3 Ninjas Kick Back

"Colt, Rocky and Tum Tum are back for bigger kicks in an all new adventure"

1994 1h 33m EN

😐

5.7

MID

🥫

13%

ROTTEN

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

4.6

IMDB

★5.7TMDB · 339🥫13%Rotten Tomatoes●39Metacritic★4.6IMDB · 10,502

FamilyAdventureActionComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

During a championship baseball match, the three brothers hear that their grandfather in Japan is in trouble, and head out to help him, conceding the match. When they arrive in Japan, they must use all their powers to defend him against his ancient enemy, who has returned to exact revenge.

“Colt, Rocky and Tum Tum are back for bigger kicks in an all new adventure”

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Cast

Victor Wong
Grandpa
Max Elliott Slade
Colt
Sean Fox
Rocky
J. Evan Bonifant
Tum Tum
Caroline Junko King
Miyo
Dustin Nguyen
Glam
Alan McRae
Sam
Margarita Franco
Jessica

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Charles T. Kanganis
Writers: Mark Saltzman, Shin Sang-ok
Languages: English
Countries: Japan, 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

Earned back only 59% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Japan, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Charles T. Kanganis, shot by Christopher Faloona. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 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#06

7 / 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#07

8 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Victor Wong and Max Elliott Slade and Sean Fox carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Charles T. Kanganis directs. Christopher Faloona behind the camera. Richard Marvin scores. David Rennie cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Japan, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 59% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
232 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3International production across 2 countries: Japan, United States of America.
4Part of the "3 Ninja Kids Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Charles T. Kanganis, shot by Christopher Faloona. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Richard Marvin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor David Rennie shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Victor Wong and Max Elliott Slade and Sean Fox carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Colt, Rocky and Tum Tum are back for bigger kicks in an all new adventure".
10IMDB entry: tt0109015 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 17 themes, including "underdog", "friendship", "martial arts", "hero".

The technical file

Cinematography: Christopher Faloona
Original score: Richard Marvin
Editing: David Rennie
Costume design: Miye 'Mimi' Matsumoto
Runtime: 93 min · 1h 33m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $20,000,000
Box office: $11,798,854
Return: 59% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes: 13% 🥫 Rotten
Metacritic: 39/100
IMDB rating: 4.6/10 · 10,502 votes
MPAA: PG

Awards

3 nominations total

Part of

3 Ninja Kids Collection

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.

Also by

Charles T. Kanganis

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Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

tmdb516161672024-09-01
★ 5/10
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