Review: Bloody 'Assassin' is a killer ninja flick

It's been a while since we've had a good ninja film.

Of course, the term "good ninja film" may be oxymoronic to many. It depends how much you like flying decapitations, martial arts weaponry, blood sprays, black pajamas and big showdowns at remote Kung Fu monasteries in the mountains.

"Ninja Assassin" -- you've got to love the kitschy title -- has all that and more. In fact, it's by far the best ninja film of the year, and that's not just because it's likely the only ninja film of the year.

Starring some guy named Rain -- what, his sister is Snow? -- who is a big pop star in Korea, "Ninja Assassin" is a great compilation of B-movie clichés brought to heightened fruition by director James McTeigue, a protégé of the Wachowski ("Matrix") brothers.

"Ninja Assassin" is way better than "V" because McTeigue knows what he's going for -- blood splatters, fancy chop-socky choreography and unabashed corny plotlines. And it works in precisely the cheesy way it's supposed to.

Rain plays Raizo, an orphan raised in a brutal ninja training academy. After being kicked around once too often by his masters, he turns against them. It's him against an army of ninjas, foiling their assassinations. These assassinations, it turns out, are sold for big money, so Raizo is costing people a lot of money.

He eventually hooks up with a special agent of some sort (really, does it matter?) named Mika (Naomie Harris) and together they run from the ninja army while stopping every once in a while so Rain can slaughter a bunch of them.

Rain is a very talented slaughterer. He could kill you with a pair of tweezers, a hair dryer, two bananas, whatever. Be glad he's a good ninja. And if you don't find "good ninja movie" an oxymoron, go see "Ninja Assassin."