Ninja Thunderbolt

1984 1h 31m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 8

CrimeAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The Ninja Empire has been run by an evil master and one member decides to leave the empire. The ex-Ninja wants a Hong Kong detective to track down the new leader and end his reign of terror. Hong Kong Cut-and-paste edit of a 1984 Taiwanese movie called "To Catch A Thief" (至尊神偷, directed by Gam Ming) with new footage. Apart of IFDs "Thunderbolt" series.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Richard Harrison
Don Wong Tao
Yasuaki Kurata
Chiang Tao
John Ladalski
Pierre Tremblay
Chow Kong
Cheng Fu-Hung

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Godfrey Ho
Writers: Godfrey Ho, Gam Ming
Languages: English
Countries: Hong Kong

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

42 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Ninja Master Gordon Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Godfrey Ho, shot by Cheung Hoi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Editor Wong Ming-Lam shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Richard Harrison and Don Wong Tao and Yasuaki Kurata carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0199850 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Godfrey Ho directs. Cheung Hoi behind the camera. Wong Ming-Lam cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Hong Kong. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

142 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Part of the "Ninja Master Gordon Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Godfrey Ho, shot by Cheung Hoi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Wong Ming-Lam shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Richard Harrison and Don Wong Tao and Yasuaki Kurata carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0199850 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Released under 14 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Cheung Hoi
Editing: Wong Ming-Lam
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): 18
IMDB: Ninja Thunderbolt (1984)

Part of

Ninja Master Gordon Collection

Bound by a sacred code and draped in the colors of war, Ninja Master Gordon faces a relentless onslaught of rival clans and global conspiracies across lethal missions. With every shadow hiding a new assassin and every secret technique pushed to its limit, can Gordon survive the ultimate betrayal that threatens to end his legendary bloodline forever?

Also by

Godfrey Ho

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Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

RottenPop2025-06-26
★ 2/10
If there’s a Mount Rushmore of so-bad-it’s-fun cinema, Godfrey Ho is etched into the granite with a katana. And his 1984 film Ninja Thunderbolt is one of his most gloriously incoherent offerings. Slashed together from various incomplete projects and a few scenes of stock footage, entire sequences are unwatchable, filmed in pitch blackness with ninjas flailing about in the dark. There is even a jarring detour into a ski resort chase, complete with abrupt costume changes and what may or may not be stock footage of a dance party. But I would be lying if I said I didn't have a good time watching at least a few parts of this movie. It’s a rickety roller coaster ride of action and unexpected comedy, including dope car chases with the world’s tiniest little triangle car. It’s such a fun feature for seasoned film fans and lovers of the obscure. For my full thoughts on this baffling classic, check out the complete review on RottenPop: https://rottenpop.substack.com/

Production companies