MrHarley My wife and I decided to watch this after seeing a preview for it. A word of warning. As with many previews, you get the impression of an action film that was mostly combat. It would be a profound disappointment for anyone expecting that, as it has both plot and a rich historical and cultural background that is often lacking from action films.We had both seen and love "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and enjoyed "The House of Flying Daggers." This movie lies somewhere between the two, and should not disappoint if you let it stand on its own instead of judging it on the manga on which it is based. The cinematography and scenery is absolutely gorgeous, and rates at least four stars. The combat sequences are excellent, amazingly so given the moderate budget this film had. The film could not climb much above five stars if that was all it had. However, it also has a story, that is both solid and at times, clever. The story does not exactly translate into the neat category of "tragedy" (and of course "comedy") that Western literature often falls into. However, the world it occurs in is very different. This is the Japan at the end of the Sengoku period, when the Tokegawa Shogunate was established and began a reign of peace, stability, and stagnation that would last over 200 years.The Shinobi are mystical warriors who have thrived on the conflicts of the preceding centuries. They no longer fit in this world of peace, yet there is no simple way to deal with them. The movie revolves around this conflict, between the two conflicting Shinobi clans and the new Japan that has no place for them. From these basic ideas the plot of the movie flows, and it does it quite well. It helps to understand some of the basics of Japanese culture, from the reverence for the authority (the Shogun in this case as the representative of the Emperor though the Shogun is actually in charge - as I said, this is Japan) to the omnipresent, and sometimes suffocating, sense of obligation that pervaded the culture, and how Japan has had to deal with seismic cultural shifts many times in the past.There are not plot spoilers here, everything is explained fairly well during the first 20 or 30 minutes. The story is a love story, caught within a web of obligation, destiny, and fate that makes it doomed from the start. Kouga Gennosuke refuses to accept this, and heroically struggles against the obligations and tradition that require him to see his true love, Oboro, as the enemy since she is from the opposing clan. She is more fatalistic, and the film takes this love and sets against not just this conflict but the determination of the Shogunate that the Shinobi represent a threat to the new peace that has been established. To solve this "problem", the Shogunate decides to require the five strongest warriors from each clan to fight to the death, with the winning side determining the next Shogun.The movie takes off from there. There are numerous combats as Kouga Gennosuke tries to prevent, and when he is unable to do this, limit the carnage from the challenge. Of course, being feudal Japan, the machinations of those in charge are a backdrop that continues to add more and more complexity that is revealed as the remainder of the film progresses. If you are unfamiliar with the original anime, you are never quite sure if the two lovers will escape their fate. The ending caught us by surprise. It is neither "happy" nor "tragic" in the context of Japan and it's culture. Instead there is a unexpected twist as these warriors, rejected by the new era, give their people one last chance, with a sacrifice and surrender that is profound, and uncommon in Western cinema.

espunier Boring. You can say I didn't get it, you can say whatever you want, but this is like the 100th movie that is just exactly like the house of flying daggers, hero, and many others.Predictable, flying people, "ninjas", stereotypical love (a ripoff from Romeo and Juliette, two lovers that have to be apart because they belong to different clans) and so many things.I would really prefer to do so many other things: read a book about Japan's History, watch Blade Runner, Taxi Driver or the GodFather. These are all things that can not be considered a waste of time, they may even add something to your life, beyond culture and a few enjoyable conversations with your friends. This "movie" will not.A total waste of time.

Robert "Shinobi" is the ideal movie for those who prefer their films to have utterly predictable plots, totally clichéd characters, and don't expect things to obey the laws of physics. People who thought that "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was the zenith of the cinematic arts. For such people, "Shinobi" is tailor-made. Check list ready:--> "Days of yore" setting, with "days of yore", historically inaccurate costuming --> endless voice-over exposition for the first 10 minutes, then character names flashed on the screen next to the actors, for the first 15 minutes --> people who have magical skills and are uber-fighters, but are unable to make even a simple logical inference like "hey, maybe we can live in peace!" --> Hong Kong-style wire-flying--> a character who is a direct rip-off of Marvel Comics' "Wolverine"--> other straight-from-central-casting characters who would be more at home in a Studio Gainax anime than a feature film --> a brooding, mostly mute and inarticulate hero-with-a-heart-of-gold --> a hot, passionate heroine, controlled by her destiny--> a love story doomed by forces that no longer control things, leaving no sensible reason why they can't work things outThere is not one surprise to be found in "Shinobi". Wait -- I take that back -- the only surprise is that Ayumi Hamasaki, whose name is listed on the DVD case under "starring", actually only sings the ending theme. Otherwise, this flick is more predictable than an afternoon soap opera, and even less emotionally true. So there you have it: "Shinobi" is equal parts "Romeo & Juliet", anime, soap opera and Chinese "sword & sandal" epic. If that sounds like a winning combination to you, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Snowman_Mcknives Shinobi is about Ninjas. now, in case you don't know anything, on the grand list of things that are awesome, Ninjas are king, just edging "Giant Fighting robots who can break dance" and "Zombies who know martial arts". now, the basic story is "blah-di-blah, political intrigue, blah, 5 super ninjas are going to fight 5 other super ninjas", basically making this like the Ninja X men. each has their own skill, there's the master of poison, the one that's really hard to kill, Asian susie porter, the one that's shaped like an egg, seriously, that's the guy's power. for the middle half hour, the movie remembers "hey, i feature ninjas fighting each other, I'll make that my focus" but then decides, much like smokin' aces, that it wants to be taken seriously. and so, like an unusually badly scripted metal gear solid game, the remaining ninjas start to moan about how their lot in life only leads to death. now, i could forgive this in a movie that then had them put aside those complaints and go and slaughter samurai (who rank significantly below ninjas) but there isn't even a climatic fight, or any real resolution. to hell with Japanese action movies, i hope twilight samurai makes up its mind better.