Ninja Heat (1988) [Black List (1972)]

I recently repurchased Mill Creek Entertainment's Martial Arts: 50 Movie Pack after developing a hankering for some Kung Fu goodness, So far I have yet to come across the goodness. I have however managed to be amused by the sheer awfulness of the two titles I have watched, Ninja: The Protector and  the subject of this review, Ninja Heat.

Title Card 

I should state right off that the title of this movie is misleading, there are no ninjas anywhere in this movie. It is in fact a Chinese production about a guy who was framed for murder. Upon his release from prison he decides to seek revenge on those who framed him.



  Also of some importance is that this movie is clearly not from 1988 despite what Mill Creek or the internet says. It is obviously a product of the 70's. Thanks to the ninja craze of the 80's it was renamed to mess with people who were looking for some ninjastic action  and sell them an inferior product instead.

I can't find an reliable info anywhere on the movie.  However the HKMDB says that this movie was originally titled Black List (1972) and  is known by at least 2 different titles in the USA. Ninja Terminator and Ninja Heat.  And IMDB insists that it's called Ninja Blacklist.


 Enough ranting from me, lets introduce the hero of the piece

Chan Seng (Shen Chan?)

 He is the best thing about the movie, even if his martial arts skills seem to be severely lacking. But that has more to do with choreography than any real lack of skill on his part. The fights in this movie are so poorly staged that you just stare with your mouth agape as supposed hits are very clearly misses. It gets so hysterical you might wonder if you are watching a comedy. But through it all Chan Seng shines and has become someone I will look out for in other movies.

But then we get to his brother

Henry Yu Yung

  This guy has an interesting method of acting, in every one of his scenes he is breathing heavily. It's like he is constantly on the verge of losing his temper and is using breathing exercises  to keep in check. Also his body language is very stiff making him an alternately annoying and somehow amusing figure in this movie.

But skipping over all the other ludicrousness in the movie, including the bad guys attempting to frame Chan Seng for yet another murder, we get to the big bad of the picture. This is the master mind behind the plot that resulted in Chan Seng being framed.

Fong Yau

His fighting style is more leg based, and as a result we get a long and boring fight between him and Seng that ends with police arriving to end the fight. Then we get to a voice over from Fong's character that states, that he forgot that he couldn't run from his past.

In conclusion this movie had horrible cinematography, an interesting pseudo western theme that opens and closes the picture, some of the worst fights you will ever see and some of the worst acting I have encountered in a while.

2/10 that two is for the awesomeness of  Chan Seng.