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American Ninja is a martial arts action film from 1985 directed by Sam Firstenberg. The movie stars Michael Dudikoff in the lead role as Joe Armstrong, a skilled martial artist who becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving black market arms sales and a group of deadly ninja warriors. The film opens with Joe Armstrong arriving in the Philippines where he is assigned to work at a military base as a member of the Army's Special Forces division. The base is meant to be a peaceful location where soldiers train, but soon Joe begins to uncover a conspiracy involving the theft of weapons and equipment that is being sold on the black market.

Joe's investigation leads him to a group of ninja warriors who are being used to carry out the thefts. He soon finds himself face to face with a deadly enemy who has been trained in the art of ninjutsu, or the Japanese martial art of the ninja.

The ninja warriors in the movie are trained killers who are masters of stealth and deception. They are portrayed as ruthless assassins who will stop at nothing to complete their mission, including killing innocent civilians who stand in their way.

Joe is quickly identified as a threat to the ninja's plans, and he is targeted for elimination. But Joe proves to be a formidable opponent, and he is able to use his martial arts skills to take down many of the ninja warriors who come after him.

Throughout the movie, Joe is aided by his friend and fellow soldier Curtis Jackson, played by Steve James. Jackson is a skilled martial artist who provides comic relief to the film, but is also a capable fighter who helps Joe battle against the ninja threat.

The plot of American Ninja is fairly straightforward, with Joe and his allies working to uncover the conspiracy and stop the ninja warriors from completing their mission. Along the way, there are several action-packed fight scenes and car chases that keep the pace of the movie moving quickly.

One of the strengths of the film is Michael Dudikoff's performance as Joe Armstrong. Dudikoff is a skilled martial artist in real life, and his expertise is on full display throughout the movie. He is convincing as a soldier who is both tough and resourceful, able to take down his enemies with a variety of weapons and fighting techniques.

Another standout performance in the film is Steve James as Curtis Jackson. James brings a humorous and light-hearted energy to the movie, providing a fun counterpoint to the more serious and intense moments of the film.

Overall, American Ninja is an entertaining and action-packed martial arts movie that delivers on its promise of high-flying fight scenes and fast-paced action. With a talented cast and a compelling plot, this film remains a classic of the genre and a must-see for fans of martial arts and action movies alike.

American Ninja is a 1985 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.4 and a MetaScore of 20.