Movie spotlight
Joe Armstrong, an orphaned drifter with little respect for much other than martial arts, finds himself on an American Army base in The Philippines after a judge gives him a choice of enlistment or prison. On one of his first missions driving a convoy, his platoon is attacked by a group of rebels who try to steal the weapons the platoon is transporting and kidnap the base colonel's daughter.
While stationed in the Philippines, U.S. Army Pvt. Joe Armstrong, a skilled martial artist, uncovers a dangerous plot involving arms dealing and kidnapping. He must use his unique fighting abilities to rescue a fellow soldier's kidnapped daughter and expose the corrupt operation.
American Ninja was a surprise box office hit, achieving significant commercial success despite receiving generally poor reviews from critics. It is often remembered for its energetic action sequences and star-making turn by Michael Dudikoff, though its plot and acting were frequently criticized.
Praised for its enthusiastic action choreography and impressive martial arts sequences.
Criticized for its thin plot, wooden acting, and predictable narrative.
Seen as a fun, albeit low-brow, martial arts flick of the 1980s.
Google audience: Audiences generally found the film to be an entertaining action movie, particularly enjoying the martial arts fighting and the charisma of the lead actors. Some viewers noted that the plot was simple and the acting could be better, but overall it was a satisfying popcorn flick.
The film was a major success for Cannon Films, spawning a franchise of four sequels, with Michael Dudikoff returning for the first three.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources
The acting is terrible, the scripts and dialogue are terrible, the plot is [extremely] shallow. But, I love this movie... from the 1st time a watched it (a straight to VHS video tape). The fighting sequences are actually pretty well done,...
The Bottom Line A basic action movie from the '80s but it doesn't hold up. Plot An American soldier with special skills gets posted to an island base where someone keeps hijacking military convoys. When his convoy gets hit, he's co...