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
Episode 293 - On Deadly Ground
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves?
This week, Brad and Troy dive into the wild, weird world of one of cinema’s most unique action heroes — Steven Seagal — and his 1994 directorial debut, On Deadly Ground. What happens when you blend Road House bar‑brawling energy, sprinkle in a little Dances with Wolves spiritualism, and top it off with the explosive absurdity of Commando? You get Seagal as a Native American eco‑warrior battling a cartoonishly evil oil company that’s tearing up the Alaskan wilderness.
And if that’s not enough, Michael Caine shows up with the greasiest hair of his career, there’s a bar scene that might belong in the Action Movie Hall of Fame, and Seagal delivers environmental monologues with the confidence that only Steven Seagal can deliver.
Is it poorly written? Without question. Is Seagal a terrible director? Oh, absolutely. But does that stop On Deadly Ground from being a fascinating, ridiculous, and thoroughly entertaining action‑adventure? Not a chance.
Strap in — this one’s a blizzard of bad decisions, big explosions, and pure ’90s action madness.
On Deadly Ground is directed by Steven Seagal and stars Steven Seagal, Michael Cine, Joan, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, Shari Shattuck, Billy Bob Thornton, Richard Hamilton, Sven-Ole Thorsen, and Mike Starr.
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.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb! —the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: was it really that bad? We’re celebrating five years of cinematic redemption.
For the month of January, Not A Bomb asks a very important cinematic question: what happens when actors decide that being in front of the camera just isn’t enough and take a shot at directing themselves?
This week, Brad and Troy dive into the wild, weird world of one of cinema’s most unique action heroes — Steven Seagal — and his 1994 directorial debut, On Deadly Ground. What happens when you blend Road House bar‑brawling energy, sprinkle in a little Dances with Wolves spiritualism, and top it off with the explosive absurdity of Commando? You get Seagal as a Native American eco‑warrior battling a cartoonishly evil oil company that’s tearing up the Alaskan wilderness.
And if that’s not enough, Michael Caine shows up with the greasiest hair of his career, there’s a bar scene that might belong in the Action Movie Hall of Fame, and Seagal delivers environmental monologues with the confidence that only Steven Seagal can deliver.
Is it poorly written? Without question. Is Seagal a terrible director? Oh, absolutely. But does that stop On Deadly Ground from being a fascinating, ridiculous, and thoroughly entertaining action‑adventure? Not a chance.
Strap in — this one’s a blizzard of bad decisions, big explosions, and pure ’90s action madness.
On Deadly Ground is directed by Steven Seagal and stars Steven Seagal, Michael Cine, Joan, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, Shari Shattuck, Billy Bob Thornton, Richard Hamilton, Sven-Ole Thorsen, and Mike Starr.
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.