You know what, there are movies that I get to review that are hard to take seriously. Too often they are poorly made, have little imagination, and are often just space filler at video stores. I offer this though, NvsV is a rare exception that while not a movie I’d go out looking for has far more imagination and heart than a lot of mainstream movies and that counts for a lot.
Ninjas Vs. Vampires is the story of two friends who become embroiled in a war in their small town between vampires and ninjas just at the turning point. Without knowing how or why they become key players in the war and without their help, the vampires may be able to create a new, deadlier species, one that no one will be able to stop.
It’s hard to say what it is here that makes the movie work but I think that honestly it’s the imagination on hand. Yeah, there is a lot of the film that plays like a second tier Buffy the Vampire Slayer but it’s the fact that this is a vampire movie that creates its own mythology (borrowed as some of it may be) and runs with it that is so admirable. The acting is good, the film is well made, and the writing isn’t bad. Sure, this doesn’t redefine the genre but it brings back the romance and danger of the Buffy series, as well as the sense of an epic story. That’s what made that series so charming and so enduring to its fans. Not many surprises here but man is it a good beginning of something if the filmmakers wanted to pursue it.
The movie is very well made and very engaging with lots to keep you watching. Fans of original vampire stories will really want to see this, despite the cheesy name. For people into it, I cannot recommend it enough.
7.5 out of 10
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 