Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Surf Ninjas

Play trailer Poster for Surf Ninjas PG 1993 1h 26m Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
23% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Brothers Johnny (Ernie Reyes Jr.) and Adam (Nicolas Cowan) are coasting through a fun surfer existence in Los Angeles when they are suddenly accosted by a band of ninjas. A mysterious warrior comes to their aid, later telling the brothers that they are the royal heirs to the throne of Patusan, an embattled island under the rule of a tyrannical leader (Leslie Nielsen). After discovering their untapped ninja skills, Johnny and Adam agree to travel to Patusan to overthrow the current monarchy.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Surf Ninjas

Critics Reviews

View More
Jeff Shannon Seattle Times 06/03/2013
1.5/4
Oh, gee, have I given too much away? Is there something in this lyrical narrative that can't be detected in the first five minutes? Go to Full Review
Desmond Ryan Philadelphia Inquirer 06/03/2013
1/4
What do ninjas and surfers have to do with each other? You've got me, and I heroically sat through all of Surf Ninjas. Go to Full Review
Daniel M. Kimmel Variety 05/08/2005
Action is relatively mild for the genre and, unfortunately, so are the jokes. Go to Full Review
Avaryl Halley Movie Bitches 04/24/2024
7/10
Bravo to Ernie Reyes Jr!! Go to Full Review
Andrew Galdi Movie Bitches 04/24/2024
6/10
It’s Weird and Dumb and I Love It Go to Full Review
Justin Brown Medium Popcorn 02/26/2024
5/5
I very much enjoyed this film and will always have a fondness for Ernie Reyes, Jr. If you don't take it too seriously, you'll have fun! Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Nicholas K @NKunzer 1d As an Asian American kid who grew up in 90s California surf culture, Surf Ninjas wasn’t just a silly movie to me. At a time when Asian American boys were rarely allowed to be funny, confident, or effortlessly cool on screen, this movie was radical. The protagonists weren’t martial arts stereotypes, model minorities, or sidekicks. They were goofy, athletic, flawed, loud, and unapologetically themselves. The film’s absurdity mirrored what I felt growing up straddling cultures, not fitting neatly into expectations, and learning to be okay with that mismatch. The tone is ridiculous on purpose, and that’s part of its charm. It showed me that Asian American masculinity didn’t have to be quiet, restrained, or defined by expectation. It could be playful, confident, and weird. Rewatching it now with my kids I still smile — not just because of the nostalgia, but because it represents a small but meaningful crack in the stereotypes that dominated the era. For kids like me, that mattered. See more thiago s @Thiagostone May 3 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, o elenco é mais ou menos, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, a história é fraca, os personagens sao fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes para fazer o filme ser bom. See more Michael V 01/09/2025 Campy early 90s classic. Laughed consistently See more Kale b 01/07/2025 Loved the 90s era and this movie added a great adventure for families to enjoy action, comedy and fun👍🏽 See more Mystic J 12/26/2024 Absolute gem of the 90s See more Jason M 11/23/2024 This was just an absolutely cheesy, cheaply made, fun movie. Even after all these years I still love to watch it See more Read all reviews
Surf Ninjas

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Movie Info

Synopsis Brothers Johnny (Ernie Reyes Jr.) and Adam (Nicolas Cowan) are coasting through a fun surfer existence in Los Angeles when they are suddenly accosted by a band of ninjas. A mysterious warrior comes to their aid, later telling the brothers that they are the royal heirs to the throne of Patusan, an embattled island under the rule of a tyrannical leader (Leslie Nielsen). After discovering their untapped ninja skills, Johnny and Adam agree to travel to Patusan to overthrow the current monarchy.
Director
Neal Israel
Producer
Evzen Kolar
Screenwriter
Dan Gordon
Production Co
New Line Cinema
Rating
PG
Genre
Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Sep 3, 2002
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.9M
Runtime
1h 26m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Surround
Most Popular at Home Now