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Ninja in the Deadly Trap
1985; directed by Philip Kwok

Taking more than a bit of inspiration from Chang Cheh's chop-socky classic Five Element Ninjas (aka Chinese Super Ninjas), Ninja in the Deadly Trap isn't exactly the most ground-breaking film ever created. But with an all-star cast that includes several members of the Venom Clan, this movie will definitely fit the bill if you're looking for some violent old-school flavored action.

At one point, many of the cast and crew on this film were attached to Five Element Ninjas, but after a falling-out with the Shaw Brothers studio, actor/director Philip Kwok left the fold and headed to Taiwan, where after being aided by funding from producer Wu Duen, he was able to secure the talent for this picture. The plot is dead simple, basically boiling down to the usual Chinese versus Japanese motif favored in many old-school features, and by Kwok's own admission via an interview with Eastern Heroes magazine, he wasn't very comfortable being in charge of an entire production, leading to to some leaden takes during the exposition scenes.

But when it comes to the action, Ninja in the Deadly Trap delivers the goods in spades. Philip Kwok has long been one of the best action directors working in Hong Kong, including being a vital part of classics like Hard Boiled, and it's obvious here he relished a chance to shine in that department after being under the fairly regimented system of the Shaw Brothers. The action scenes have a unique and intoxicating mix of various weapon forms and bare-handed techniques, and if you're any sort of martial arts fan at all, you'll have a ball watching them.

Unfortunately, Ninja in the Deadly Trap seems to be one of those films that -- at least at this point in time -- that you can only find in somewhat suspect cropped and dubbed versions presented in dubious audio/video quality. But even with the underwhelming presentation the various DVDs floating out there will give you, if you're a fan of old-school shenanigans, it's still well worth checking Ninja in the Deadly Trap out. Simply put, it's a no-muss, no-fuss throwback to the days of yore when fists of fury, rather than frosted tips and syrupy romantic subplots, were the stuff of which action movies were made. If you're into stuff like high-velocity blows that rip off limbs, you'll be in for a fun ride with this one.

RATING: 7

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