Fun fact: I bet you didn’t know that Norway had Ninjas during the cold war. While that fact is probably debatable, it is a 100% accurate when you watch the latest Scandinavian feature to hit the US home entertainment market, Norwegian Ninja, due to hit the shelves on August 30th thanks to Dark Sky Films.
The film, which is directed/written by Thomas Cappelen Malling, is a spoof on the true story of Arne Treholt, the biggest traitor in Norway’s history who, in 1984, was convicted of being a Soviet Spy. The film asks us to question the validity of his conviction. What if, instead of being a Russian Spy, Treholt was actually part of a secret ninja force that was created by the king himself? This movie is about the ninja force’s attempts to maintain order and crush those who attempt to threaten Norway’s sovereignty. This is the true story of Arne Treholt.
When I first heard about this film I probably had a similar reaction to you. Ninjas in Norway? No ‘effin way! And then when the trailer appeared all of our doubts went right out the window as the film portrayed exactly what it promised, all with the added bonus that the film was also shot like it was made in the early 1980s. When you watch the movie it looks like you’re watching an old VHS which give it that authentic quality to it, especially since Malling blended actual footage from the Treholt affair with his new take on history. Suffice to say the movie looked very authentic even though you knew it was all a sham.
Mads Ousdal stars as the lead in this film, Arnie Treholt, and I think he does a pretty good job. He, along with all the other actors, takes the film seriously with a slight comedicc undertone which helps make the film that much more enjoyable to watch. It is the straight faced demeanor that definitely keeps the flick level headed and is what helps move the film along until the it ends and all is revealed about the Ninja force.
As you may have guessed I was pretty excited to watch this movie. When I think of Norway, Ninjas are the last thing that come to mind so when I saw all the reviews and footage I said to myself, “this is going to be hilarious.” Now, I can’t say that I was completely wrong but it was nowhere near as funny as I hoped it would be. The film was wildly clever and I give it credit there, but for laugh at loud moments there were very few. What I loved were all the little things that the Ninjas did, specifically when they would appear and disappear using a smoke bomb. It was literally instant and hysterical every time the technique was used. Also, every time Arnie would smoke a 
cigarette he wouldn’t place it into his mouth but flicking it up into his mouth from down by his belly button. It was really funny to watch and is another one of those small things that really got you going. Unfortunately for the film, those were two of probably four main instances where I really laughed, maybe it’s because I’m not Norwegian and never learned about the Treholt affair.
As for the special features on the DVD itself, it has three Deleted Scenes, six Bonus Scenes, six featurettes including an interview with actor Mads Ousal, writer-director Thomas Capplen Malling, and producer Eric Vogel as well as a music video and multiple trailers and funny TV spots for the film. My favorite section had to be all the featurettes because they showed all the behind the scenes work for most of the really interesting scenes and how they were filmed. Additionally, the interviews were great because it gave you some sort of context for the film and how serious/comical the actual process of creating the story was. There is a lot of in-depth content in the special features section and, while some of it may be a little boring, the rest of it is either funny or really interesting for those who love to see how movies are made.
Overall, Norwegian Ninja was a very clever spoof that was very well done. It stays true to the filmmaking principles of the early 80s while expertly blending fact and fiction to make a decent movie. Although it was not nearly as funny as I had hoped, it is an adventurous espionage flick that some will definitely come to love. It’s a film that I would consider renting before purchasing just so you know what you are getting yourself into.
Rating: A clever and original spoof that lacks the laughs that the title seems to promise (Movie-5.5/10; DVD-6.5/10)
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