Hardly a year goes by without "American Ninja" being re-released on UK video. A huge rental hit here and the first of a series of five films, this silly but enjoyable ninja classic should bring back memories for many, courtesy of a competent but unexciting DVD release.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Picture This was never going to be a stunning transfer because "American Ninja" has always looked somewhat murky. Any movie shot in the Philippines by production company Cannon - like this one - seem to suffer from dark cinematography. This is, though, a less grainy presentation than you'll have previously seen on video.

Sound Recorded in mono, this is not a film deemed worthy of an upgrade it seems, so it retains the same tinny qualities it always had.

SPECIAL FEATURES

There are plenty of smaller labels out there making money from enhanced versions of cult films that've had far lower video sales than this film, but MGM has missed the boat with this release. Filming a few interviews to cover their extensive library of Cannon films could produce some entertaining featurettes.

Some topics to cover could include the recycling of music score for this film from "Missing in Action" and "Invasion USA", and the fact that this was to have starred Chuck Norris. Or that an oversized picture of Ronald Reagan appears in the US army compound at a time when Cannon were hoping to get the guy acting again once he finished his Presidential duties! Plus, why did Steve James get such a limited role in the films when he was always the most popular actor in them? Many would say because of the racism still prevalent in Hollywood at the time. Or perhaps because Cannon were too busy marketing Michael Dudikoff as the next James Dean! Who knows, but you won't find out on this DVD.

Oh, but you do get a trailer, which is, bizarrely, an early version with the original title of "American Warrior", and features footage not in the movie.

Region: 2
Chapters: 16
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 (mono)
Extra Features: Scene selection, multiple languages and subtitles, and English and German captions for the hearing impaired.

This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.