Ninja Trilogy, The (4K UHD Review)
Director
Menahem Golan/Sam FirstenbergRelease Date(s)
1981/1983/1984 (December 2, 2025)Studio(s)
Golan-Globus Productions/The Cannon Group (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)- Film/Program Grade: See Below
- Video Grade: See Below
- Audio Grade: See Below
- Extras Grade: B-
- Overall Grade: B-
Review
During the 1980s, there was one genre that Cannon Films seemed to be nailing more than any other: action. Throughout the decade, ninja-oriented action movies were all the rage, but the cycle really began with two of the decade’s most prominent entries: Enter the Ninja and Revenge of the Ninja, later followed by Ninja III: The Domination, completing a loose trilogy. None of them had much to do with each otherwise plot-wise, but they did help launch the fledgling studio into the stratosphere before it eventually bankrupted itself into oblivion.
Enter the Ninja tells of a Westerner named Cole (Franco Nero) who, after mastering the art of ninjitsu, goes back home to visit a war buddy and his wife (Susan George). Meanwhile, a ruthless CEO (Christopher George) and his henchmen are attempting to scare them off their land for the oil beneath it by using any means necessary. Cole takes up the challenge and defends his friends with his ninjitsu skills, even against a rival ninja master (Sho Kusugi).
Looking back at the Ninja films today, including the superior sequel Revenge of the Ninja and the absolutely bonkers Ninja III: The Domination, they’re mostly comfort food action movies in that you can’t really take them all that seriously. Yet there’s still a level of unintended enjoyment to be had. The quality of the performances is often straight up cheese (look no further than Christopher George’s glorious death scene), but the stories and action scenes are exciting enough to keep you interested.
Enter the Ninja is certainly the least of the three films, but you can’t go wrong with Franco Nero in the lead, whose game to kick ass and take names with little to no abandon. The film received a mixed reception from critics during its initial theatrical outing, but managed to eke out a decent profit at the box office and later thrived on home video.
Enter the Ninja was shot by director of photography David Gurfinkel on 35mm film, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and encoded to a triple-layered BD-100 disc. It’s a much improved picture over previous presentations with a higher yield of fine detail, heavy grain, and a bitrate that primarily sits between 70 and 80Mbps. Saturation is much approved, with particular regard to the HDR, which boosts detail and improves contrast, with deeper blacks and richer hues. The image is also stable with only occasional mild scratches. Compression isn’t perfect, but compared to the uneven standard and high definition presentations of the past, this is a vast improvement.
Audio is included in English 2.0 mono and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The original mono (in a split two-channel container) is surprisingly robust at times, particularly when it comes to the score. Sound effects tend to be era-appropriately thin, but dialogue comes through clean and clear, including Franco Nero’s overdubs. The 5.1 track spaces out the various elements well enough without altering anything substantially. Both are perfectly fine options.
ENTER THE NINJA (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C/A-/B+
After the success of Enter the Ninja, Cannon Films was quick to put together another ninja-oriented action film with Revenge of the Ninja, this time featuring Sho Kosugi in the lead role and having nothing to do with the previous film narratively.
Cho Osaki (Kosugi) is forced to re-locate to the United States after his family is slaughtered by rival ninjas, leaving only his mother and his son alive. He chooses to hide his past, working with a local businessman, Braden (Arthur Roberts), to import porcelain dolls for collectors. Unbeknownst to Cho, this business is also a front for bringing drugs into the country while Braden, dressed as the silver-masked “Demon Ninja,” wipes out competing mob bosses. When things start heating up and Cho’s mother and son find themselves in danger, Cho is forced to fight back.
Revenge of the Ninja is a much more aggressive film than its predecessor when it comes to the violence, and neither women nor children are excluded from it, more so in the longer international cut. The opening alone butchers the young and old alike, leaving just enough characters alive necessary for setting up and carrying out the story. It’s a better film than Enter the Ninja since it has a more solid narrative drive, but like Enter the Ninja, it’s laughably entertaining, in a good way.
The critics were never kind to these kinds of films and failed to recognize the skill of those involved, especially Sho Kosugi who is giving it his all. There’s no way to overlook the film’s shortcomings, but they wind up being benefits more than deficiencies if you’re looking for a good time, no questions asked. As such, Revenge of the Ninja received a mixed reception and a decent box office take, but was much more popular on cable and in home video rentals.
