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Beware the Tween Ninjas: Surviving the Chaos of "The Shadow Strays" (2024)

Writer's picture: Dan BrooksDan Brooks

Codename 13, a 17-year-old trained assassin is under suspension because of a sloppy mission in Japan. The girl built a conscience when she met Monji, an 11 year old boy who lost his mother to a crime syndicate. When Monji is captured, 13 is hellbent on setting a path of destruction to rescue the boy, including going against her mentor and the organization who hires her, the Shadow.




Hey there, Dan here. Let’s talk about “The Shadow Strays,” a film that makes you realize that, in the grand tapestry of cinematic assassins, sometimes it’s the teenage girl with a heart of gold (and fists of fury) who can outshine the big boys. So, gather ‘round the proverbial campfire, my friends, because if you like martial arts, teenage angst, and more flying fists than a barrel full of chimpanzees on Red Bull, then get ready for a doozy of a ride.


Setting the Stage

I remember the moment I stumbled upon “The Shadow Strays” trailer on YouTube. I was in the midst of a sugar-fueled browsing binge, you know, the kind where you're three tabs shy of crashing your browser. Suddenly, out of the swirling digital ether, I was assaulted by the promise of ninjas, espionage, and teenage drama. This was the trifecta of my misguided youth all rolled into one cinematic cocktail. My snacks nearly jumped out of my hand in excitement—little did I know I was about to dive into a story of a 17-year-old assassin who can do more backflips than the U.S. Men’s Gymnastics team, and still manage to have an existential crisis about her life path. If that doesn’t ring your bell, you might want to check if you still have a pulse.


The film stars the fierce trio of Aurora Ribero, Hana Malasan, and Taskya Namya—they’re like the unstoppable trifecta of female action stardom, except these ladies prefer swords, throwing knives, and morally questionable missions to your typical red-carpet photo op. Now, if you’ve been wondering where the strong women in cinema have gone, let me just say: they’ve apparently relocated to a hidden ninja fortress in some nondescript location in Asia, training 24/7 with swords, nunchucks, and a healthy dose of resentment at the patriarchy. And, oh boy, is it entertaining.


Plot: A Teenage Assassin with a Conscience

Let’s talk plot. Actually, hold on—I feel a wisecrack coming on. You see, Codename 13 (that’s our teenage assassin’s moniker) is 17 years old, which basically makes her old enough to go to prom, but she’d rather show off her layered skill set by disassembling her enemies faster than you can say “SAT prep.” It’s like someone combined The Hunger Games with “Kill Bill” and then sprinkled in a dash of teen drama for good measure.


Codename 13 is under suspension from her shadowy organization—aptly named “the Shadow”—because she got sloppy on her last mission in Japan. And by “sloppy,” I mean she actually left behind fewer bodies than she was supposed to. Or maybe it was because she developed a conscience? Hey, I was so busy gawking at her high-kick that the specifics might have soared right over my head.


During said mission, she meets Monji, an 11-year-old boy who’s lost his mother to a crime syndicate. Because if there’s one thing that can melt a jaded teenage assassin’s heart, it’s a sad orphan with a face that could easily grace a heart-wrenching UNICEF ad. She might be able to carve a throwing star out of an aluminum can, but the second you put a lost boy’s tears in the mix, her assassin façade cracks like a third-rate piñata.


Flash forward: Monji is captured by the same crime syndicate—because obviously, they’re big fans of the old “kidnap the cute kid to bring out the hero’s unstoppable rage” trope. And guess what? It works like a charm. Codename 13 is instantly on a mission to rescue him, consequences be damned. She’s so determined to save the kid that she’s willing to blow up her relationship with her mentor, her entire organization, and possibly all the carefully placed potpourri in the local ninja gift shop. (I assume ninjas have gift shops, because otherwise what do they do during downtime?)


Suddenly, we have ourselves a story: a teenage assassin with an existential crisis, an 11-year-old boy who’s in dire need of therapy, and a secret organization known only as The Shadow that’s about as nurturing as a cactus. If that doesn’t hook you, my friend, you might want to get your entertainment taste buds checked.


