There was a delay with the subtitles in the copy of Alien vs. Ninja I rented the other day, and the translation would appear on the screen 20 to 30 seconds after the sentence had been spoken, if it appeared at all. It didn't really matter too much however inasmuch as I could gather what was going on simply by watching (there are a group of ninjas, aliens arrive out of nowhere, they fight).
The film's a lot of fun, because, on the one hand, when the heroes stop to discuss things, it seems as if it's taking itself rather seriously, while, on the other, whenever battle or the comic relief is introduced, it's obvious that it is well aware of its ridiculous nature.
Excessively serious ridiculousness is a winning combination in my books, in the realm of kitschy film production, meaning Alien vs. Ninja worked for me.
It may not have worked if I had a better grasp of the linguistic momentum, but the exaggerations were striking without being overbearing, the ways in which director Seiji Chiba catered to his audience's tastes were appreciated, logic was appealed to and ignored depending on the improvisations of the design, aliens fighting ninjas equals good, potentially entertaining possibilities are ignored in favour of bizarre fluctuations, and classic sci-fi franchises such as Alien and Predator are unabashedly lampooned, while Chiba borrows heavily from their storylines nonetheless.
Perhaps Aliens and Ninjas fighting in a campy over-the-top romp with spur of the moment production values isn't for you, I really don't know, but if you're interested in a bit of lighthearted nauseating questionable roguishness, Alien vs. Ninja will cater to your needs, while causing you to recklessly twist and squirm.
Before or after basketball practice.
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