Episode 302 - American Ninja vs The Hunted (Movie Matchup Edition)
For the entire month of March, the guys at Not A Bomb are throwing it back to their old Movie Matchup format, pitting notorious box office bombs against each other in a battle for redemption. Two flops enter… only one survives. There can only be one!
This week, Troy and Brad are strapping on their headbands, polishing their katana, and diving into a matchup that blends ‘80s martial‑arts mayhem with ‘90s neo‑samurai intensity. It’s a clash of cultures, a duel of destinies, and—let’s be honest, a celebration of that timeless cinematic art form: white‑guy karate. That’s right, it’s American Ninja vs. The Hunted, and the dojo has never been more chaotic.
American Ninja (1985)
Directed by Sam Firstenberg and starring Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, Judie Aronson, and Tadashi Yamashita, this Cannon Films classic is the apex of Reagan‑era martial‑arts absurdity. It’s a movie where ninjas fall from trees like confetti, the U.S. Army apparently has no HR department, and the choreography proudly screams, “We taught this guy karate last week.” A cult favorite for anyone who believes the greatest martial art is confidence.
The Hunted (1995)
Directed by J.F. Lawton and starring Christopher Lambert, John Lone, Joan Chen, and Yoshio Harada, this sleek, bloody thriller drops a confused American businessman into a centuries‑old samurai feud. Lambert, armed with nothing but bewilderment and the fighting instincts of a man who once took a weekend aikido class. It’s stylish, atmospheric, and surprisingly intense, proving that even in the ‘90s, Hollywood couldn’t resist the allure of “What if a regular white guy accidentally became part of a ninja war?”
The Matchup
This isn’t just a duel—it’s a full‑blown martial‑arts heavyweight fight. Cannon‑era ninja chaos vs. moody samurai noir. Dudikoff’s “I guess I’m a ninja now” energy vs. Lambert’s “I definitely did not sign up for this” panic. Troy and Brad break down which film kicks harder, which one stumbles, and which earns the coveted weekly crown. Expect shurikens, sword fights, questionable accents, and enough white‑guy karate to power a VHS dojo.
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
Episode 301 - Gladiator (1992) vs Diggstown (Movie Matchup March)
There’s something special about early ‘90s boxing movies. They live in that sweet spot between grit and charm—before everything became overly polished, but after the genre had already gone a few rounds with audiences. For Episode 301 of Not A Bomb, we step into the ring with two films that don’t always get a title shot: Gladiator (1992) and Diggstown (1992).
Here is the tale of the tape:
Gladiator (1992)
Gladiator comes out swinging with raw, underground energy. It’s a coming-of-age story that doesn’t pull its punches, following a young fighter caught in a world where every decision feels like going toe-to-toe with disaster.
This movie fights in close quarters, dirty, aggressive, and personal. There’s no dancing around the ring here. Every hit lands, and you feel it. It’s the kind of film that wins on sheer grit… even if it occasionally looks like it forgot the game plan between rounds.
Gladiator Rowdy Herrington and stars Cuba Gooding Jr., James Marshall, Robert Loggia, Ossie Davis, and Brain Dennehy.
Diggstown (1992)
Diggstown, meanwhile, is light on its feet and heavy on charm. It’s less about haymakers and more about the long con—built around a bet that feels like the cinematic equivalent of calling your shot before the fight even starts.
This film shadowboxes with expectations. It jabs, it dodges, and every now and then it lands a clever uppercut of a twist. It may not hit as hard as Gladiator, but it definitely knows how to score points with the judges (and the audience).
Diggstown is directed by Michael Ritchie and stars James Woods, Louis Gossett Jr., Oliver Platt, Heather Graham, Bruce Dern
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
There’s something special about early ‘90s boxing movies. They live in that sweet spot between grit and charm—before everything became overly polished, but after the genre had already gone a few rounds with audiences. For Episode 301 of Not A Bomb, we step into the ring with two films that don’t always get a title shot: Gladiator (1992) and Diggstown (1992).