The Cast: Queens of Kicking Butt

Aurora Ribero: She’s that stoic, brooding presence that says “I’ve done unspeakable things in dark alleys, but I still have an adorable soft spot for small children and lost puppies.” Her performance brings Codename 13 to life. She’s lethal, she’s nimble, and she’s got more conflicting emotions than a teenage poet locked in a Hot Topic. At times, you’ll catch a glimmer of heartbreak in her eyes—like she’s on the verge of tears right after delivering a roundhouse kick. It’s mesmerizing, folks.


Hana Malasan: This lady plays a pivotal role—I won’t spoil exactly who she is (though you can probably guess she’s either a mentor figure or a menacing assassin or both—film logic, you know?). Her presence on screen is like an electric charge. She’s somewhere between Yoda-level wise and that unhinged friend who’s always ready to throw down at the slightest provocation. If she’s the mentor, then sign me up for her assassin training seminars, because I’ve never seen advice delivered so intensely in my life.


Taskya Namya: She steps into the fray with an energy that screams, “I can outfight you and outsmart you while still looking impeccably cool.” She’s also part of the ensemble of lethal women who apparently never skip leg day. Every time she appears, you can practically feel the tension ratchet up a notch, like someone tightened a guitar string to the verge of snapping. Then she leaps into combat, and that string snaps—in the best possible way.


The dynamic among these three is reminiscent of a triple threat in wrestling: you never know who’ll team up with whom or who’ll betray whom at the last minute. It’s the kind of drama that keeps you biting your nails down to your knuckles.

Tantalizing Tidbits and Trouble Spots


Now, let’s wade through the good, the bad, and the downright bizarre.


What I liked:

Assassins + Martial Arts + Shadow Ninjas: If that combination doesn’t warm your heart, you might need a soul transfusion. The action set pieces are relentless. One minute, you’re watching a high-octane chase scene on the rooftops; the next minute, it’s a quiet infiltration mission in a lavish Japanese estate. The ninjas appear from the darkness like they got a group discount on black spandex. It’s fun, it’s thrilling, it’s everything you want from a martial arts flick.


The Violence is Strong with This One: Let’s not mince words—this film is savage. Blades, guns, fists—if it can be used to beat the living daylights out of someone, it makes an appearance. You’ll probably be gasping “Ouch!” every five minutes. We’re talking about real break-your-bones sort of fight scenes, so if you’re squeamish, maybe watch this with a teddy bear in one hand and a comforting blanket in the other.


Plenty of Decent Fighting Scenes: Wait, didn’t we just talk about violence? Well, yes, but violence and fighting scenes are two distinct metrics in my world. Violence is the overall brutality factor. Fighting scenes are about the choreography, the artistry, the dance of combat. And “The Shadow Strays” doesn’t disappoint. The moves are crisp, the combos are impressive, and the stunt team apparently had a workshop in how to launch themselves into the air like ballistic missiles.


A Great Final Battle Between the Women Assassins: If you’re all about female empowerment, this is your moment of zen. The culminating brawl between our top-tier female assassins is like a raging storm at sea: lightning fast, unpredictable, and potentially capable of sinking any ship dumb enough to venture near. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a katana (and trust me, they do). The final battle is a masterclass in how to stage an intense, high-risk fight without losing the emotional stakes.


What I disliked:

The English Dubbing is Hilarious: Picture this: a stoic ninja quietly delivering a line in an intense moment. You’re on the edge of your seat, breath bated—and then the dub voice is some nasally tone that sounds like it belongs in a 1980s Saturday morning cartoon. I couldn’t stop laughing. It’s a bit like reciting Shakespeare in a clown costume. You want to take it seriously, but you end up focusing on the squeaky clown shoes. My advice: if you can handle subtitles, do yourself a favor and watch it in its original language. Thank me later.


The Dialog is Hideous: Remember those old Kung Fu movies where the line deliveries were about as nuanced as a hammer to the head? We get a reminiscent vibe here. Sometimes you wonder if the script was run through a half-broken translation machine. Lines come out stilted and awkward, enough to make you cringe. I get it—ninja assassin flicks aren’t typically winning Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, but a modicum of coherence would be nice.