Revenge of the Ninja was shot by director of photography David Gurfinkel on 35mm film, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and encoded to a triple-layered BD-100 disc. As with Kino’s previous Blu-ray presentations, this is the uncut international version and not the R-rated US version. The first two and a half minutes are comprised of opening title-based opticals via an interpositive and they’re a little rough, but things improve dramatically afterwards. Despite the heavy grain, there’s a substantial bump in clarity and fine detail, as well as a bitrate that mostly sits in the 70 to 80Mbps range with good compression. The HDR grades widen the gamut with deeper blacks and better contrast, as well as bolder hues and more accurate flesh tones. The image is stable with only minor speckling. It’s certainly the best the film has ever looked on home video, outperforming uneven presentations of the past on DVD and Blu-ray.
Audio is included in English 2.0 mono and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. Like the previous film, the original mono offers a solid listening experience with plenty of weight for the film’s score and some of the sound effects. The 5.1 option merely spaces this same experience out, moving those elements into the surrounding speakers without altering anything substantially. Dialogue is discernible and precise, and both tracks are clear and stable without any real issues to speak of.
REVENGE OF THE NINJA (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): C+/A-/B+
Indistinguishable from the other films in the previous Ninja Trilogy, Ninja III: The Domination, the third and final entry, boasts some of the wackiest decisions ever made by Cannon Films, which is saying something. Mixing in elements from Flashdance, Poltergeist, and The Exorcist, the result is one of the most unusual and unintentionally hilarious genre films of the 1980s.
Lucinda Dickey (Breakin’) stars as Christie, a telephone-pole climbing aerobics instructor who winds up possessed by an evil ninja, slicing and dicing her way throughout Los Angeles while her flatfooted cop boyfriend Billy (Jordan Bennett) tries to stop her. Meanwhile, another ninja (Sho Kosugi) with a mysterious past follows her trail in an attempt to help exorcise the evil ninja inside her and put an end to his revenge-driven butchery once and for all. Also in the cast are James Hong, David Chung, Dale Ishimoto, John LaMotta, Ron Foster, and Earl W. Smith.
Ninja III, to put it mildly, defies the logic behind it and the criticisms that you can lay at it, mostly because it’s highly entertaining despite itself. Everything about it is not just wrong, but over-the-top wrong, defying conventional movie norms at every turn. Look no further than the scene in which Christie pours a V8 down her chest to entice her boyfriend Billy for a bout of bedroom antics... 9½ Weeks it ain’t. Sam Firstenberg directed the previous film and gave the series a more violent edge, but this time he gives it a wildly uncharacteristic storyline and execution, to its benefit.
Since its original Blu-ray debut in 2013, Ninja III: The Domination has become something of a cult film among the “so bad it’s good” crowd. While many overlook some of its more positive aspects, including its fantastic synthesizer-driven score, and go straight for the cheese, it’s certainly an action movie you won’t soon forget, all said and done.
Ninja III: The Domination was shot by director of photography Hanania Baer on 35mm film with Arriflex cameras and spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and encoded to a triple-layered BD-100 disc. Like previous presentations, the opening and closing credits, which are derived from the interpositive, are still the roughest sections of the film. After that, everything is very much improved. Heavy grain is on display with a bitrate that sits almost entirely in the 70 to 80Mbps range, meaning compression is good, but not great. Detail is high, thanks in no small part to the HDR grades which widen the gamut and allow for better saturation and deeper blacks. The image is stable and clean aside from some minor speckling. It’s the best the film has ever looked on home video, which has gradually improved over time.
Audio is included in English 2.0 and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The tracks are identical in terms of dynamics, though a minor volume adjustment might have to be made as they’re mastered a tad too low. There are some nice steering effects here and there and the score and music have plenty of stereo space to move around in. Dialogue exchanges are clear, and despite some minor balance issues that may be baked into the original mix, both tracks work well.
