Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow

Based on the anime and manga series Naruto by Massashi Kishimoto, this tale begins with Princess Gale and the seven coloured chakra defeating the evil enemy, leaving you wondering where the story can go. It becomes apparent that this is just a movie within a movie and Princess Gale is actually Yukie Fujikaze, an actress that Naruto and his team of ninjas are on a mission to protect as they embark on a journey to the land of snow. The leading lady is annoying, unlikeable and struggles to gain any sympathy, yet Naruto's constant will to never give up is the overbearing moral of the story. The intertwining of the actual plot and the film that Yukie is shooting becomes quite farcical, and while there are twists and turns throughout they are predictable and unoriginal. The ninja superpowers are captivating, from avalanches of wolves to fighting white whales, and the ju-jitsu taking place is far fetched and thoroughly enjoyable. However, this instalment in the Naruto missions is only for hardcore fans and most could give the American accents, exaggerated expressions and evil English villains a miss. [Lara Moloney]