Space Ninjas is a "comedy slash horror slash sci-fi B movie" from writer-director Scott McQuaid. Set in a confidential location in Asia, during detention at a high school, a group of teens discover they're trapped in a school with space ninja assassins. This goofy low budget movie starring Yi Jane and Damien Zachary follows a ragtag crew of teens as they get picked off one-by-one. Playing off stereotypes and relying on intentionally cheesy dialogue, the blend of goofy comedy and horror action blends into a mix of entertainment that pokes fun at itself.
You could describe the b-movie as a blend of Alien, The Breakfast Club, A Quiet Place and Power Rangers. Featuring The A-Team legend Dirk Benedict, as Jack Strange, the host of the 'Stranger Than Fiction' show that bookends the film... this just sets the tone for the zany film that shifts from character-building one-liners to self-referencing the film-making process itself. While it has many clever ideas and toys with genre, it's all a little underwhelming and alienating. The cast are game and try to find rhythm in the nuttiness of the story, but the irreverent mix of genres and fourth wall breaking routine distance the cast as much as the audience.
There are plenty of wink-wink moments and you get the impression the film-makers have a vast array of film influences coming through. Unfortunately, the screenplay is superficial, the performances are generally impervious and the visual effects don't have enough clout to take on the shortfall. While it's admittedly aiming for b-movie cult status, it's not in the so-bad-it's-good category and doesn't have enough magic to warrant cult status.
Space Ninjas is made by people who love film and you get the impression that they had a great deal of fun bringing their nutty teen slasher to life, embracing their influences and making some good use of the film location. Space Ninjas isn't aggressively bad, demonstrating the film-makers do have the chops to put a movie together. It just struggles to establish a real connection. Perhaps redressing the film by seeing it through the lens of memories, imagination as well as external sources would be more inspired, help anchor the drama and serve the characters better.
As a lightweight yarn, you could do a lot worse. The cast are cute and sassy, although the snarky remarks and flat delivery of lines keeps everything in a bubble, insincere and out of reach. Watching a movie called Space Ninjas, you should already have your expectations in check, but it's just disappointing that they weren't able to make more of the film's The Faculty aspirations.
