New York Ninja

The story behind the movie is fascinating, but even divorced from that...it's your typical Cannon Group action movie from the 80s with a Ninja superhero vibe. Fun, but go in with expectations suitably low.

The commentary on this film is just as if not even more entertaining and informative than the movie itself. A ton of work went into getting this film lacking everything but the video footage, out the door and into VS fans' hands.

Nitty and gritty, portraying all the craziness and graffiti-covered NY had to offer.

Vinegar Syndrome has fallen off quite a bit for me lately, but I've got to say... The work they did here, in restoring this lost oddity, breathing new life into a long forgotten film like this is insanely impressive. It's a schlocky, ridiculous Ninja movie from the 80s, so keep your expectations in check, but it was pretty fun. The absurd overdubbing is what really makes it funny.

The back story for this is probably the most interesting thing - filmed in 1983, but not edited and released until 2021.

Sadly, the retro "crazy 1980s martial arts movie" is a gimmick that wears out quickly.
I'm sure there must be more inside jokes when you see people like Cynthia Rothrock adding her voice (if you aren't aware of Rothrock, she was a staple of 1980s / 90s martial arts movies, but I don't think was never fully recognised for her importance). And Michael Berryman, a man infamour for playing radioactive compromised baddies. And Don Wilson, a staple of b-grade martial arts movies
Hard to know whether the out of sync sound was a deliberate feature (it was common in translated movies of the time), or just something that happened

The movie also doesn't explain why the ninja poses after each fight, or has to somersault over things rather than just stepping over them
When I saw "drunken sword style", "brilliant" was the last thing I thought

It also doesn't really explain the Plutonium Killer - but I guess that is a typical plot vehicle

And then, to end in a truly awful way, [spoiler] John Lui ends up winking into the camera [/spoiler] while announcing the sequel

If nothing else, NY Ninja is a reminder that the past isn't always as good as we think, and some things should stay there.