Quickie Movie Review: "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III"

Rated: PG for swashbuckling violence and mild language
Starring: Elias Koteas, Paige Turco, and Stuart Wilson
Released: 1993

Synopsis: In this third cinematic outing, the Ninja Turtles find themselves traveling through time! An ancient artifact transports Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael, as well as their friend April (Paige Turco) to feudal Japan, a country who is the middle of a war with the British! They're more than willing to help out the Japanese...but, the British are more powerful than anyone anticipated! Will they succeed? Will they get back home to modern day New York?

My Review: This film is a blockbuster in every sense.  Loads of special effects, plenty of battle scenes, bits of comedy and romance thrown in...yeah, this was definitely a big budget production.  It also improves on its predecessors; it isn't rife with profanity like the first live-action TMNT film, whereas it has better action than the second.  Still, with a franchise like this, the one concern is always violence.  Though there's no blood or gore and only one actual death, which isn't caused by the Turtles--in fact, they go out of their way to make sure they don't kill people--the battle scenes are rather intense and somewhat dark at times.  Though humorous remarks lighten the mood a bit, this may be a bit too much for some kids and their parents.  Still, this is the best of the Turtles films so far; if you're new to the franchise and were disappointed by last year's cinematic interpretation, you should watch this to see how such a film should be done.

Content Concerns:

Sex: Kissing; an innuendo here and there. 4/5
Nudity: Guys are seen in underwear-like garments. 4/5
Language: Three misuses of God's name--once by a Turtle--and one usage of the d-word, alongside some name-calling. 3.5/5
Violence: Battle sequences abound in this film.  The Turtles, other heroes, and the villains duke it out with swords and various other melee weapons.  Guns are also used, but only by the bad guys.  There's no blood or gore, though one person dies by the time the credits roll.  Also, an ice hockey brawl is seen, which is later re-enacted by some Japanese guys. 2/5
Drugs: A scene at a bar, where alcoholic drinks are served in the background. 4/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: Some of the battle sequences are rather dark.  Though only one person actually dies, there are several near death scenes. 3/5
Other: Buddhism is referenced.  The Turtles are called "demons" by the feudal Japanese, and use that tag to their advantage. 4/5

Score: 4/5