I bought this film for a dollar with the intention of sending it to a friend who needed some "family" entertainment. Being a connoisseur of bad movies, though, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to preview it just to see Jim Varney as the villain, Lothar Zogg, which I admit is a great name. It is a sad day when Jim Varney is the best dramatic actor in a movie, even a kid's movie. (I would say this movie would be appropriate for ages six an up; the only violence is incessant karate.) This will definitely teach me not to watch kid's movies I bought as gifts.
Again, I repeat, Varney is by far the highlight of the film, although Hulk Hogan (as "Dave Dragon") tries his best to hang in there. The undisputed low point is Loni Anderson in a black leather outfit as the evil "Medusa." Her performance is not frightening, though her evident cosmetic surgery made me scream out loud.
The plot is that three kids, Colt, Rocky, and Tum Tum (really) learn to be ninjas from their grandpa, who uses a variety of teaching methods, most of which seem to involve toilet plungers. They defend Mega Mountain from terrorists led by the "Zogg and Medusa Moronic Criminals Corporation" (apparently) via endless action sequences and contrivances that James Bond wouldn't allow out of his tool shed, furnished by brainy techno-nerd, Amanda. Eventually the tension is resolved by the least believable plot device (hint: it involves compressed gases, a bomb, and a boat) in recent memory.
Watch especially for the scene with Jim Varney brandishing a saber, and the model helicopter ransom money interception collision ploy. I had thought of titling this review "Extortion on the Log Flume," but that really didn't convey the pain that this movie inflicts. In the end, though, I gave it two stars for a couple of reasons: first, the name Lothar Zogg really is a great villain name, and second, the movie is (after all) meant for kids, so I should give it some slack.
Although I revel in bad movies for their camp value, this one is probably good for young boys, and a chore worse than cleaning out the grease trap for just about everyone else.