NINJA III: THE DOMINATION (FILM/VIDEO/AUDIO): D+/A-/B+
The Kino Lorber Studio Classics 6-Disc 4K Ultra HD release of The Ninja Trilogy houses three 2160p Ultra HD discs and three 1080p Blu-ray discs in three separate black Amaray cases, each with their own insert that features the original theatrical artwork for each film. These films are also available individually with slipcovers replicating the insert cover art:
Enter the Ninja (Amazon / Kino Lorber)
Revenge of the Ninja (Amazon / Kino Lorber)
Ninja III: The Dominiation (Amazon / Kino Lorber)
The extras for this release and the individual releases included the following:
DISC ONE: ENTER THE NINJA (UHD)
- Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
DISC TWO: ENTER THE NINJA (BD)
- Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
- Trailers:
- Enter the Ninja (HD – 2:54)
- Revenge of the Ninja (HD – 1:40)
- Ninja III: The Domination (HD – 1:36)
- Pray for Death (HD – 2:16)
- Rage of Honor (HD – 1:37)
- Blind Fury (HD – 1:25)
- The Octagon (SD – 2:29)
- Sudden Death (HD – 2:16)
- Fright (Upscaled SD – 1:23)
- The Mercenary (SD – 1:54)
Anyone familiar with critics and action film historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema and their brand of commentary will know exactly what they’re in for: a pair of over-caffeinated, yet enthusiastic film fans constantly vying for dominance over the conversation at hand. Some will no doubt find this difficult to listen to, but these two do come to the table with a genuine love for all things action cinema, and you have to appreciate that. The rest of the extras consist of the film’s trailer and trailers for other releases from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
DISC THREE: REVENGE OF THE NINJA (UHD)
- Audio Commentary by Sam Firstenberg, Steven Lambert, and Bill Olsen
- Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
DISC FOUR: REVENGE OF THE NINJA (BD)
- Audio Commentary by Sam Firstenberg, Steven Lambert, and Bill Olsen
- Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
- Intro by Sam Firstenberg (HD – 3:16)
- Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery (HD – 30 in all – 3:03)
- Trailers:
- Enter the Ninja (HD – 2:54)
- Revenge of the Ninja (HD – 1:40)
- Ninja III: The Domination (HD – 1:36)
- Pray for Death (HD – 2:16)
- Rage of Honor (HD – 1:37)
- American Ninja (SD – 1:50)
- American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (SD – 1:34)
- Avenging Force (HD – 1:19)
- Catch the Heat (SD – 1:51)
- The Perfect Weapon (SD – 1:57)
First up is an audio commentary with director Sam Firstenberg and stunt coordinator Steven Lambert, moderated by the late Bill Olsen. It’s a very reactionary track as the three watch it together, often stumbling over each other and sometimes going silent, but it’s still a fun track that offers plenty of information about the production, as well as anecdotal memories of the experience. Critics and action film historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema return for another over-stimulated audio commentary, offering their usual brand of enthusiastic fan-driven knowledge and expertise. In the Intro by Sam Firstenberg, he briefly details his experiences on the film before telling us to enjoy it and recommending his audio commentary. The rest of the extras consist of a Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery, the film’s trailer, and trailers for other releases from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
DISC FIVE: NINJA III: THE DOMINATION (UHD)
- Audio Commentary by Sam Firstenberg, Steve Lambert, and Rob Galluzzo
- Isolated Score Selections & Audio Interviews with Misha Segal and Elliot Ellentuck, by Michael Felsher
DISC SIX: NINJA III: THE DOMINATION (BD)
- Audio Commentary by Sam Firstenberg, Steve Lambert, and Rob Galluzzo
- Isolated Score Selections & Audio Interviews with Misha Segal and Elliot Ellentuck, by Michael Felsher
- Dancing With Death with Lucinda Dickey (HD – 18:25)
- Secord’s Struggle with Jordan Bennett (HD – 10:26)
- Birth of the Ninja with Alan Amiel (HD – 11:48)
- Trailers:
- Enter the Ninja (HD – 2:54)
- Revenge of the Ninja (HD – 1:40)
- Ninja III: The Domination (HD – 1:36)
- Pray for Death (HD – 2:16)
- Rage of Honor (HD – 1:37)
- Blind Fury (HD – 1:25)
- American Ninja (SD – 1:50)
- American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (SD – 1:34)
- Avenging Force (HD – 1:19)
- The Perfect Weapon (SD – 1:57)
First up is a very good audio commentary with director Sam Firstenberg and stunt coordinator Steve Lambert, moderated by Rob Galluzzo. It’s a very enjoyable and lively chat with the three. Rob manages to keep the conversation on track, offering lots of information about the production. Next is a set of Isolated Score Selections and Audio Interviews with co-composer Misha Segal and production designer Elliot Ellentuck, all conducted and moderated by Michael Felsher. Sections of the excellent score by Misha Segal and Udi Harpaz are interspersed between the two interviews. Three on-camera interviews by Red Shirt Pictures are also included. Dancing With Death features actress Lucinda Dickey speaking about her first leading role in a movie and the experiences that came with it; Secord’s Struggle features actor Jordan Bennett talking about his role in the film, even mentioning that the V8 juice in the love scene was his idea; and Birth of the Ninja features producer, stuntman, and assistant fight choreographer Alan Amiel discussing his upbringing and his career, covering his work for the film. The rest of the extras consist of the film’s trailer and trailers for other releases from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Not carried over from the previous Scream Factory Blu-ray releases are a pair of still galleries and a Trailers From Hell trailer commentary by Josh Olson.
Collecting the entire Ninja Trilogy together for the first time in one release, Kino’s 4K UHD boxed set gives each film a much-needed upgrade and carts over most of the previous extras, while adding a couple of new ones. It’s a nice release overall and well worth picking up.
- Tim Salmons
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