The Ninja Showdown

"Cut-and-paste" transformation of Taiwanese movie "Tian Zhuang A Ge" (1983; directed by Chu Yen-Ping and Chao Chen-kuo\) with new Hong Kong footage. A ruthless gang of Ninja marauders, a kidnapped maiden and a young man seeking vengeance set the stage for "The Ninja Showdown." Warlord boss Jing and his evil band of Purple Ninjas are unstoppable highly trained assassins who ravage a peaceful town. But when the outlaw Ninjas abduct his girl, a wrathful Tony unleashes a furious assault with the help of Ninja Master Gordon. Together, these two men lay waste to Jing's army in a shattering battle to secure their honor and rescue the town from the clutches of a greedy and oppressive tyrant.

Directed by Kevin Chu, Chen-kuo Chao, Joseph Lai San-Lun, The Ninja Showdown leans on a strong ensemble — Richard Harrison, Frederick Sneibjerg, Stefan Bernhardt — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about action titles of 1987.