Robot Ninja

Review of Robot Ninja

Robot Ninja is an independent sci-fi-action-horror film of 1989 that can be credited to director J.R. Bookwalter. Continuing the plot, the film tells the story of a man, named Leonard Miller, who is a comic book artist who is unhappy about his creation, Robot Ninja, getting transformed into a bad children’s show. Some day when witnessing a violent crime Leonard created a real-life Robot Ninja alter ego to dish out justice and thus the crime-fighting joke is on Leonard.

Essentially, Robot Ninja is a grimy, small action movie of the 1980s in the revenge subgenre. The audience can always empathize with the man’s anger and refine his dreams, especially those people who are into creativity. Except for the obvious themes based on superheroes, Leonard’s transformation into a superhero demonstrates the less glamorous side of vigilantism justice. This movie is very much of the 1989 era in that it is an extension of the comic book infused with the violent action qualities of that year’s films.

By really sticking to its independent film beginnings, the film has a lot going for it. I suppose the pragmatic impact, particularly the makeup and the splatter is quite remarkable witnessing the available resources the director had at his disposal. Lastly, Robot Ninja’s costume is not at all sci-fi now but there is something relatable to the movie’s theme that’s inherited from 80s films – the suit emphasizes Leonard’s obsession with his creation. Many aspects of this movie perfectly reflect how the change in Leonard affected him both physically and mentally.

Nonetheless, some factors can be easily distinguished because of the limited budget of the film. Nonetheless, there is apparent passion in acting, yet few of them look unnatural on camera and some actors overact in certain scenes. Some become mouth-oral-mouth dialogue which sometimes makes the lines feel forced or unneeded. This can make some scenes comical though being an unintentional vice that may end up causing some scenes in the movie to turn into comedies when the filmmaker intended the scenes to be serious. Action tempo is also inconsistent – at times it simply stagnates in the process of Leonard’s evolution in the middle of the movie.

But because it is a B-movie, there are some obvious drawbacks here, namely low funding. Many of the cast are passionate and enthusiastic while some are overly dramatic and at some point the acting seems a bit rigid. The fact is that often the dialogues sound quite unnatural and some of the lines may seem irrelevant. Such a thing can make some scenes comical without being aimed at it, especially when the film is dramatic. One of the big issues in the American Hustle is the pacing where pacing slows down more especially towards the middle part of the film during Leonard’s transformation.

All things considered, Robot Ninja does give itself a certain character. This has to be one of the most heartfelt productions I’ve seen in a long time, even if it does not offer the best realization. To viewers who prefer to watch movies on a very low budget, Robot Ninja should be entertaining. It is rough indeed but is a very creative and different sort of effort that comes out watchable because of the passion invested in it. The special effects and action sequences as well as quite visceral and for the somewhat immature viewer, enjoyable and joyful bursts of comedy.

Overall, Robot Ninja isn’t a model of superb cinema, but it is a purposeful cult favorite. It is, by no means, a polished movie – but it is also quite charming in its imperfection and tells a story of a superhero, horror, and a bit of vigilante action. In case you are a fan of low-budget independent movies or a mix of action and horror movies from the 80s, then Robot Ninja is a movie for you. Yeah, it is a nice journey back in time with all the conveniences and peculiarities that this gives. It is just that do not go expecting some big-budget mainstream movie – this is straight-up homemade filmmaking.