3 Ninjas

"Tum Tum, Colt and Rocky Ready for a Ninja Summer!"

1992 1h 36m EN

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 493

FamilyActionAdventureComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Each year, three brothers Samuel, Jeffrey and Michael Douglas visits their Japanese grandfather, Mori Shintaro whom the boys affectionately refer to as Grandpa, for the summer. Mori is a highly skilled in the fields of Martial arts and Ninjutsu, and for years he has trained the boys in his techniques. After an organized crime ring proves to be too much for the FBI, it's time for the 3 brother NINJAS! To use their martial arts skills, they team up to battle the crime ring and outwit some very persistent kidnappers!

“Tum Tum, Colt and Rocky Ready for a Ninja Summer!”

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Cast

Victor Wong
Grandpa
Michael Treanor
Rocky
Max Elliott Slade
Colt
Chad Power
Tum Tum
Rand Kingsley
Snyder
Alan McRae
Sam Douglas
Margarita Franco
Jessica Douglas
Kate Sargeant
Emily

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jon Turteltaub
Writers: Kenny Kim, Edward Emanuel
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 4.5× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

34 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "3 Ninja Kids Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jon Turteltaub, shot by Richard Michalak. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Richard Marvin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor David Rennie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Victor Wong and Michael Treanor and Max Elliott Slade carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Tum Tum, Colt and Rocky Ready for a Ninja Summer!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jon Turteltaub directs. Richard Michalak behind the camera. Richard Marvin scores. David Rennie cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 4.5× over at the box office.
234 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Part of the "3 Ninja Kids Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Jon Turteltaub, shot by Richard Michalak. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Richard Marvin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor David Rennie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Victor Wong and Michael Treanor and Max Elliott Slade carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Tum Tum, Colt and Rocky Ready for a Ninja Summer!".
9IMDB entry: tt0103596 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 15 themes, including "rescue", "martial arts", "hero", "sibling relationship".
11Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Richard Michalak
Original score: Richard Marvin
Editing: David Rennie
Costume design: Mona May
Stunt coordinator: Rick Avery
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $6,500,000
Box office: $29,000,301
Return: 446% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: 3 Ninjas (1992)

Part of

3 Ninja Kids Collection

Also by

Jon Turteltaub

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Community reviews

What people are saying

tmdb516161672024-09-01
★ 6/10
Let's delve into the rise and fall of the three ninjas franchise. Initially, the original “3 Ninjas” stands out as a remarkable film, even though it may not have received the same critical acclaim as others. It exudes a fun 90s vibe that resonates with many viewers. The characters Rocky, Colt, and Tumtum are engaging, especially in their martial arts pursuits under the guidance of their grandfather, Tanaka. While the film lacks in-depth martial arts training, it still retains a nostalgic charm that endears it to audiences, making it a cult classic worth revisiting. The sequel, while decent, faced challenges with the recasting of Rocky and Tumtum, disrupting the continuity of the original cast. Despite this, the replacements manage to maintain the film's fun and entertaining essence, although it falls short of its predecessor. The lack of martial arts development persists, but the presence of the grandfather adds continuity to the franchise. The third installment attempted to reunite the original cast for a nostalgic touch, yet the decision to recast once again puzzled viewers. While incorporating Indian culture and indigenous heroes, the film comes across as cheesy and lacks re-watch value, except for the reunion of the original cast members, notably the grandfather. The franchise's downfall came with the fourth film, a disastrous attempt featuring Hulk Hogan and a Pamela Anderson look-alike in a money-grabbing amusement park takeover plot. The casting of Tumtum was particularly egregious, leading to a lackluster performance. Rocky and Colt were relegated to side characters, detracting from the essence of the three ninjas. The film's shift towards a villain-centric narrative fighting the FBI was seen as the franchise's lowest point, contributing to its eventual demise and disappearance from the spotlight.

Production companies