Jû shichinin no ninja

Smart and ninja movie rarely occur in the same sentence. Most ninja movies do not even have ninjas. The word was added during the VHS rental years along with a picture that also had nothing to do with the material. Then there is this movie. I can't recall how I came across a copy because I never heard of it yet I own thousands of martial arts movies. One day I watched it and it was unforgettable. The script was perfectly written, the actors could act, and the action - though minimal - was good. It's a brainy strategy story where every move the good guys try is anticipated by the villain. Everything goes wrong from start to finish yet the good guys somehow manage to come out on top. This movie has my highest recommendation to fans of the genre and I will add that cliché that it does indeed transcend the genre it is that good.