Ninja 2: Weapons

Here is the frank and honest review which has been seen in so many popular magic sites around the Internet by RT Showmann....

Ninja 2 - Weapons : Formal Review by RT Showmann
(A growing reputation in magic's underground keeps RT Showmann busy in some of the biggest magic sites around the Internet.  A superb card magician in his own right, he is the ideal candidate to review N-2.)

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Formal Review by RT Showmann

The ‘Street Magic Package’ seemed primarily okay for amateurs. ‘Ninja-1 Advanced Stealth Technique’ appeared overrated due to excess hype it received on the internet.

How does ellusionist®’s latest installment differ from the site’s past products devoted to ‘satisfying its customers?’

I’m going to put this as straight forward as I possibly can: ‘Ninja 2 - Weapons’ is, by far, one of the most intriguing, educating, and entertaining videos I currently own.

The video surpassed all my expectations, and it's challenging content definitely took me by surprise. After viewing the first two videos, I was skeptical to see what else Brad and the team could do for me; Ninja 2 not only showed me a good time visually, it added about ten different sleights and effects to my current repertoire.  Ninja-2 is awesome.

I am a current member of the IBM, and I have several mentors teaching me the knowledge they’ve absorbed throughout the years. Whenever they perform a certain effect or sleight that I feel could be accomplished by a different, more effective method, they politely talk through their teeth, and clearly ignore my advice.

It’s rare to come upon an experienced instructor who actually listens to his students in the field of magic. 

Brad Christian openly responds to his customers, and strives to better the quality of his work and projects. He can actually take critical feedback, whether it be for him or against him, and accept people’s opinions in order to improve everything he does. All the flaws that were blatantly obvious in the first two videos were properly and professionally corrected with Ninja 2.

Rare sleights people may not have seen before.

Most of the video footage takes place outdoors, one on one with the camera to make learning comfortable for the viewer of the tape. Christian puts in as much detail as he can teaching rare sleights people may have never seen before, and the superb camera work makes each subtlety easier to comprehend.

Unlike Ninja 1, Brad takes as much time as he feels necessary to go over what each sleight and effect should look like, how everything is performed, and what added key points students should pay extra attention to. His articulation is much better than either of the first two videos combined, thus making Ninja 2’s material even more impressive to study.

Two main sections in the video

The video is split into two main sections. The first half seems to be dedicated to sleights and tools for the learner to practice and incorporate into his own routines. Brad Christian succeeds in demonstrating how the sleights appear as well as how they are achieved.

This half of the video proved to be very useful, because it inspires people to become original performers and actually create their own effects or modify classic tricks using modern moves. Not many videos offer such a choice; instructional videos of our day usually just give cliché effects that many people have already seen. The sleights offered on Ninja 2 are top notch and rarely used material. I was amazed at how much I’ve learned from the footage.

The second half of the video consists of several effects and routines that are very enjoyable to witness being performed.

I enjoyed watching these routines as inspirations to incorporate certain aspects into the material I already perform. I especially liked watching Brad’s version of the Ambitious Card. It’s a well orchestrated routine, filled with rises, transpositions, appearances and vanishes. Brad’s creativity radiantly glowed as he performed the effect. Other highlights include:

1) Triumph - This version uses a constantly overlooked false shuffle that many will enjoy seeing.

2) Rossini Revelation - I personally used to do this a long time ago, and completely forgot about it. Seeing Brad perform it again demonstrated its impact on lay audiences.

3) Marlo Impossible Card Change - I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this video online. When I saw how it was done, I laughed to myself, and I’m definitely going to add it into my current routine. Very clever concept.

Brad actually takes the time to respond to frequently asked questions on the tape. After reading e-mails from customers and posts found in the site’s Ninja forum, Brad gives helpful hints as to how to overcome obstacles encountered.

No other magic instructor or product comes close to this service.

Brad even refers to Ninja 1 in a three minute review of Ninja-1-this is useful knowledge to have if you own the first video. If you enjoy performing the pass, you’d be able to understand the subtle tips he offers within this section.

Demonstrates how to handle hard customers

The ellusionist® Team inserted brief scenes of Brad simply talking about showmanship and stage character. He demonstrates how to handle hard customers and ‘tough cookies’. It felt good knowing someone else cared about more than just the tricks. Brad also appears more natural in this video. He’s not uptight or nervous; he actually knows who he’s talking to, and he feels comfortable sharing his insights on magic.

That’s what makes this video so different: its intimacy.

Another drastic improvement found within this video were the credits! Brad paid respect and credit to wherever the credit was due. Unlike his previous two products, Brad actually took the time to research the work before he taped it. Professionalism increased the ratings of this video drastically, giving a viewer correct knowledge in where the effects came from. Such a deed will inspire real magicians to surface, and not just create 'Blaine wannabes' who don’t even care what a certain ‘trick’ is called. It will inspire more research in the history of our art, which will benefit magic overall.

If I could improve the video, I’d actually have Brad go out on the streets and perform for real audiences. That’s all I ask for. In Street, he performed primarily in a living room for close friends and neighbors. Ninja 1 seemed to have the same comfortable, indoor setting. All the live performances in Ninja 2 took place in a fancy looking private bar. I would love to see Brad out in a nightclub with real people, or socializing on a street corner-with people he’s never met before. I’d like to see some real human interaction through street magic. Brad seems like a more approachable guy than David Blaine, anyway-- I doubt it’d be very hard for him to accomplish such a feat.

If any of the videos were actually worth the money they’re currently going for-I would choose Ninja 2 over everything Brad has sold. I would highly recommend it to anyone seriously interested in card magic. It blew me away and took me by surprise - completely. Although it may be a bit pricey, I think it’s actually worth the money. It’s much more than just a magic video-it’s also a performance, lecture, instructional, and overall entertaining video.

Hands down, this is the best installment to the ellusionist® series yet. Two thumbs up by me.

- RT Showmann