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
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
NAB Presents: Breaking Brad - Experiment 2: The Apple (1980)
Welcome back to Not A Bomb Presents: Breaking Brad! Troy, Sammy from the GGTMC, and Jose from the Watch/Skip+ pick some of the worst films imaginable to see if they can break Brad. On this episode, the gang tackles what is considered to be the worst musical of all time, The Apple (1980). Written and directed by Menahem Golan, The Apple is a biblical, Orwellian, futuristic anti-corporation musical where the evil music label, Boogalow International Music (BIM), tries to sign Adam and Eve….wait sorry…Alphie and Bibi to their record label. What follows is some of the worst music ever created. Oh yeah, and there are hippies for no reason. Don’t worry! Catherin Mary Stewart is still amazing and this film can’t diminish her awesomeness (yeah, Troy took over writing this post). Does The Apple have what it takes to Break Brad? Listen and find out!
Be sure to subscribe to the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema to hear more of Sammy. Also, check out Jose’s podcast - Watch/Skip+ • A podcast on Anchor. Both are highly recommended.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb Presents: Breaking Brad! Troy, Sammy from the GGTMC, and Jose from the Watch/Skip+ pick some of the worst films imaginable to see if they can break Brad. On this episode, the gang tackles what is considered to be the worst musical of all time, The Apple (1980). Written and directed by Menahem Golan, The Apple is a biblical, Orwellian, futuristic anti-corporation musical where the evil music label, Boogalow International Music (BIM), tries to sign Adam and Eve….wait sorry…Alphie and Bibi to their record label. What follows is some of the worst music ever created. Oh yeah, and there are hippies for no reason. Don’t worry! Catherin Mary Stewart is still amazing and this film can’t diminish her awesomeness (yeah, Troy took over writing this post). Does The Apple have what it takes to Break Brad? Listen and find out!
Be sure to subscribe to the Gentlemen’s Guide to Midnite Cinema to hear more of Sammy. Also, check out Jose’s podcast - Watch/Skip+ • A podcast on Anchor. Both are highly recommended.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.