It has finally come, the week that “Ninja Assassin” opens up around the world.  The movie will be opening out in the U.S. on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.  So should you go or should you stay at home?  If you like RAIN and great fighting sequences, then buy that movie ticket.  If you want to support a Korean man in the lead role of a Hollywood action movie, then definitely go because this movie has a lot of ramifications. If you’ve watched the Matrix franchise, then you’ll see distinct plot elements that originated from the Wachowski brothers who produced Ninja Assassin and directed the Matrix movies.  And you’ll also see unique action direction from James McTeigue who is a student of the Wachowski brothers. The fighting is amazing! But what are the implications I mentioned earlier?
This movie does have implications and Hollywood is closely watching because there are certain realities that have Hollywood rethinking their business model.  Big movie stars used to almost guarantee big box office returns, but there have been enough clunkers from Will Ferrell, Tom Cruise and other big name actors that have caused pause.  DVD sales which used to be a cash cow and help counter clunkers is quickly eroding in the new digital world.  So what does Hollywood need to do to refine or change its model?  It looks overseas because there is a growing global box office.  This is why Ninja Assassin is important because it can demonstrate to Hollywood that you can cast an unknown in a lead role, especially Asian and have success because of the global market.  RAIN is one of Asia’s biggest pop stars and his ability to bring in international box office receipts will pave the way for other Asian stars to enter Hollywood and play critical roles.  If you didn’t know, Ninja Assassin is the big movie that’s kicking off the holiday movie season and it only cost $30M to make. The world is changing and Hollywood knows it and it’s realizing that the traditional model of casting and movie distribution has to change. Whether you like Ninja movies or not, let’s hope that the movie is a success and it paves the way for other Koreans and Asians in Hollywood.
For our interview with RAIN, check out the video below.

Check out the movie clips from Ninja Assassin. The fighting is real good!







credits: koreanbeacon