I think for all of us there are times in our life when we want to be something outside of ourselves. The joke goes: always be yourself, unless you can be Batman - then be Batman. Seriously though, when I was kid I wanted so badly to be an actor. My sister and I constantly would play make believe. Action figures were never far from me when I was awake. Yes, I even had days where I'd play Barbies with my little sister.  I had days where I would escape in movies or storytelling. Maybe that's the reason I'm such a cinephile. Perhaps it stemmed from my love of make believe.

Make believe has equally brought me down some truly terrible avenues as well. I was raised in a pretty conservative household. Horror movies, now my favorite film genre, were not allowed in the house under any circumstances. That changed when I turned 18 and got access to my first, and sadly last, Blockbuster card.  I dove incredibly deep into the world of scream queens and gore galore. It should be worth mentioning that at this time I had a pretty active imagination. It would turn toxic when I was angry, and I also had a pretty violent temper. 

When I was angry I would throw on a slasher film. I would imagine that I was Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers and the victim was the subject of my anger. Not exactly a healthy form of make believe. Needless to say, I had to step back from the genre for a few years. Make believe can be something wholesome like a brother playing Barbies with his younger sister or violently living vicariously through slashers. Ryan Harrison knows a thing or two about make believe as well. His latest film, Ninja Badass, tells the story of Rex (Harrison) as he embarks into the world of ninjas, or so he believes, to rescue a girl he falls in love with at first sight.  

Ninja brings Harrison into playing quintuple duty. He is not only the leading actor, but also writer, director, visual effects, and producer for the film. I can’t help but question whether or not he was stretched a bit too thin for this project. Harrison does a marvelous job at direction for the film. The visual shots that he is able to bring into the world are pretty impressive. He knows how to visually set up a shot and execute it with ease. Despite its budget, even the visual effects are quite impressive. Yes, for a ninja movie there are a good deal of visual effects. It’s when we get into the other parts of the film that problems begin to shine through the cracks.

The film’s first act demonstrates immense promise for the film. The jokes are hilarious, the set-up is good, and the acting is ridiculous. The latter comes from the camp of “so bad it’s good”. They really lean into the absurdity and it really does work wonders for the film. The film sets up a plot where Harrison is going to learn to become a ninja to save a girl. Then he does that and the movie transforms into something else entirely. In our Bringing Out the Dead episode, we discussed how each act is marked by whoever is partnered with Nicolas Cage. It’s basically the same concept here: each act seems to tell it’s own story with different partnerships with an extremely loose connective tissue. Once viewers get out of the first act, the film just seems to drag on. 

Sequences seem to drag on for no reason at all. I guess it’s for comedic effect but the bit grows stale way too quickly. For example, Harrison’s training exercise goes on way too long. There is another sequence where a man falls out of a window and it’s shown from 8 different angles. The choices Ninja Badass makes sometimes are beyond puzzling. Ninja consistently forsakes its continuity solely for the sake of its comedic art.  I can respect the commitment to tone; Ninja never breaks it once. Unfortunately, it defies the very basics of cinematic structure. Ninja Badass is over the top in nearly every way. It definitely has an audience but it wouldn’t be the general population.

Don’t get me wrong - the film does have its moments. The lore and mythology that Harrison builds is one of the most satisfying factors of the movie. For example, in this universe ninjas get their powers from egg rolls. Or for another example, how they set up the antagonist of the film, Big Twitty played by Darrell Francis. Francis is the perfect addition for the film’s tone. He embodies the over the top antics this film breeds with every frame it produces. His character is the leader of a cannibalistic ninja cult. I won’t spoil it but how the cult derives its power is actually pretty ingenious.

Overall, Ninja Badass can be a little less than desirable at times. The film drags on way too long in certain parts. The absurdity that the film will no doubt be known for being a bit too much at times, to the point where it begins to affect the plot and continuity. The film makes smart decisions however with its musical choices. The jokes are hit or miss, but it’s the lore behind the movie that gives the film its edge. The creativity and absurdity of the film combine to produce a completely original and totally unforgettable original movie experience. Ninja Badass has some charm but most of it is lost to jokes you probably won’t laugh at.

RORSCHACH RATING:

Mental Health Moment: Steven Rose plays Haskell, a fellow ninja who becomes Rex’s mentor. During the film’s second act there is a falling out between the two. Haskell attempts revenge on Rex, only to get sidetracked and find love. Haskell proves that you can find something like love or even hope in the most unlikely of places sometimes. I wonder how many of you are reading this right now and you just feel hopeless. 

I remember lying in my bed as a teenager and having my mind riddled with one thought: What would it be like if I wasn’t here? I felt too overwhelmed by life, relationships, and school. I felt hopeless and that I had reached the end of my road. This feeling continued on for months. Until one day, I found hope in Jesus and I don’t say that to preach at anyone. I’m merely saying this is what works for me. This is where I found my hope. It came in the most unlikely place for me.

Maybe your hope will come in the most unlikely of places. Stay with us and please find out. It might be hard and my searching journey wasn’t a singular night but multiple months. Sometimes it takes that long. Stay and find out. Please consider our resources as a helpful option in your search.

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Ninja Badass is an independent film and property of its creator, Ryan Harrison. We do not own nor claim any rights.

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