Some of the Camera Angles Are Sickening with Their Spins: I’m not sure if the director was trying to induce vertigo or if the cinematographer went rogue and decided to pivot the camera like a whirling dervish on a sugar high. Either way, certain scenes spin so much I half-expected the cast of The Exorcist to pop up. I found myself wanting to staple my feet to the floor. If you suffer from motion sickness, maybe keep a barf bag handy (or a strategically placed bucket).


The Teenage Assassin Archetype: A Deep Dive

Let’s take a quick philosophical detour—because what’s a witty blog without a little existential navel-gazing? If you look at the tapestry of cinematic assassins, you’ll find everything from James Bond’s classy suaveness to John Wick’s unstoppable vengeance. Then you get to the teenage killers, and you realize there’s something uniquely twisted in that concept: a person not old enough to vote, yet skilled enough to dismantle half an army.


Codename 13 embraces this archetype with both arms and tosses in a heart of gold. It’s a tried-and-true formula: give the ruthless killer a reason to care, watch them grapple with morality, and wait for the fireworks to commence. If you’re the kind of person who loves seeing an assassin question her life choices (while systematically tossing bad guys around like rag dolls), then oh boy, does this flick deliver. There’s a moral complexity to it. We see her trying to figure out whether saving one life can redeem all the countless ones she’s ended. It’s like an ethical seesaw, teetering between redemption and ruthless efficiency.


There’s also the mentor dynamic. Usually, in these kinds of films, the mentor is the older, wiser assassin who’s either all for the life of crime or has a tortured backstory. Without giving away too much, let’s just say the tension between Codename 13 and her mentor is the emotional anchor that sets the stage for a major conflict. You don’t raise a teenage assassin in a comfy suburban home with a white picket fence, folks. This is a secret organization. They’re not about to hand out participation trophies for moral fortitude.


“The Shadow Strays” in the Grand Scheme of Martial Arts Cinema

Now, if you’re a hardcore martial arts film buff, you’re likely aware that the genre has a storied history. We’ve got the Shaw Brothers classics, Bruce Lee’s game-changers, Jackie Chan’s comedic stunt extravaganzas, Donnie Yen’s tight-wire mastery, and the list goes on. Where does “The Shadow Strays” fit into this pantheon of flying kicks and epic showdowns?


Well, it’s been recognized—on December 6, 2024, the editors of Taekwondo Life Magazine bestowed upon it the lofty accolade of #1 Martial Arts Film of 2024. Now, that’s like telling me that my questionable potluck casserole just won “Dish of the Year” from the Culinary Institute. I’m flattered, but are we sure about that? Jokes aside, it’s a real testament to the film’s core strength: the martial arts sequences. Those are top-tier. If for nothing else, you should watch this movie to catch the mesmerizing choreography.


I would, however, caution the viewer not to expect an Oscar-worthy narrative or mind-blowing character arcs. This is a film about ninjas and assassins—and a kid to rescue. It’s a ride, a spectacle, an excuse to ogle unbelievably athletic people beating the daylights out of each other. Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.


Overall Impressions and Conclusion

So, where does that leave us with “The Shadow Strays”? It’s undeniably entertaining, filled with flair, and anchored by strong performances from Aurora Ribero, Hana Malasan, and Taskya Namya. The action sequences are standouts, the final battle is must-see, and the concept of a teenage assassin growing a conscience is as reliably thrilling as you’d hope.


On the downside, the English dubbing is comedic gold for all the wrong reasons, the dialogue can be cringe-tastic, and the camera angles might just make your stomach churn if you watch it on a big enough screen. But hey, if you go into this film looking for a top-notch martial arts extravaganza, you won’t be disappointed. The plot is enough to keep you engaged, if not for its logic, then for its unstoppable momentum. Think of it like a roller coaster: you’re not there to dissect the track design, you’re there to scream with joy (or fear) as it loops you around.


Is it a masterpiece? Probably not. But it’s an adrenaline-fueled joyride that’ll satisfy your craving for stylized violence and high-octane female-led fight scenes. And sometimes, that’s all we really need from our cinematic escapes, right?


All right, here’s the bottom line. After considering the dazzling martial arts, the occasionally nauseating camerawork, and the so-bad-it’s-good English dubbing, I give “The Shadow Strays” a 6.5/10.


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