamlin Grade: 1

Ryan
-Board certified professional safety dancer