Enter the Ninja (4K UHD Review)
Director
Menahem GolanRelease Date(s)
1981 (December 2, 2025)Studio(s)
Golan-Globus Productions/The Cannon Group (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)- Film/Program Grade: C
- Video Grade: A-
- Audio Grade: B+
- Extras Grade: C-
Review
During the 1980s, there was one genre that Cannon Films seemed to be nailing more than any other: action. Throughout the decade, ninja-oriented action movies were all the rage, but the cycle really began with two of the decade’s most prominent entries: Enter the Ninja and Revenge of the Ninja, later followed by Ninja III: The Domination, completing a loose trilogy. None of them had much to do with each otherwise plot-wise, but they did help launch the fledgling studio into the stratosphere before it eventually bankrupted itself into oblivion.
Enter the Ninja tells of a Westerner named Cole (Franco Nero) who, after mastering the art of ninjitsu, goes back home to visit a war buddy and his wife (Susan George). Meanwhile, a ruthless CEO (Christopher George) and his henchmen are attempting to scare them off their land for the oil beneath it by using any means necessary. Cole takes up the challenge and defends his friends with his ninjitsu skills, even against a rival ninja master (Sho Kosugi).
Looking back at the Ninja films today, including the superior sequel Revenge of the Ninja and the absolutely bonkers Ninja III: The Domination, they’re mostly comfort food action movies in that you can’t really take them all that seriously. Yet there’s still a level of unintended enjoyment to be had. The quality of the performances is often straight up cheese (look no further than Christopher George’s glorious death scene), but the stories and action scenes are exciting enough to keep you interested.
Enter the Ninja is certainly the least of the three films, but you can’t go wrong with Franco Nero in the lead, whose game to kick ass and take names with little to no abandon. The film received a mixed reception from critics during its initial theatrical outing, but managed to eke out a decent profit at the box office and later thrived on home video.
Enter the Ninja was shot by director of photography David Gurfinkel on 35mm film, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and encoded to a triple-layered BD-100 disc. It’s a much improved picture over previous presentations with a higher yield of fine detail, heavy grain, and a bitrate that primarily sits between 70 and 80Mbps. Saturation is much approved, with particular regard to the HDR, which boosts detail and improves contrast, with deeper blacks and richer hues. The image is also stable with only occasional mild scratches. Compression isn’t perfect, but compared to the uneven standard and high definition presentations of the past, this is a vast improvement.
Audio is included in English 2.0 mono and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. The original mono is surprisingly robust at times, particularly when it comes to the score. Sound effects tend to be era-appropriately thin, but dialogue comes through clean and clear, including Franco Nero’s overdubs. The 5.1 track spaces out the various elements well enough without altering anything substantially. Both are perfectly fine options.
The Kino Lorber Studio Classics 2-Disc 4K Ultra HD release of Enter the Ninja sits in a black Amaray case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray containing the same new master, with an insert and a slipcover that features the original theatrical artwork. This release is also available as a part of Kino’s Ninja Trilogy 4K Ultra HD boxed set. The following extras are included on each disc:
DISC ONE (UHD)
- Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
DISC TWO (BD)
- Audio Commentary by Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
- Trailers:
- Enter the Ninja (HD – 2:54)
- Revenge of the Ninja (HD – 1:40)
- Ninja III: The Domination (HD – 1:36)
- Pray for Death (HD – 2:16)
- Rage of Honor (HD – 1:37)
- Blind Fury (HD – 1:25)
- The Octagon (SD – 2:29)
- Sudden Death (HD – 2:16)
- Fright (Upscaled SD – 1:23)
- The Mercenary (SD – 1:54)
Anyone familiar with critics and action film historians Mike Leeder and Arne Venema and their brand of commentary will know exactly what they’re in for: a pair of over-caffeinated, yet enthusiastic film fans constantly vying for dominance over the conversation at hand. Some will no doubt find this difficult to listen to, but these two do come to the table with a genuine love for all things action cinema, and you have to appreciate that. The rest of the extras consist of the film’s trailer and trailers for other releases from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.
Fans of the Cannon Group’s brand of 1980s action extravaganzas will no doubt lap up Enter the Ninja if they’ve yet to see it. Kino’s 4K UHD debut upgrades the picture substantially, even the overall package is a little light on the extras.
- Tim Salmons
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