Ninja Assassin

Ninja Assassin is currently streaming in Australia on Netflix, and its case-by-case structure never gets in the way of the bigger story. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Rain sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

There is a reason Ninja Assassin keeps coming up in conversation. The plotting gives Ninja Assassin its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. Ninja Assassin follows Raizo, one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Taken from the streets as a child, he was transformed into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. But haunted by the merciless execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free from them and vanishes. The writing gets a boost from Rain and Naomie Harris, who sell every scene they're in. It hit screens in 2009. Ninja Assassin is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Ninja Assassin. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Rain carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.