American Ninja is a 1985 American martial arts action film produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus's Cannon Films. Directed by Sam Firstenberg, who specialized in this genre in the 1980s, the film stars Michael Dudikoff in the title role and is the first installment in the American Ninja franchise, followed by American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987). It had a mixed reception, but it was a financial success, and since then, it has been considered a cult film.

Plot

As an alternative to prison, young American Joe Armstrong is conscripted into the U.S. Army by a judge. Joe ends up fighting off the Black Star Order of ninjas while stationed in the Philippines. Following an attempted highjacking of the convoy transporting equipment. Joe and his platoon fight off the highjackers and saves the life of Patricia Hickockdaughter of Colonel William Hickock, Joe's commanding officerBut when the rest of Joe's platoon is wiped out by the Black Star ninjas, Joe's popularity with his fellow GIs takes a nosedive even as he is targeted for revenge by the Black Star Master who directs the ninja order.