Sho Kosugi stars as Akira, a Japanese immigrant, who moves to America. Hoping for a simple life, he opens a restaurant with his family but his world is shattered when he stumbles upon the headquarters of a sinister gang, led by crime lord Limehouse Willie (James Booth). Wrongfully accused of stealing a precious necklace, the gangsters begin a rampage of murder that takes the life of Akira's wife and threatens the lives of his two sons.
Now Akira must step out of his quiet life and reveal his other identity; that of a perfectly skilled and lethal Ninja. He has already warned Limehouse: "Stay away from my family or you will PRAY FOR DEATH".
The story is a typical revenge saga that has one nasty and despicable villain. James Booth as Limehouse is a sadist of the highest order, hitting children, bludgeoning an old man with a crowbar and raping and killing Kosugi's wife. You really want him to get his up-commance, and you're soon satisfied, but I liked the fact that the main villain wasn't a walkover, and in a stunning and exciting final sequence he fights back via axe, chainsaw and blade, and even has the Ninja's head close to a buzz saw. It's probably one of the best finale I have seen in a ninja film. The rest of the film is entertaining and engages interest.
Sho Kosugi is on top form, eliminating the trash with power. His acting is quite good, especially in the part when he's looking at his dead wife. His real life children - Kane and Shane Kosugi - are no slouch in kicking the proverbial behind. On the downside it can be a bit too violent, namely the crowbar scene and the death of Kosugi's wife. I liked the song "Back to the shadows".
Now Akira must step out of his quiet life and reveal his other identity; that of a perfectly skilled and lethal Ninja. He has already warned Limehouse: "Stay away from my family or you will PRAY FOR DEATH".
The story is a typical revenge saga that has one nasty and despicable villain. James Booth as Limehouse is a sadist of the highest order, hitting children, bludgeoning an old man with a crowbar and raping and killing Kosugi's wife. You really want him to get his up-commance, and you're soon satisfied, but I liked the fact that the main villain wasn't a walkover, and in a stunning and exciting final sequence he fights back via axe, chainsaw and blade, and even has the Ninja's head close to a buzz saw. It's probably one of the best finale I have seen in a ninja film. The rest of the film is entertaining and engages interest.
Sho Kosugi is on top form, eliminating the trash with power. His acting is quite good, especially in the part when he's looking at his dead wife. His real life children - Kane and Shane Kosugi - are no slouch in kicking the proverbial behind. On the downside it can be a bit too violent, namely the crowbar scene and the death of Kosugi's wife. I liked the song "Back to the shadows".