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* [[Tone Lōc]]
* [[John Karlen]]
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* [[Leslie Nielsen]]}}
| music = [[David Kitay]]
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| gross = $4.9 million (USA)<ref name="bom" />
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'''''Surf Ninjas''''' is a 1993 American
''Surf Ninjas'' was filmed in Los Angeles, [[Hawaii]], and [[Thailand]]. A video game was also developed and released in conjunction with the film. ''Surf Ninjas'' was released in the United States on August 20, 1993. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and was
==Plot==
Johnny and Adam are teenage surfers who live in Los Angeles with their father, Mac. Two weeks before Johnny's 16th birthday, ninjas attack the teenagers, but they are defeated by Zatch, a mysterious warrior with an eye patch. A follow-up attack results in Mac's kidnapping, though Zatch is able to protect the teenagers and their friend Iggy from the ninjas. Adam discovers that the video game on his
Ninjas again attack, but Johnny's abilities as a warrior prince emerge and he defeats several of his foes. Johnny, Adam, Iggy, Zatch, and Ro-May decide to return to Patusan. They are followed by a Los Angeles detective, Lieutenant Spence, who had been investigating the ninja attacks and teaming up with Zatch, Johnny, Adam and ziggurat help them out. They reach Patusan and discover what Colonel Chi's rule has wrought, including a burned village and a [[Chain gang|chain gang]] of political prisoners. The guards spot them and they are forced to fight. Johnny and Adam defeat them and free the villagers from their captivity.
Zatch leads the crew to a hidden cave in which the ancient weapons of the Patusani monarchy are preserved. Zatch arms Johnny and attacks him to prepare him for future challenges. Johnny is beaten repeatedly, but he is finally able to disarm Zatch. Rallying the villagers, they travel to the coast, opposite from an island that houses the royal city and Colonel Chi's dungeon. Unable to go by boat due to an impassable reef, Johnny and Adam tell the Patusanis to make surfboards. They then paddle to the unguarded side of the island.
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==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Ernie Reyes Sr.]] as Zatch, Johnny and Adam's uncle and Patusani ninja
* [[Ernie Reyes Jr.]] as Johnny, a surfer boy who is the rightful heir to the Patusani throne
* Nicolas Cowan as Adam, Johnny's younger brother who is second-in-line for the Patusani throne
* [[John Karlen]] as Mac, Johnny and Adam's foster father
* [[Rob Schneider]] as Iggy, Johnny's surfing buddy
* [[Leslie Nielsen]] as Colonel Chi, ruthless warlord who took power of Patusan by force, has mechanical bodyparts as a result of the coup
* [[Kelly Hu]] as Ro-May, another Patusani refugee whom Johnny was betrothed to
* [[Tone Loc]] as Lieutenant Spence, LAPD detective investigating Mac's kidnapping
* [[Nathan Jung]] as Manchu, Colonel Chi's right hand man
}}
==Production and video game==
''Surf Ninjas'' was filmed during the summer of 1992.<ref name=surf>{{cite news|first=Ian |last=Spelling |title=Surf's Up for Schneider |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |date=September 3, 1993 }}</ref> Filming locations included [[Thailand]] and [[Hawaii]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Sherry |last=Crawford |title='Surf Ninjas' kicks up waves of martial arts fun for young set |work=[[Evansville Courier & Press]] |date=August 9, 1993 }}</ref> The second half of the film was shot first, and the crew moved to Los Angeles to film the first half.<ref name=surf/> [[New Line Cinema]] and [[Sega|Sega of America]] established a financial relationship in which a [[
''Surf Ninjas'' video games were also released for the [[Amiga 1200]] computer<ref name='lemon_a1200'>{{cite web|url=http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=2837|title=Surf Ninjas ''(AGA)''|website=Lemon Amiga|access-date=2016-04-13}}</ref> and
==Release==
The studio [[New Line Cinema]] released ''Surf Ninjas'' two weeks earlier than its commercial release date in [[Evansville, Indiana]] and [[Lubbock, Texas]] as part of a test of regional markets. The early release marked the first time that a major film was released in Evansville before its national opening without any local ties. The president of theatrical marketing at New Line, Chris Pula, selected Evansville for its family-oriented audiences. Pula explained: "Evansville is traditionally a strong family market. Also, we have a strong relationship with the exhibitors in that area". The president said that the studio was testing the film in a larger market than usual due to its uncertainty about the film's reception
''Surf Ninjas'' was widely released in 1,321 theaters in the United States on August 20, 1993. Over its opening weekend, the film grossed {{nowrap|$2 million}},<ref name=bom/> placing 13th in box office rankings, ahead of ''[[Manhattan Murder Mystery]]''.<ref>{{cite news | title='Fugitive' Runs Away With the Summer Box Office | work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] | date=August 24, 1993 }}</ref> ''Surf Ninjas'' ultimately grossed {{nowrap|$4.9 million}} in the United States.<ref name=bom>{{cite web | url=
