Run Time: 1 hr 25 min | Director: Sang-ok Shin

Cast: Victor Wong, Don Shanks, Max Elliot Slade, Michael Treanor

Rocky, Colt, and Tum Tum return in 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up, the critically despised sequel movie to a beloved early 90s comedy, 3 Ninjas. In Knuckle Up, the kick-butt kids are fighting to protect a Native American village that is being threatened by a toxic waste company. Kid-led martial arts films were at an all-time high during the 80s and 90s (The Karate Kid, for example), allowing this movie to blend into the scenery only to be discovered years later, earning it cult status. Knuckle Up is the ideal bridge between the original 3 Ninjas and the trilogy’s conclusion, 3 Ninjas Kick Back. Although bursting with outdated stereotypes about Indigenous cultures, this movie is also full of kicks, flips, and fun stunts, as the kids – played by Michael Treanor, Max Elliot Slade, and Chad Power – seemed to not only be enjoying themselves but looked quite confident with their hand-to-hand combat skills as well. – Yael Tygiel