BEVERLY HILLS NINJA
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 3.0 Alternative Scale: *1/2 out of ****
United States, 1997 Release date: 1/17/97 (wide) Running Length: 1:30 MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Crude humor, mature themes) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Chris Farley, Robin Shou, Nicollette Sheridan, Chris Rock, Soon Tek-Oh, Nathaniel Parker Director: Dennis Dugan Producers: Brad Krevoy, Steve Stabler, Bran Jenkel Screenplay: Mark Feldberg & Mitch Klebanoff Cinematography: Arthur Albert Music: George S. Clinton U.S. Distributor: TriStar Pictures
Early publicity for BEVERLY HILLS NINJA offered reasons for optimism. Print ads released last summer trumpeted the starring duo of Chris Farley, the heir apparent to John Candy's brand of "big man" humor, and Jackie Chan, the human pretzel. Somewhere along the way, however, Chan bowed out -- probably as soon as he read the script (credited to Mark Feldberg and Mitch Klebanoff). I don't know the exact reason for the action superstar's defection, but, given the final product (and it doesn't take a great deal of imagination to guess what his role would have been), it was probably a wise career move. Chan's latest effort to hit U.S. shores, FIRST STRIKE, may not be the best movie released this month, but it's a significant improvement over this lame comedy.
BEVERLY HILLS NINJA is essentially a one-joke film. That joke has to do with Chris Farley (TOMMY BOY, BLACK SHEEP), who plays one of the clumsiest men on Earth, crashing into objects or having things fall on his head. There's a reason why cartoons, which often rely on similar tactics, are only a few minutes long. The first few times Farley gets hammered, there is some amusement value, but, soon after, it grows repetitious, then tedious. The movie can't seem to find anything more entertaining or original to do than having its star walk into lamp posts, crash through glass windows, or smack his head on tree branches. Is this what American movie-goers really want to see? Or is it just what Hollywood, which is known for underestimating viewers' intelligence, thinks they're looking for?
As a baby, Haru (Farley) is found by a Ninja clan and raised as one of their own. Initially, they hope he is the "Great White Ninja" whose coming is foretold by prophecy, but disappointment arrives when it becomes apparent that he can't master the most basic skills necessary to be a warrior. Haru's brother, Gobei (Robin Shou), puts it bluntly: "He's fat, he's a fool, and he's an embarrassment to Ninjas everywhere." Determined to prove himself, Haru agrees to help Alison Page (Nicollette Sheridan), a blond damsel in distress who comes to the Ninjas seeking aid. Mistaking Haru for a master, she asks him to spy on her good-for- nothing boyfriend (Nathaniel Parker). Shortly thereafter, she disappears, and Haru fears for her safety. After finding a match book that says "Beverly Hills", he decides to go after her, in case she needs rescuing. His adopted father, the venerable Ninja master, Sensei (Soon Tek-Oh), sends Gobei to the States as Haru's "shadow." Once in California, Haru makes all the usual "fish out of water" mistakes, none of which lead to anything close to the level of humor attained by better films with similar ideas, such as CROCODILE DUNDEE.
It's rather amazing to see how agile Farley is in certain situations (he performed some of his own stunts), but his unexpected athleticism doesn't make up for the film's lack of entertaining material. BEVERLY HILLS NINJA is even less ambitious than director Dennis Dugan's last feature, HAPPY GILMORE. At least that movie has an edge; this one doesn't have anything. Farley might want to be like John Candy, but, while Candy knew how to make an audience laugh, Farley keeps missing the mark. His brand of humor, which doesn't vary significantly from film-to-film, isn't just juvenile, it's lackluster and unfunny. And, because BEVERLY HILLS NINJA relies so heavily on the comic's limited talent, the movie sinks like a rock. No one, not even Jackie Chan with all of his enthralling derring-do, could have saved BEVERLY HILLS NINJA from its ignominious fate.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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