==Reception==
''Surf Ninjas'' received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and audiences. [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives the film a rating of 23% from 22 reviews, with an average rating of 3.7/10.<ref name=RT>{{Cite web |title=Surf Ninjas |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/surf_ninjas |access-date=May 10, 2024 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |language=en |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913174159/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/surf_ninjas |url-status=live }}</ref>
Stephen Hunter of ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' thought the film's lead, [[Ernie Reyes, Jr.]], was too old (20) and too muscular to be received believably as a 15-year-old. Hunter otherwise found the Reyeses impressive in terms of their fighting skills, though he found the film's martial arts sequences to be "bloodless and absurd". Hunter also criticized the director for depriving the film of personality, with its lack of danger, seriousness, or spontaneity.<ref>{{cite news | first=Stephen | last=Hunter | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1993/08/21/tepid-surf-ninjas-is-a-wipeout-and-a-waste-of-its-comic-and-martial-arts-talent/ | title=Tepid 'Surf Ninjas' is a wipeout and a waste of its comic and martial arts talent | work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] | date=August 21, 1993 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805163348/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-08-21/features/1993233093_1_surf-ninjas-ernie-reyes-leslie-nielsen|archive-date=August 5, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Richard Harrington of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' found the film to be "a harmless summer's entertainment" for young people who enjoyed the [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles#Films|''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' films]] and ''[[3 Ninjas]]''. Harrington enjoyed Reyes, Jr. as the protagonist but found Nielsen to be disappointing.<ref>{{cite news | first=Richard | last=Harrington | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/surfninjaspgharrington_a0ab78.htm | title='Ninjas': Silly surfing safari | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=August 21, 1993 | access-date=December 20, 2017 | archive-date=December 9, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209143134/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/surfninjaspgharrington_a0ab78.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> Paul Sherman of the ''[[Boston Herald]]'' thought that ''Surf Ninjas'' was "little more than a succession of dudespeak, surfing, skateboarding, video games, generic rock soundtrack and strained knucklehead humor". Sherman admired the story arc in which the protagonists learn to accept their destinies, but he thought that "the manufactured thrills along the way get obnoxious". Sherman thought that the film would only appeal to children under 12 years old, though the film's locations in Thailand in the second half added an exotic atmosphere.<ref>{{cite news | first=Paul | last=Sherman | title='Surf Ninjas' tries but is too juvenile | work=[[Boston Herald]] | date=August 21, 1993 }}</ref>
Desmond Ryan of ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' thought that Leslie Nielsen was deceptively portrayed in a major role similar to that of [[Lieutenant Frank Drebin]] from [[The Naked Gun (film series)|''The Naked Gun'' films]], instead having merely "a running and unfunny gag about his malfunctioning answering machine and generally wasted otherwise". Ryan also found the film's dialogue to be "painful" and considered ''Surf Ninjas'' to be "beyond airheaded".<ref>{{cite news | first=Desmond | last=Ryan | title='Surf Ninjas' hits the beach with gags and a vengeance | work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] | date=August 23, 1993 }}</ref> Mick LaSalle of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' considered the story of ''Surf Ninjas'' to be "harmless and painfully dull". LaSalle thought that the pacing of the film was too long with only "two smirks over the course of 90 minutes".<ref>{{cite news | first=Mick | last=LaSalle | title='Surf Ninjas' Wipes Out | work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] | date=August 21, 1993 }}</ref> Sean Piccoli of ''[[The Washington Times]]'' thought that the film's "dull stretch" was buoyed by the presence of Rob Schneider. Piccoli compared the martial arts choreography in the film to the "cartoon fantasies that little boys re-enact on neighbors' lawns: the good guys, alone and outnumbered by the charging horde, air-punch their way to glory".<ref>{{cite news | first=Sean | last=Piccoli | title=These 'Surf Ninjas' run short of silliness | work=[[The Washington Times]] | date=August 20, 1993 }}</ref>
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[[Category:American slapstick comedy films]]
[[Category:American surfing films]]
[[Category:English-language action comedy films]]
[[Category:Films about video games]]
[[Category:Films directed by Neal Israel]]
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