Here is the tale of the tape:
Gladiator (1992)
Gladiator comes out swinging with raw, underground energy. It’s a coming-of-age story that doesn’t pull its punches, following a young fighter caught in a world where every decision feels like going toe-to-toe with disaster.
This movie fights in close quarters, dirty, aggressive, and personal. There’s no dancing around the ring here. Every hit lands, and you feel it. It’s the kind of film that wins on sheer grit… even if it occasionally looks like it forgot the game plan between rounds.
Gladiator Rowdy Herrington and stars Cuba Gooding Jr., James Marshall, Robert Loggia, Ossie Davis, and Brain Dennehy.
Diggstown (1992)
Diggstown, meanwhile, is light on its feet and heavy on charm. It’s less about haymakers and more about the long con—built around a bet that feels like the cinematic equivalent of calling your shot before the fight even starts.
This film shadowboxes with expectations. It jabs, it dodges, and every now and then it lands a clever uppercut of a twist. It may not hit as hard as Gladiator, but it definitely knows how to score points with the judges (and the audience).
Diggstown is directed by Michael Ritchie and stars James Woods, Louis Gossett Jr., Oliver Platt, Heather Graham, Bruce Dern
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
Episode 296 - Man with the Iron Fists
For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. This week, Troy and Brad shift gears from grounded crime dramas to full‑throttle grindhouse fantasy as they explore their first film from RZA — the Wu‑Tang Clan legend turned filmmaker — with his 2012 martial‑arts epic The Man with the Iron Fists.
Set in the chaotic, neon‑splashed world of Jungle Village, the film follows a humble blacksmith who becomes entangled in a violent power struggle between assassins, warriors, mercenaries, and one extremely committed Russell Crowe. Drawing inspiration from Shaw Brothers classics, spaghetti westerns, and old‑school kung fu cinema, RZA blends genre homage with his own hip‑hop sensibilities to create something loud, stylish, and completely unrestrained.
With bone‑crunching fight scenes, outrageous characters, and a world that feels ripped straight from a fever‑dream comic book, The Man with the Iron Fists asks a simple question: can pure passion and love for martial‑arts cinema overcome a chaotic script and some questionable acting choices? Troy and Brad dig into RZA’s directorial vision, the film’s wild production energy, and why this gonzo kung‑fu mashup has earned a cult following.
Sharpen your blades — this one gets rowdy.
The Man with the Iron Fists is directed by RZA and stars Russell Crowe, Cung Lee, Lucy Liu, Bryon Mann, RZA, Rick Yune, David Bautista, and Jamie Chung
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
For the month of February, Not A Bomb is shining a spotlight on some of the greatest Black directors in cinematic history. This week, Troy and Brad shift gears from grounded crime dramas to full‑throttle grindhouse fantasy as they explore their first film from RZA — the Wu‑Tang Clan legend turned filmmaker — with his 2012 martial‑arts epic The Man with the Iron Fists.
Set in the chaotic, neon‑splashed world of Jungle Village, the film follows a humble blacksmith who becomes entangled in a violent power struggle between assassins, warriors, mercenaries, and one extremely committed Russell Crowe. Drawing inspiration from Shaw Brothers classics, spaghetti westerns, and old‑school kung fu cinema, RZA blends genre homage with his own hip‑hop sensibilities to create something loud, stylish, and completely unrestrained.
With bone‑crunching fight scenes, outrageous characters, and a world that feels ripped straight from a fever‑dream comic book, The Man with the Iron Fists asks a simple question: can pure passion and love for martial‑arts cinema overcome a chaotic script and some questionable acting choices? Troy and Brad dig into RZA’s directorial vision, the film’s wild production energy, and why this gonzo kung‑fu mashup has earned a cult following.
Sharpen your blades — this one gets rowdy.
The Man with the Iron Fists is directed by RZA and stars Russell Crowe, Cung Lee, Lucy Liu, Bryon Mann, RZA, Rick Yune, David Bautista, and Jamie Chung
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.